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David Levine -> RE: General Vikes Talk (9/10/2024 3:10:05 PM)
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Nothing about this moment said, Let it rip. But there was Sam Darnold, the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback, eyeing the left side of the field. And there was superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, peeling off a corner route toward the sideline.
Until this second-and-12 situation early in the second quarter, Darnold had played smartly. A checkdown to the flat here, a quick strike up the seam there. Eventually, the Vikings were going to ask him to launch one, to trust Jefferson and to trust himself. That time was now.
Darnold feathered a pass perfectly in Jefferson’s direction, and as the ball dropped into Jefferson’s hands for a 44-yard gain, you almost felt like the only thing that would have done the pass justice was one of the shot tracers they use on TV to follow shots on the PGA Tour.
Darnold jogged up to take the next snap as Jefferson lined up out wide. Coach Kevin O’Connell scanned his play sheet for the next call. It was arguably the most significant throw in the Vikings’ 28-6 shellacking Sunday of the New York Giants, and all of the major Vikings characters were focused on capping the drive with a touchdown. Which they did.
After the game, Jefferson described Darnold’s pass as “beautiful.” O’Connell called it “remarkable.” When asked why it impressed him so much, the head coach stressed the importance of being able to lean on his quarterback in a vital moment.
And, frankly, isn’t that the central question surrounding the Vikings this season? Can Darnold lift the offense when he’s called upon? The Giants did not present the toughest test Sunday, but all you can do is handle the task in front of you, and Darnold did. He completed 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
“Baller,” veteran safety Harrison Smith said of his quarterback. “I love Sam, man. I mean, he started 12-for-12. What the f— else could you want?”
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5754402/2024/09/08/vikings-giants-week-1-sam-darnold-defense/?source=pulsenewsletter&campaign=10981351&userId=114953
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