Hey Minnesota fans, Denver Bronco here. I would like to offer some of my insight on Sam Darnold if you all don’t mind.

As of now i am currently on Darnolds side and will be defending him for a couple of reasons. I understand he needs to make those throws, and overthrowing a WR happens but it happened a lot last night. He seemed really off last night and i feel there were plenty of nerves there, probably more than he has ever had in his NFL career. You know why i think that is? Because last night was the first biggest moment of his NFL career in a must win playoff caliber game to determine the 1 seed.

What do i mean?

2018 - goes to Jets and they are an all around bad roster. He goes 4-9 as starter.

2019 - still a bad roster, decent improvements and Darnold goes 7-6 as a starter ( woo )

2020 - major drop off again, Jets were never going to turn it around right away and he goes 2-10

2021 - Carolina, fresh scenery but again, how much of an upgrade is that team from the Jets and the roster as a whole? Darnold goes 4-8

2022 - Baker Mayfield takes job and it doesn’t go well as the Panthers suck again. No surprise. But Darnold starts the last 6 games and goes 4-2.

Now, i’m NOT completely defending Darnold because he still has so much to learn but he couldn’t have been put into worse situations starting his first years off in the NFL. The losing his former teams had also falls on Darnold since he was in command but when the roster is legit just bad, what can you expect to get out of your QB?

So now he goes to Minnesota a legit team, very good weapons on offense, a good defense and a very good head coach. What happens? He goes 14-3. Wow 🤩

Aside from his first career NFL start being his biggest moment for him how many big moments did he actually get? Losing records consistently, no one talks about the bad teams because they aren’t relevant for the media and he never had anything major to play for.

Minnesota takes a chance on him and he does very well. Last night was the first time he was ever put in a big moment on national tv. No, not a Jets game 4 years ago when they are 2-7 and have a MNF game so he’s on national tv that’s not a big moment just a bad team who gets to play MNF due to scheduling.

In his BIGGEST moment he panicked, made many many crucial errors because in my opinion he has never been there. He is 27 and Minnesota revived him and he helped revive a bit of Minnesota as well. At 27 his career officially gets to begin and luckily he choked last night because now he has those nerves out of him and his next big moment is on national TV in the playoffs. He will play better. Minnesota will win. Dan Campbell knows, he told Kevin see you in two weeks. The nerves will still be there but he cleared through a majority of them last night and will learn.

Sam Darnold & Baker Mayfield got written off because of Browns/Jets/Panthers arguably the 3 WORST organizations of the last decade. What do you expect when a QB doesn’t have his pieces around him and a JOKE of a coaching system.

One goes to Tampa 9-8 and 10-7 for Mayfield in 2 seasons

The other goes to Minnesota and ends up 14-3

Both Tampa & Minnesota seem like pretty stable and great organizations to me.. and QBs who were good but overshadowed by horrible coaching, horrible rosters and their own horrible play was a recipe for disaster.

I love a good comeback story. Some may agree, some may disagree. You all know much more than i do when it comes to Vikings but i just wanted to add that in there about Darnold and that i think you guys got a GOOD ONE. Now what the front office does in terms of him & JJ McCarthy i won’t comment on that.

Seeing the Vikings projected low wins to start the season and end up 1 game away from the first seed is awesome.

Now back i go into the AFC WEST and deal with the real Villain running our division.

Goodluck Vikings, if and when my Broncos get eliminated i’ll be cheering on the Purple & Gold.

🤝