***2026 Minnesota Vikings***

[MeowingCows]

That alone is a separate set of issues...MIN hasn't had anything resembling a run game during KOCs entire tenure. That has to change, even if it takes draft capital to do so. They made a guy having an obvious off night throw 40 times yesterday. MIN in particular is terrible rushing in short yardage situations.

Give me a Montgomery-style power back next season and give this team more options besides passing on third and short and goal to go situations. Don't need top-ens burst, give us a consistent 3 yard rush machine.

 

[MeowingCows]

I thought Darnold wasn't good last night but the play calling did him no favors either. Too many passes inside the 5 and too many intermediate to long developing pass routes

DET did exactly what MIN refused to do -- shrink down the passing game to attack what's being given. Goff's second half was him repeatedly picking apart space vacated by blitzers and hitting underneath routes when not blitzed. Constantly taking what's there and going forward. MIN refused to do this at all and instead kept insisting upon chucking long plays out there.

 

[BCClone]

Wasn’t all Darnold. Several times when Detroit would blitz, none of the receivers would cut their route off to give Darnold an option. Detroit would take away the TE and the receivers would still run their 40 yard post/vertical patterns. You can’t expect Darnold to complete a large pass if he only has a second or two before pressure is on him.

 

[Cyclone06]

As a Lions fan... I pray you all roll with Jones next year.

Probably said the same about Darnold. And I was not hopeful when Darnold became the guy.

You've got JJ, Addison, and Hockenson. Even Aaron Jones. Please do not waste them because of a hole at QB. The next QB flop in Minnesota will be the end of Jefferson, and no one can be mad about that.

 

[moores2]

Lol. It's 1 game! Goff had a pretty rough night by his standards. 2 horrible picks and he took 2 sacks, I dont see Lions fans running him off anytime soon.

What makes you think a guy that had never taken an NFL snap will be better than a guy with 36 Tds and a 14-3 record?

The only reason you guys drafted him anyways is you didn't have high enough pick to get your top 5 choices.

It has less to do with who is better and more to do at who is worth more. A top maybe (and I mean maybe) top 15 qb in Darnold at $50 Mil a year, or unknown McCarthy at like $15 mil a year who we can surround with a really good cast from the cap savings of not paying Darnold.

 

[moores2]

That alone is a separate set of issues...MIN hasn't had anything resembling a run game during KOCs entire tenure. That has to change, even if it takes draft capital to do so. They made a guy having an obvious off night throw 40 times yesterday. MIN in particular is terrible rushing in short yardage situations.

Give me a Montgomery-style power back next season and give this team more options besides passing on third and short and goal to go situations. Don't need top-ens burst, give us a consistent 3 yard rush machine.

They had 0 success running the ball inside the 5 all season. Even with a guy like Montgomery in the backfield our interior Oline is not good enough. Spend some of the savings from not signing Darnold to go get some mid tier guards and center. All 3 graded out poorly all season.

We saw this in pass pro too. Detroit attacked our guards with edges all game long. Tackles are doing great, but we need some help on the interior.

 

[NoCreativity]

Does 1 good season out of 7 mean the good seasons are here to stay?

You're seriously comparing his time with the Jets and Panthers to his current situation? Those are two of the most inept franchises in the league and KOC seems to be a QB savant.

He has alot more weapons in Minnesota than he's ever had also. I have no dog in this figth and as a Bears fan I'd love for you guys to kick him to the curb for some unproven guy who didn't do much st Michigan.

 

[cytor]

Missed the game (flying ).... this is the Vikings MO... win a lot of games, then fold in the big games when they truly matter. As a life long Vikings fan, seen this too many times. I'm not gonna get jacked up until they actually get to a superbowl. Not liking next week chances either.

 

[twincyties]

Understand disappointment of Vikings fans. Last night was surely a kick in the balls that we all know as ISU fans (probably not unlike the Big 12 championship).

Darnold was obviously not good but - as others have pointed out - this loss is not in him alone.

I don’t think you give him a huge payday or long term contract but JJ is still a question mark (no fault of his own, obviously). Could very well be a step up from Darnold or could be another first round QB pick that doesn’t pan out.

I don’t understand the unbridled optimism about him at this point.

 

[NoCreativity]

That alone is a separate set of issues...MIN hasn't had anything resembling a run game during KOCs entire tenure.

Lmao, Aaron Jones just ran for 1,139 yards this year. Are you ok this morning?

Its 1 game, burn it all down if you want.

 

[KnappShack]

Lmao, Aaron Jones just ran for 1,139 yards this year. Are you ok this morning?

Its 1 game, burn it all down if you want.

Cam Akers threw in over 400 too

 

[AuH2O]

You're seriously comparing his time with the Jets and Panthers to his current situation? Those are two of the most inept franchises in the league and KOC seems to be a QB savant.

He has alot more weapons in Minnesota than he's ever had also. I have no dog in this figth and as a Bears fan I'd love for you guys to kick him to the curb for some unproven guy who didn't do much st Michigan.

Except it's not at all how the NFL works. It's not like they sign Darnold to his market value contract and just run it back with the same dudes. Well, maybe next year, but that's at best.

The Vikings are good this year because Darnold is putting up a typical Cousins year at $10M. The same performance for next five years by Darnold as this year at his market value of something in the $50M plus range, and it's probably back to the 10-7 type purgatory.

Unless they work out a pretty team friendly deal, I'd rather they just franchise tag him and see what happens between him and McCarthy after next year.

 

[Cyfan1965]

Still not over 1998 and Gary Anderson's 122 straight record shattered like my dreams. We were the best team by miles. Old wounds of 1975 and 1976 we were better than the Raiders probably lose to the Steelers in the bowl had we made it though.

 

[AuH2O]

Wasn’t all Darnold. Several times when Detroit would blitz, none of the receivers would cut their route off to give Darnold an option. Detroit would take away the TE and the receivers would still run their 40 yard post/vertical patterns. You can’t expect Darnold to complete a large pass if he only has a second or two before pressure is on him.

Probably the only repeated weakness in KOC's offense over the years has been the inability to respond effectively to heavy blitzing game plans and make them pay. Whether it was Cousins, Dobbs, Mullins or Darnold, that's been a problem. Darnold has done very well escaping, and the OL really has held up well given Darrisaw's injury and the fact that they want to operate with so many deep drops.

 

[MeowingCows]

You're seriously comparing his time with the Jets and Panthers to his current situation? Those are two of the most inept franchises in the league and KOC seems to be a QB savant.

He has alot more weapons in Minnesota than he's ever had also. I have no dog in this figth and as a Bears fan I'd love for you guys to kick him to the curb for some unproven guy who didn't do much st Michigan.

Does 1 good season in a perfect situation make someone a great QB? Most "great QBs" can thrive in many situations. It's not like you or anyone else expected MIN to win 14 games this year, they were frequently picked to finish last in the division. Sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle.

This is strictly a money matter. What has Darnold proven to the organization to make him worth extending at exorbitant cost? Doing so basically stops their rebuild immediately -- the advantage the Vikings have is massive cap space coming next season. Right now, Darnold is firmly in the Cousins/Keenum tier on the results scale, at least until we see how next week goes. Is he still worth extending if they get blown out again next week?

 

[NoCreativity]

Does 1 good season in a perfect situation make someone a great QB? Most "great QBs" can thrive in many situations. It's not like you or anyone else expected MIN to win 14 games this year, they were frequently picked to finish last in the division. Sometimes you catch lightning in a bottle.

This is strictly a money matter. What has Darnold proven to the organization to make him worth extending at exorbitant cost? Doing so basically stops their rebuild immediately -- the advantage the Vikings have is massive cap space coming next season. Right now, Darnold is firmly in the Cousins/Keenum tier on the results scale, at least until we see how next week goes. Is he still worth extending if they get blown out again next week?

Keenums numbers aren't anywhere close to what Darnold put up this year. He had Theilen and Diggs also so it's not like you can say he didn't have the same weapons.

Fine, go with Mccarthy if you want, but I dont think he's good. Time will tell, but I think you'll be back here in 3 years wanting a new QB if they decide to go with McCarhy.

 

[MeowingCows]

Lmao, Aaron Jones just ran for 1,139 yards this year. Are you ok this morning?

Its 1 game, burn it all down if you want.

On the most rushing attempts of his entire career, on top of already being old, with his main backup being a known injury risk.

...and both were still incredibly undependable in short situations (which, as mentioned, also falls on the IOL being very bad, but those two guys don't excel with that situation).

Nobody is saying anything about burning it all down.

 

[MeowingCows]

Keenums numbers aren't anywhere close to what Darnold put up this year. He had Theilen and Diggs also so it's not like you can say he didn't have the same weapons.

Fine, go with Mccarthy if you want, but I dont think he's good. Time will tell, but I think you'll be back here in 3 years wanting a new QB if they decide to go with McCarhy.

The only number that matters is wins, particularly ones going deeper into the playoffs.

3 years from now, they can get out of McCarthy with minimal investment. Not possible with extending Darnold the same length.

 

[stuclone]

It has less to do with who is better and more to do at who is worth more. A top maybe (and I mean maybe) top 15 qb in Darnold at $50 Mil a year, or unknown McCarthy at like $15 mil a year who we can surround with a really good cast from the cap savings of not paying Darnold.

Looking at Over the Cap, McCarthy is actually only at $5M next year. Could sign Jones for $5M and have a $10M QB Room then fill the roster out with the $25-40M saved from not signing Darnold

 

[MeowingCows]

Looking at Over the Cap, McCarthy is actually only at $5M next year. Could sign Jones for $5M and have a $10M QB Room then fill the roster out with the $25-40M saved from not signing Darnold

MIN's record is hiding the fact that their roster still needs a lot of help. IOL is bad. CBs are bad-ish. IDL is bad-ish. Many of the newer contracts on defense are short-term rentals that won't stay cheap. Going back to dropping 35+ on a QB right now will be a huge roadblock to shoring up other holes. MIN also doesn't have **** for draft picks this year, so that alone isn't gonna fill many of those holes.