<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-sam-darnold-get-big-offensive-line-boost');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings’ Sam Darnold about to get a big offensive line boost');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Sam-Darnold-about-to-get-a-big-offensive-line-boost.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings’ Sam Darnold about to get a big offensive line boost</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-14T13:12:02-07:00">October 14th, 1:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-15T15:34:33-07:00">October 15th, 3:34pm</time><address><a href="https://matthew516sports.substack.com/">Douglas Fritz</a>Douglas Fritz has been writing about sports for almost four decades and publishes a Christian sports newsletter and podcast on Substack at Matthew516Sports. He started as a reporter for the student newspaper at East Tennessee State University, worked his way up to Editor-In-Chief, and began his sports writing career at the Johnson City Press daily newspaper while still in college. During 30-plus years at the Press, he covered University of Tennessee football, men's and women's basketball, ETSU athletics, and high school athletics. Among the people he has interviewed are Dale Murphy, Bobby Cox, John Smoltz, and Bruce Smith. He is also a Christian-based screenwriter (five feature-length and one short), book writer (three completed manuscripts and one novel), and songwriter.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>No, Sam Darnold <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-why-sam-darnold-isnt-eligible-win-comeback-player-of-the-year-2024">won’t win the comeback player of the year</a> in 2024 because of new guidelines by the Associated Press. But they got <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-aaron-jones-gets-positive-injury-timeline-update">positive injury news on the Aaron Jones front</a>. They also learned about <a href="https://x.com/RapSheet/status/1845890883343806932" rel="noopener">an impending boost</a> to the offensive line, according to a post on X by NFL insider Ian Rapoport.</p><p>“OL help on the way: The #Vikings have designated G Dalton Risner to return to practice off Injured Reserve.”</p><p>That’s great news for a team that has surprised everybody in the NFL with a 5-0 start.</p><h2><b>Vikings OL Dalton Risner expected back soon</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Minnesota-Vikings-OL-Dalton-Risner.jpg"><figcaption>Brett Davis-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>A second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2019, Risner has been a fixture at the guard position. He started at least 15 games in all four of his seasons with the Broncos, and started 11 times with the Vikings in 2023.</p><p>The Vikings placed him on injured reserve in August because of a back issue. That means he had to miss the first four games of the regular season, but he seems to be ready to get back into the mix after five games and the Vikings bye week as the team designated him for a return to practice.</p><p>This move opens up his 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster. He may not be available for this week’s game against the Lions, but his return is getting closer.</p><p>Another question is about the role Risner will have when he’s ready to go. Will the team slide him into the starting lineup in place of Ed Ingram at right guard?</p><p>Among the 65 guards who have played at least 200 snaps this season, Ingram ranks 64th in pass-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus via Sports Illustrated. He’s been charged with 17 pressures and three sacks allowed in five games. Those numbers seem poor enough to give Risner an open door.</p><h2><b>What room do the Vikings have for Dalton Risner?</b></h2><p>In the preseason, head coach Kevin O’Connell said Risner could be in the mix for an <a href="https://x.com/RapSheet/status/1845890883343806932" rel="noopener">overall strong offensive unit</a>, according to Sports Illustrated.</p><p>“We feel really fortunate to have the talented group around (the) quarterback position,” O’Connell said. “Both at the skill players, with Justin (Jefferson), Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson coming back and adding Aaron Jones was huge for us to pair with Ty Chandler.</p><p>“And then I think our offensive line has really been solidified obviously with the two tackles we have. We bring back Dalton Risner, who’s going to compete like crazy at the guard spot with both (Ingram) and Blake Brandel. And then Garrett Bradbury has been Mr. Reliable for us in the middle.</p><p>“Anytime you’re transitioning at the quarterback position, to have a veteran center to really drive that communication and make sure we’re all on the same page, it’s a good setup. ”</p><p>Risner joined the Vikings on a one-year deal after the season began in 2023. He took over the starting left guard role in the team’s Week 7 win over the San Francisco 49ers. According to Pro Football Focus, Risner allowed 30 total pressures and zero sacks last season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings’ Sam Darnold about to get a big offensive line boost

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-why-sam-darnold-isnt-eligible-win-comeback-player-of-the-year-2024');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Vikings QB Sam Darnold isn’t eligible to win Comeback Player of the Year in 2024');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Vikings-news-Why-Sam-Darnold-isnt-eligible-to-win-Comeback-Player-of-the-Year-in-2024.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Vikings QB Sam Darnold isn’t eligible to win Comeback Player of the Year in 2024</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-11T08:30:16-07:00">October 11th, 8:30am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-11T08:30:16-07:00">October 11th, 8:30am</time><address><a>Owen Crisafulli</a>Owen Crisafulli is a Senior Editor and NFL Lead at ClutchPoints. He recently received his Masters in Business Administration from Nichols College. Previously, he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Sport Management and for a while ran his own sports website. Sports are his passion, and he thoroughly enjoys writing about thoughts and opinions that are related to the game. He has been a lifelong fan of the major professional teams in Boston and loves discussing all topics surrounding those teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings have been <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl-power-rankings-week-6-vikings-remain-undefeated-as-49ers-seahawks-upset">arguably the biggest surprise in the NFL</a> so far this season, and that’s due in large part to the incredible play from <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-sam-darnold-gets-real-narrative-jets-failed-him">quarterback Sam Darnold</a> under center. Darnold went from being a cast off veteran quarterback to leading Minnesota to an undefeated record through five games, making him an early frontrunner to win several awards.</p><p>While Darnold is considered a leader in the MVP race currently, one award he’s surprisingly not eligible to win is the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award. While there’s no doubt that Darnold’s story is quite a comeback, the league <a href="https://x.com/RobMaaddi/status/1844732143731442083" rel="noopener">sent a memo to voters</a> ahead of the season that would prevent them from voting for Darnold to win the award.</p><p>Via Rob Maaddi:</p><p>“Vikings QB Sam Darnold probably would’ve been a candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year award before the AP issued guidance to voters before the season, instructing them that ‘the spirit of the award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season.’ If he keeps playing at this level, Darnold could end up with another award: Most Valuable Player.”</p><h2><b>Sam Darnold could end up winning MVP for the Vikings instead</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Sam-Darnold-of-the-Vikings.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Darnold has certainly put together quite a comeback story, as he’s finally realized the potential that resulted in him being selected with the third overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. The problem is that the league is narrowing the scope of what the award defines, which means Darnold doesn’t really fit the criteria for the Comeback Player of the Year.</p><p>Still, if Darnold keeps playing at this incredibly high level (87/137, 1111 YDS, 11 TD, 4 INT), he will likely manage to rack up some awards this season. It just won’t be the Comeback Player of the Year award, as it seems it will end up going to a player who further fits the criteria of the award than Darnold, despite his obvious comeback story.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Vikings QB Sam Darnold isn’t eligible to win Comeback Player of the Year in 2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/sam-darnold-hawk-tuah-girl-nfl');   ga('set', 'title', 'Is Sam Darnold the Hawk Tuah Girl of the NFL?');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Is-Sam-Darnold-the-Hawk-Tuah-Girl-of-the-NFL.jpeg"></figure><h1>Is Sam Darnold the Hawk Tuah Girl of the NFL?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-01T14:04:50-07:00">October 1st, 2:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-01T14:21:48-07:00">October 1st, 2:21pm</time><address><a>Josh Silverstein</a>Josh Silverstein writes for The Association and writes, edits, and produces content for the video team as well. He's a writer for television/film/new media/stage/print and probably a few other mediums he's forgetting. He is also a wearer of many Mediums for those looking to buy him a shirt.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Celebrity</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Over the summer, Sam Darnold <a href="https://x.com/StephieSmallls/status/1807915029422866597" rel="noopener">created a mini-stir</a> on social media when he added a heart emoji reaction to a Barstool Sports promo for the first public interview of Haliey Welch, better known since her viral infamous video clip as Hawk Tuah Girl.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">why is this sending me lmfaoooooo <a href="https://t.co/9ny8BNd5Sq">pic.twitter.com/9ny8BNd5Sq</a></p><p>— smalls (@StephieSmallls) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephieSmallls/status/1807915029422866597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>Darnold’s post immediately sparked rumors that he was either dating or thirsting after Hawk Tuah Girl (none of which has been substantiated at this point). I’d like to propose a more innocent explanation for Darnold’s hearting of the promo (heaven knows this whole story could use a dash of innocence).</p><p>I choose to believe Darnold indicated his love for the post not for any salacious reasons, but rather because he empathized with Haliey Welch and her sudden rise to fame.</p><p>After all, Darnold was all but written off as a bust prior to this season. And like Welch, he burst onto the scene out of nowhere one weekend, and was suddenly all anyone could talk about, in Minnesota and far beyond as well. Now, both Darnold and Welch are seizing on their fifteen minutes of fame.</p><p>Welch has shrewdly turned her online celebrity into less of an online joke and more of an entire social media persona — she’s now <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7KCh1Z181LOIh3IP6EbqNR" rel="noopener">a podcast</a> host of the aptly named Talk Tuah podcast. Even more impressive, Talk Tuah after just four episodes, is the #5 <a href="https://podcastcharts.byspotify.com/" rel="noopener">most listened to</a> podcast on the Spotify charts. That’s insane?! She sure has grabbed a hold of that microphone and — well, you know.</p><figure class="op-interactive"></figure><p>Darnold similarly has decided to turn a surprisingly stellar debut into a bona fide breakout season as quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. He somehow has the Vikings at 4-0 and looking like the best team in the league, in what should have been a lowly rebuilding season after Minnesota lost Kirk Cousins to free agency.</p><p>Like Welch, Darnold has taken a lot of hits — though both of these rising stars are taking the unflattering first-impression labels the public has bestowed upon them and are turning them into a badge of honor instead.</p><p>Some of you reading this may count yourselves fans of Haliey Welch, aka the Hawk Tuah Girl, aka the host of the Talk Tuah podcast. Others may gravitate more toward Sam Darnold, aka the star quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, aka heart-emoji-bestower of a Haliey Welch interview promo. Others still may be fascinated by both of these head-scratching enigmas and pop cultural phenomena.</p><p>Wherever you stand, rather than spread further unsubstantiated rumors about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-outrageous-first-half-vs-packers">Sam Darnold</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/hawk-tuah-girl-haliey-welch-reality-tv-decision">Haliey Welch</a>, try spreading a little more heart emoji around the world instead — because Darnold and Welch, whether you like it or not, have spit upon our expectations of them, and are the epitome of today’s American dream.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Is Sam Darnold the Hawk Tuah Girl of the NFL?

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-sam-darnold-outrageous-first-half-vs-packers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings QB Sam Darnold continues miraculous season with outrageous first half vs. Packers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sam-Darnold-miracle-continues-with-outrageous-first-half-vs.-Packers.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings QB Sam Darnold continues miraculous season with outrageous first half vs. Packers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-29T11:53:50-07:00">September 29th, 11:53am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-29T11:53:50-07:00">September 29th, 11:53am</time><address><a>Ben Strauss</a>Ben Strauss is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a die-hard NFL fan who cheers for the Detroit Lions. He has previously written fantasy football content for IDPGuys and ImportantNonsense.com.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-hot-start-2024-25-season">Vikings QB Sam Darnold may be the most surprising story</a> of the 2024 NFL season. The veteran QB is filling in as the starter in Minnesota after rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-jj-mccarthy-injury-update">J.J. McCarthy suffered a preseason injury that required season-ending surgery</a>. Darnold is thriving in Minnesota and looks like the QB the Jets wanted when they drafted him in the first round.</p><p>Darnold’s magical season has continued into Week 4. The Vikings have dominated the Packers in the first half, with a halftime score of 28-7.</p><p>During the first half, Darnold was electric. He threw for 130 yards and three touchdowns and drove the Vikings on four touchdown drives. This put the Vikings seriously in control of this game.</p><p>Thus far through the season, Darnold has thrown for 793 yards for 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Darnold has now <a href="https://x.com/Ihartitz/status/1840444608087568747" rel="noopener">thrown for more touchdowns in three and a half games in 2024</a> than he had in any season since 2019, per Ian Hartitz.</p><p>This is becoming a career season for Darnold and a complete surprise for a Viking squad that felt like the forgotten NFC North team before the season started.</p><h2><b>Vikings dominate in nightmare first half for the Packers in Week 4</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Aaron-Jones-and-Justin-Jefferson-hope-to-have-an-impact-against-the-Packers-in-Week-4.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Packers had about the worst first half they could imagine on Sunday against the Vikings.</p><p>Minnesota dominated on both sides of the ball for the entire first half.</p><p>Meanwhile, Packers QB Jordan <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/packers-jordan-love-returns-to-practice-field-for-first-time-since-mcl-injury">Love looks clearly hobbled despite returning from a scary-looking MCL sprain</a> in Week 1. Love’s mobility was a problem during the first half, and it resulted in several miscues. Love threw two interceptions during the first half and failed to pick up a crucial fourth and 10 towards the end of the second quarter.</p><p>The Packers also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/packers-news-christian-watson-carted-locker-room-injury-jordan-love-interception">suffered a key injury to wide receiver Christian Watson</a>. Watson suffered a rough hit on a play where Jordan Love threw an interception. Watson’s body contorted awkwardly and resulted in an ankle injury. <a href="https://x.com/packers/status/1840447332430799248" rel="noopener">He is officially questionable to return</a>.</p><p>The only mistake that the Vikings made was muffing a punt in the closing seconds of the first half. This allowed the Packers to score on a Jordan Love pass to Jayden Reed with 0:15 left in the second quarter.</p><p>This was a highly-anticipated game for Packers fans, so it must be difficult for the home crowd to had such a rough performance in the first half.</p><p>Minnesota needs to keep their feet on the gas in the second half to secure their fourth straight win.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings QB Sam Darnold continues miraculous season with outrageous first half vs. Packers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-sam-darnold-hot-start-2024-25-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Sam Darnold vocal on hot start to Vikings 2024-25 season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-news-Sam-Darnold-vocal-on-hot-start-to-2024-25-season.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Sam Darnold vocal on hot start to Vikings 2024-25 season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-28T09:15:47-07:00">September 28th, 9:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-28T09:15:47-07:00">September 28th, 9:15am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Sam Darnold has been a driving force behind the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnolds-nfl-mvp-odds-dominant-3-0-start">Minnesota Vikings’ impressive 3-0 start to the 2024-25 NFL season</a>. With wins over two playoff teams from last year, Darnold has stepped into the spotlight, marking a significant turnaround after years of being overlooked as a potential franchise quarterback.</p><p>His resurgence has sparked discussions about how vital the right environment is for a young quarterback to develop. After years of inconsistency with the New York Jets, the 26-year-old quarterback seems to have found the perfect situation in Minnesota, where a strong supporting cast has allowed him to finally thrive.</p><p>Following the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/2-vikings-overreactions-week-3-destruction-texans">Vikings’ dominant 34-7 win over the Houston Texans</a> on Sunday, <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/sam-darnold-is-focused-on-being-where-my-feet-are" rel="noopener">NBC’s Mike Florio caught up</a> with Darnold to discuss the challenges young quarterbacks face. When asked about his perspective on how quickly quarterbacks are judged, Darnold kept his response focused on the present.</p><p>“For me, it’s just continuing to take it one day at a time,” he said. “I’m not gonna sit here and say I feel one way or the other. I think for me, it’s just about being where my feet are, being present, understanding the situation in front of me, and taking it one play at a time.”</p><h2><b>Sam Darnold thrives in Minnesota’s well-rounded system as Vikings aim for playoff success</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Minnesota-Vikings-quarterback-Sam-Darnold-14-reacts-after-the-game-against-the-San-Francisco-49ers.jpg"><figcaption>© Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>This grounded mindset seems to be working for Darnold, who is finally benefiting from the stability he lacked earlier in his career. In Minnesota, he is protected by a solid offensive line, backed by a strong running game, and supported by a defense that alleviates pressure on the offense. This well-rounded system has allowed Darnold to play at a high level, making his early-career struggles with the Jets feel like a thing of the past.</p><p>Darnold’s time in New York was characterized by inconsistency and a lack of support, factors that contributed to his early struggles. In Minnesota, however, he has found a system that maximizes his potential, proving that a quarterback’s success often depends on having the right pieces around them.</p><p>Looking ahead, Darnold faces another big test as the Vikings prepare to take on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field this Sunday. The Packers, another playoff team from 2023, will challenge the Vikings’ perfect start as Darnold aims to keep their winning streak alive.</p><p>After that, the Vikings will travel to London, where Darnold will face his former team, the New York Jets. This game represents an opportunity for Darnold to show how far he’s come since his time in New York, offering a chance to prove to his former franchise that they missed out on his potential.</p><p>As the season progresses, Darnold’s journey from a dismissed quarterback to a key figure on a potential Super Bowl contender underscores the importance of patience and the right environment in a player’s development. With each game, Darnold continues to prove that he has finally found his footing.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Sam Darnold vocal on hot start to Vikings 2024-25 season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-jordan-addison-sam-darnold-receive-official-injury-designations');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings’ Jordan Addison, Sam Darnold receive official injury designations');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-news-Jordan-Addison-Sam-Darnold-receive-official-injury-designations.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings’ Jordan Addison, Sam Darnold receive official injury designations</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-27T12:04:41-07:00">September 27th, 12:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-27T12:04:41-07:00">September 27th, 12:04pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the Minnesota Vikings continue to keep their undefeated start to the season alive, they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-returns-injury-scare-texans">ran into a few injuries in their Week 3 game</a> against the Houston Texans. All seems to well heading into Week 4, and the injury report looks clean, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.</p><p>“Vikings WR Jordan Addison (ankle) is off the injury report and good to go Sunday at Green Bay. QB Sam Darnold (knee), edge Dallas Turner (knee) and LT Christian Darrisaw (illness) also off the final injury report,” Pelissero wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Darnold suffered a knee injury against the Texans, but an MRI revealed that it was only a knee bruise and didn’t suffer any structural damage to the knee. There was a lot of optimism that Darnold would be fine for Week 4, and it looks like that positivity garnered positive results.</p><p>Addison has missed the past two games with an ankle injury, but after this week’s practice, he said he was <a href="https://www.startribune.com/vikings-injury-report-jordan-addison-christian-darrisaw-dallas-turner-packers/601152459" rel="noopener">ready to go</a> and set to play against the Green Bay Packers.</p><p>“I’m feeling good to jump back in,” Addison said. “We hot right now. Sam Darnold looking good. The O-line is playing good. We got a good run game going. I feel like having me out there is just going to take it up a notch.”</p><h2>Vikings looking to keep win streak alive</h2><p>The Vikings have been one of the surprise teams this season, and they’re looking to start the season 4-0 with a win against the Packers. Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson have connected on a few touchdowns, and the defense has to be one of the best in the league so far.</p><p>Divisional games are always intense, and Jordan Love may be returning to the lineup for the Packers, which should make things very interesting as the Vikings look to stay undefeated.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings’ Jordan Addison, Sam Darnold receive official injury designations

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-kevin-oconnell-dishes-on-how-his-belief-in-sam-darnold-goes-back-to-his-usc-days');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell dishes belief in Sam Darnold from USC days');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-news-Kevin-OConnell-dishes-on-how-his-belief-in-Sam-Darnold-goes-back-to-his-USC-days.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell dishes belief in Sam Darnold from USC days</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-26T14:40:51-07:00">September 26th, 2:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-26T15:37:46-07:00">September 26th, 3:37pm</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>A revelation this season has been Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and his scorching start. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnolds-nfl-mvp-odds-dominant-3-0-start">Darnold’s play has him connected to NFL MVP chatter</a>.</p><p>While <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-sheds-light-mentality-that-has-helped-him-excel-with-minnesota">Darnold has excelled with the Vikings</a> so far, there is a ton of season remaining to determine the MVP, but there has always been belief from head coach Kevin O’Connell.</p><p>The Minnesota head coach joined “The Rich Eisen Show” where <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN_GgkT-PT4&amp;t=138s" rel="noopener">he recalled scouting</a> Darnold when he was with the University of Southern California.</p><p>“I just remember going through his tape and seeing him play in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State and that was Bosa and Young and just one of the best defensive fronts in the country,” O’Connell said. “It was kind of a grimy tough day, he was getting hit a lot, had a ton of pass attempts but he just kept standing in there showing kind of that big field vision. The willingness to kind of make throws from the pocket, used his athleticism when he needed to.”</p><h2><b>Kevin O’Connell was confident in Sam Darnold’s success with the Vikings</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sam-Darnold-on-Sept.-15-2024.jpg"><figcaption>Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>At that time, O’Connell was with the Washington Commanders back in 2018 where he scouted Darnold and was even amazed by his performance at his pro day before the NFL Draft. He would also talk about how the disappointing results beforehand for Darnold in the NFL didn’t concern him since he believed he could unlock the talent in Minnesota.</p><p>“Then his pro day you know in Southern California,” O’Connell said. “The whole reason you go to college in Southern California is to have a nice sunny…, sun’s out, 70 degrees, no wind pro day. And it poured rain the whole time the guy went out there and threw the ball great. So I just knew that there was the framework in place with the right kind of guy that regardless of what his quarterback journey has been, it didn’t really concern me because I feel very confident in what we do here.”</p><p>Darnold solidified his position as the starting quarterback for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-jj-mccarthy-injury-timeline">Vikings after rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury</a>. So far, the USC product has thrown for 657 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions as Minnesota looks to remain undefeated facing the Green Bay Packers this Sunday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell dishes belief in Sam Darnold from USC days

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-sam-darnolds-nfl-mvp-odds-dominant-3-0-start');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings QB Sam Darnold’s NFL MVP odds after dominant 3-0 start');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sam-Darnolds-NFL-MVP-odds-after-dominant-3-0-start.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings QB Sam Darnold’s NFL MVP odds after dominant 3-0 start</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-24T11:18:11-07:00">September 24th, 11:18am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-24T11:18:11-07:00">September 24th, 11:18am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Betting</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Perhaps the most surprising storyline through three weeks of the young 2024 NFL season has been the play of quarterback Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/silvermans-sacks-and-scrambles-fields-and-darnold-leading-steelers-and-vikings-to-brilliant-starts">Darnold was given</a> the starting job after rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy went down with a season-ending injury, and the journeyman has responded by leading the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/2-reasons-sam-darnold-nfl-mvp-frontrunner-through-3-games">Vikings to a</a> 3-0 record so far in 2024.</p><p>In fact, so impressive has Darnold’s play been that the good folks over in Las Vegas <a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nfl?tab=season-awards" rel="noopener">are rewarding him</a> with a boost in his MVP odds.</p><p>As of now, Darnold has the 11th best odds in the NFL to win the league MVP at season’s end at +2800, per the FanDuel Sportsbook. This is a stark contrast to the beginning of the season, when Darnold had +10000 odds to win the award, per ClutchPoints Betting on X, formerly Twitter, via DraftKings.</p><p>The distinction places Darnold ahead of names like Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams, Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions, Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons, and other more established names who have competed for league MVP’s in the past and is a reflection of just what a dominant start the Vikings quarterback has gotten off to this year.</p><h2><b>How did the Vikings get here?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Darnold-vs-the-Texans.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Rempel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Heading into this season, not many pundits or fans projected the Vikings to be one of the league’s last remaining undefeated teams just a few weeks into the campaign.</p><p>While their opening week win against the lowly New York Giants wasnt’ necessarily a shock, few could have predicted the Vikings beating the San Francisco 49ers (for the second year in a row at that) and the Houston Texans in back to back weeks, with neither game being particularly close.</p><p>Specifically, the game against the Texans was a showcase for a Vikings defense that many projected to be among the worst in the league this year, holding CJ Stroud and the usually potent Texans offense to just seven points on the afternoon.</p><p>Meanwhile, Darnold has taken full advantage of his newest opportunity in the NFL, seeming to have completely eliminated many of the mistakes that defined the early portions of his career and looking much more poised and in control in the pocket.</p><p>In any case, the Vikings will look to make it 4-0 in 2024 when they take on the Green Bay Packers on Sunday from Lambeau Field in Winsconsin. That game is slated to kick off at 1:00 PM ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings QB Sam Darnold’s NFL MVP odds after dominant 3-0 start

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-bill-belichick-takes-sam-darnold-shot-jets');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bill Belichick takes hilarious Vikings Sam Darnold shot at Jets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-news-Bill-Belichick-takes-hilarious-Sam-Darnold-shot-at-Jets.jpg"></figure><h1>Bill Belichick takes hilarious Vikings Sam Darnold shot at Jets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-23T12:56:51-07:00">September 23rd, 12:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-23T12:56:51-07:00">September 23rd, 12:56pm</time><address><a>Derek Hryn</a>Derek Hryn is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints specializing in NFL and NCAA Football coverage. Derek was previously a fantasy football expert at DK and SB Nation, and he has been featured at FanSided, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings may have found their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-sheds-light-mentality-that-has-helped-him-excel-with-minnesota">franchise quarterback in Sam Darnold</a>. Legendary head coach Bill Belichick thinks so. He expressed that on The Pat McAfee Show, <a href="https://x.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1838270133598404836" rel="noopener">while also taking a shot</a> at the New York Jets on Monday, per Ari Meirov on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>“Everybody has liked Darnold,” Belichick said. “Except the Jets.”</p><p>Darnold, a No. 3 overall pick by the Jets in 2018, played there for three seasons before the franchise traded him to the Carolina Panthers in 2020. The Jets were 13-25 with Darnold as starting QB, and he threw 39 interceptions in that span. As Belichick put it, though, it seems like the problem may have been with the Jets and not Darnold. He could be right.</p><p>The Vikings took a chance on Darnold in the offseason, <a href="https://www.vikings.com/news/sam-darnold-quarterback-49ers-agree-to-terms" rel="noopener">signing him to a one-year deal</a> in March. After drafting Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, it appeared that the veteran Darnold would warm the Vikings’ starting QB seat while McCarthy developed. Things have changed in a hurry. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason, and Darnold is leading the NFL in passing touchdowns with eight.</p><h2><b>Sam Darnold is an early NFL MVP candidate</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sam-Darnold-1.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Rempel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Vikings are the NFL’s most impressive team through three weeks. Much of that success has to do with Darnold, and his innate ability to form a steady connection with his receiving corps. In their surprising 34-7 victory over the Houston Texans, the Vikings watched nervously when <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-returns-injury-scare-texans">Darnold had to leave the game</a> with a knee injury. However, he told reporters after the game that <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/all-eyes-on-sam-darnolds-mri" rel="noopener">the knee is OK</a>.</p><p>“It’s good, and that’s as much as I’m going to say about it,” Darnold told Pro Football Talk by phone after the Week 3 win, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports.</p><p>The 27-year-old quarterback is having an MRI on Monday, and Minnesota will be holding its breath awaiting his Week 4 status.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bill Belichick takes hilarious Vikings Sam Darnold shot at Jets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-minnesota-positive-sam-darnold-update-injury-scare');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings get positive Sam Darnold update after injury scare');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/innesota-gets-positive-Sam-Darnold-update-after-injury-scare.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings get positive Sam Darnold update after injury scare</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-23T11:06:46-07:00">September 23rd, 11:06am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-23T12:06:39-07:00">September 23rd, 12:06pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There was a time when Minnesota <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-mri-minnesota-sweating">Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold</a> was considered a draft bust. Now, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-jj-mccarthy-reacts-sam-darnold-magic-vs-texans">Darnold is making magic</a> in Minnesota, which is why his knee injury in Sunday’s win against the Houston Texans could have been catastrophic.</p><p>Luckily, Darnold <a href="https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1838274908637261836" rel="noopener">avoided any major issues</a>, via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.</p><p>“#Vikings QB Sam Darnold’s MRI revealed a knee bruise and no structural damage, per source,” Pelissero reported.</p><p>Additionally, Darnold <a href="https://twitter.com/JayGlazer/status/1838274731000369645?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1838274731000369645%7Ctwgr%5E0178d29aa6ab4c2abddc00cea8f8009d8eac8ff1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F10136497-nfl-rumors-vikings-optimistic-sam-darnold-will-play-vs-packers-amid-knee-injury" rel="noopener">will most likely play</a> in Week 4, via Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer.</p><p>“Good news Vikings scoopage, round of tests and exams on @samdarnold knee showed he avoided anything structural, he’s sore but they are optimistic he plays against Green Bay @nflonfox has learned,” Glazer said.</p><p>Darnold didn’t let the injury slow him down against the Texans, completing 17 of 28 passes for 181 yards and four touchdowns. The USC alum currently leads the NFL with eight touchdown passes and is an early candidate for Comeback Player of the Year and MVP.</p><p>Will a nicked-up Darnold continue dominating?</p><h2><b>Sam Darnold can take the Vikings far</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sam-Darnold-1.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Rempel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Through three weeks, Darnold has shown why he was taken third overall by the New York Jets in 2017. While the journeyman was never given the tools to succeed in New York, he showed flashes with the Carolina Panthers before sitting behind Brock Purdy on the San Francisco 49ers last season.</p><p>Now, the Vikings have a reliable veteran to fall back on while 2024 first-round pick JJ McCarthy develops. Darnold’s one-year, $10 million contract is much cheaper than Kirk Cousins’ price tag, who signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons this past spring. However, Darnold has played better than Cousins thus far.</p><p>Darnold may have peaks and valleys throughout the season, but the 27-year-old has now put up back-to-back quality outings against good defenses. At the very least, he’s earned the starting gig for the rest of the season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings get positive Sam Darnold update after injury scare

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-sam-darnold-mri-minnesota-sweating');   ga('set', 'title', 'Sam Darnold MRI will have Vikings sweating');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-news-Sam-Darnold-MRI-will-have-Minnesota-sweating.jpg"></figure><h1>Sam Darnold MRI will have Vikings sweating</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-23T07:44:35-07:00">September 23rd, 7:44am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-23T07:44:35-07:00">September 23rd, 7:44am</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Sam Darnold had one of this best days as a pro on Sunday, leading the Minnesota Vikings to a dominant 34-7 victory over the Houston Texans with a four touchdown masterpiece. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-jj-mccarthy-reacts-sam-darnold-magic-vs-texans">Darnold is playing some of the best football</a> of his career, and has the Vikings off to a 3-0 start to the season.</p><p>However, Sunday wasn’t without any downsides. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-returns-injury-scare-texans">Darnold briefly left the game with a knee injury</a> after taking a low hit on a sack from Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter. The Vikings’ signal caller left the game, went into the medical tent for one play, and then returned to a standing ovation from the Minnesota crowd.</p><p>Darnold finished the game, but is still going to get an MRI <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/all-eyes-on-sam-darnolds-mri" rel="noopener">on that injured knee</a> on Monday, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.</p><p>“‘It’s good, and that’s as much as I’m gonna say about that,’ Darnold told PFT by phone after Sunday’s 34-7 win over the Texans, regarding his knee,” Florio wrote on Sunday night.</p><p>Any serious injury to Darnold would be a crushing blow for a Vikings team that is rolling through the schedule right now and brimming with confidence after knocking off two likely playoff contenders in the Texans and the San Francisco 49ers. Now, they await the results of Darnold’s MRI before moving forward.</p><h2><b>The Vikings are contenders in the NFC with a healthy Sam Darnold</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Sam-Darnold_a765f4.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Vikings have been one of the most impressive teams during this young season, dismantling all comers so far in 2024. They were <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/49ers-news-kyle-shanahan-outcoached-by-vikings-kevin-oconnell-dan-orlovsky">only really challenged by the 49ers</a>, who made a late push to get back into the game, but they never seized control from Minnesota.</p><p>The Vikings are now one of two teams in the NFC that are off to a 3-0 start, along with the Seattle Seahawks, and the formula that they have built is the kind of blend that can work deep into December and January.</p><p>The Vikings are very balanced on both sides of the ball. They play complementary football on the offensive side, leaning on Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler in the running game, which has been surprisingly effective so far. They aren’t grinding teams down to a halt, but they’re in the top half of the league in both rushing yards per game and yards per attempt, and Jones is currently the 5th highest graded running back in the NFL, per PFF.</p><p>Darnold has been effective in the passing game, protecting the football (for the most part) and keeping the offense on schedule. However, the former No. 3 overall pick separates himself from other “game manager” quarterbacks in QB-friendly systems like Kevin O’Connell’s with his arm talent. Darnold isn’t required to break it out often, but every once in a while he’ll let one rip and create some yards that other quarterbacks may not be able to get.</p><p>On the other side of the ball, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/49ers-news-brock-purdy-4-word-review-of-brian-flores-loss-vikings">Brian Flores’ defense is eating people alive</a>. They shredded the Kyle Shanahan machine in Week 2 and baffled C.J. Stroud in Week 3 with their array of exotic defenses. With the offense playing such efficient, balanced football, and the defense dominating every unit that they see, the Vikings need to be taken seriously as a threat to win the NFC.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Sam Darnold MRI will have Vikings sweating

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/danielle-hunters-explanation-for-low-blow-on-sam-darnold-that-had-vikings-fans-booing');   ga('set', 'title', 'Danielle Hunter’s explanation for low blow on Sam Darnold that had Vikings fans booing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Danielle-Hunters-explanation-for-low-blow-on-Sam-Darnold-that-had-Vikings-fans-booing.jpg"></figure><h1>Danielle Hunter’s explanation for low blow on Sam Darnold that had Vikings fans booing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-22T16:46:47-07:00">September 22nd, 4:46pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-22T16:46:47-07:00">September 22nd, 4:46pm</time><address><a href="https://matthew516sports.substack.com/">Douglas Fritz</a>Douglas Fritz has been writing about sports for almost four decades and publishes a Christian sports newsletter and podcast on Substack at Matthew516Sports. He started as a reporter for the student newspaper at East Tennessee State University, worked his way up to Editor-In-Chief, and began his sports writing career at the Johnson City Press daily newspaper while still in college. During 30-plus years at the Press, he covered University of Tennessee football, men's and women's basketball, ETSU athletics, and high school athletics. Among the people he has interviewed are Dale Murphy, Bobby Cox, John Smoltz, and Bruce Smith. He is also a Christian-based screenwriter (five feature-length and one short), book writer (three completed manuscripts and one novel), and songwriter.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In the process of falling apart against the Minnesota Vikings, the Houston <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/texans-news-tank-dell-injury-loss-vikings">Texans suffered an injury</a> to a key offensive player and left the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/texans-news-demeco-ryans-calls-out-unacceptable-penalties-vs-vikings">head coach fuming about penalties</a>. Also, Danielle Hunter offered an explanation for his low blow on San Darnold that had Vikings’ fans booing.</p><p>Hunter had <a href="https://x.com/Andrew_Krammer/status/1837956103050588317" rel="noopener">a legitimate reason</a> for the penalty, according to a post on X by Vikings reporter Andrew Krammer.</p><p>“(Vikings offensive tackle) Brian O’Neill said after Danielle Hunter’s low hit and roughing penalty on Sam Darnold, Hunter came up to him and explained that a block shoved him low and he didn’t mean to hit Darnold there. “It stung a little bit hearing Danielle booed,” O’Neill said, “because he’s not dirty.”</p><h2><b>Long day at office for Texans DE Danielle Hunter</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Houston-Texans-DE-Danielle-Hunter.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Hunter, the star pass-rusher joined the Texans in March. He signed a two-year, $49 million deal that included $48 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday.</p><p>But his team came up on the short end of a 34-7 decision against his former team. Hunter said there <a href="https://x.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1837961551061336121" rel="noopener">were no excuses,</a> according to post on X by Aaron Wilson.</p><p>“We got beat, man,” Hunter said. “We’ll go back to the drawing board and correct all the mistakes. They were the better football team. There were definitely some missed tackles.”</p><p>Texans head coach Demeco Ryans didn’t like much of anything <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texans/article/minnesota-vikings-cj-stroud-brian-flores-19784266.php" rel="noopener">in the game</a>, according to houstonchronicle.com.</p><p>“A lot of miscues today,” Ryans said. “You can’t do that and expect to win in this league. Hey, we take the loss and got to move on.”</p><p>Running back Cam Akers echoed other players and coaches sentiments. He said the Vikings did a great job against the Texans’ ground game.</p><p>“I just think they are a really good team,” Akers said. “They had a great scheme and came out and beat us today. They beat us fair and square.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Danielle Hunter’s explanation for low blow on Sam Darnold that had Vikings fans booing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-jj-mccarthy-reacts-sam-darnold-magic-vs-texans');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings’ JJ McCarthy reacts to Sam Darnold magic vs. Texans');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-news-J.J.-McCarthy-reacts-to-Sam-Darnold-magic-vs.-Texans.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings’ JJ McCarthy reacts to Sam Darnold magic vs. Texans</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-22T12:38:25-07:00">September 22nd, 12:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-22T12:38:25-07:00">September 22nd, 12:38pm</time><address><a>Matt De Lima</a>Matt De Lima is an Associate Editor for NFL and college football at ClutchPoints. He has been covering sports for over 12 years at sites like Sports Illustrated, The Game Day, and countless others. Born and raised in California, he is a graduate of Virginia Tech and a diehard Hokies fan who now resides in southern Maryland.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Like the rest of us, Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy has been watching his teammate Sam<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-sheds-light-mentality-that-has-helped-him-excel-with-minnesota"> Darnold play a marvelous, cerebral game</a> against the Houston Texans in Week 3. A few minutes left into the fourth quarter, Darnold has passed for 179 yards and three touchdowns, all three to different players. Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones and Jalen Nailor have each collected a touchdown pass as the Vikings are in control with a 21-7 lead. McCarthy <a href="https://x.com/jjmccarthy09/status/1837929396935508170" rel="noopener">astutely shared his thoughts</a> on Darnold via his X social media account.</p><p>“Sam Darnold is good at football 🤌”</p><p>During the game, Darnold went to the injury tent for a lower leg injury but returned after one play.</p><h2><b>What JJ McCarthy can learn from Sam Darnold’s experience as a former first-round pick</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-Sam-Darnold-throwing-to-Aaron-Jones.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Rempel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>McCarthy, the Vikings’ 2024 first-round pick, can learn a lot from Darnold’s journey.</p><p>Now in his seventh year, it <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-sheds-light-mentality-that-has-helped-him-excel-with-minnesota">seems to be coming together for Darnold</a> in a way that eluded the rest of his career. In a discussion with ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the 27-year-old signal-caller <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41325999/vikings-sam-darnold-no-longer-letting-mistakes-snowball" rel="noopener">explained how far he’s come</a> as a football player and person.</p><p>“I’ve learned a lot,” Darnold said per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “I’ve had experiences where bad things have happened. And I think the more you play football, the more you understand you can’t control everything out there and things are going to happen in the game.”</p><p>“But you’ve got to understand that you’ve got to put your head down and continue to work and continue to grind throughout these games,” Darnold continued. “Because at the end of the day, it’s not about what happened in the past or on the previous play, but it’s about the next one.”</p><p>While all due credit belongs to Darnold, it’s important to not forget the job done by head coach Kevin O’Connell. This Vikings team was one many viewed as a group of overachievers after their run to the 2022 NFL postseason. O’Connell appears to have rebounded the team after a disappointing 7-10 2023 season. They allowed <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/texans-news-make-2024-roster-scarier-49-million-danielle-hunter-deal">Danielle Hunter to move on to the Houston Texans</a> and retooled with Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.</p><p>O’Connell takes a one-play-at-a-time approach, and it’s working for Minnesota, as per his comments to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.</p><p>“Yeah we just gotta, you know, control what we can as far as what’s the next play, what’s the very next snap,” O’Connell continued. “Second and what, first and 10, third and goal. Whatever it is, worry about that snap. What’s my job, how do I help this team move the football forward, score points, protect the football. It’s in the little details that bore some folks out there sometimes, but when it comes to playing this position he off to a great start.”</p><p>The Vikings are on their way to their first 3-0 start to a season since 2016.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings’ JJ McCarthy reacts to Sam Darnold magic vs. Texans

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-sam-darnold-returns-injury-scare-texans');   ga('set', 'title', 'Vikings QB Sam Darnold returns after injury scare vs. Texans');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-news-Sam-Darnold-returns-after-injury-scare-vs.-Texans.jpg"></figure><h1>Vikings QB Sam Darnold returns after injury scare vs. Texans</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-22T12:33:41-07:00">September 22nd, 12:33pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-22T13:00:26-07:00">September 22nd, 1:00pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Vikings <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-sheds-light-mentality-that-has-helped-him-excel-with-minnesota">quarterback Sam Darnold</a> went down with an apparent leg injury during the third quarter of the Vikings’ game against the Houston Texans, <a href="https://x.com/HOODH3RO/status/1837934600418414886" rel="noopener">putting a scare</a> into many Minnesota fans and NFL fans everywhere. However, Darnold quickly returned to the game shortly afterwards.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="in">sam darnold injury <a href="https://t.co/ZBxPH46em0">pic.twitter.com/ZBxPH46em0</a></p><p>— ◇ (@HOODH3RO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HOODH3RO/status/1837934600418414886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Darnold took a sack down around the ankles and was clearly shaken up. He tried to make it off the field before eventually hobbling down to the turf, where he was attended to by trainers.</p><p>Darnold quickly went into the blue medical tent, but emerged back onto the sideline a few seconds later and began testing his mobility and change of direction. After one play with Nick Mullens in at quarterback, Darnold returned to the game.</p><p>Darnold is off to a stellar start this season, leading the Vikings to a surprising 2-0 start and throwing for 476 yards and four touchdowns in the process, including a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-sam-darnold-makes-fans-believers-with-97-yard-td-to-justin-jefferson">97-yard bomb to Justin Jefferson</a> in Week 2 against the 49ers.</p><p>The former No. 3 overall pick kept the momentum rolling into Sunday’s blockbuster clash with the undefeated Texans. At the time of writing, Darnold has thrown four touchdowns (one after returning from the injury scare). The Vikings have a big lead over Houston and are well on their way to a shocking 3-0 start.</p><p>The Vikings’ defense has been on fire as well, holding down a pair of elite offenses in the 49ers and the Texans after blowing out the Giants in Week 1. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/49ers-news-brock-purdy-4-word-review-of-brian-flores-loss-vikings">Brian Flores has that group playing very good ball</a>, and has turned Minnesota into one of the more difficult teams to play against in the NFL.</p><p>Combine Flores’ excellence Kevin O’Connell’s play calling on the offensive side of the ball, and the Vikings have the right formula to be one of the top teams in the NFC. It’s still early, but in a wide open conference, they have a chance to be contenders.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Vikings QB Sam Darnold returns after injury scare vs. Texans

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/vikings-news-sam-darnold-sheds-light-mentality-that-has-helped-him-excel-with-minnesota');   ga('set', 'title', 'Sam Darnold sheds light on mentality that has helped him excel with Vikings');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Vikings-news-Sam-Darnold-sheds-light-on-mentality-that-has-helped-him-excel-with-Minnesota.jpg"></figure><h1>Sam Darnold sheds light on mentality that has helped him excel with Vikings</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-20T08:07:14-07:00">September 20th, 8:07am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-20T08:07:14-07:00">September 20th, 8:07am</time><address><a>Ben Strauss</a>Ben Strauss is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a die-hard NFL fan who cheers for the Detroit Lions. He has previously written fantasy football content for IDPGuys and ImportantNonsense.com.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NFL</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Minnesota Vikings are one of the most surprising teams in the NFL through two weeks. Vikings fans everywhere were crushed when rookie QB <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-jj-mccarthy-injury-update">J.J. McCarthy was ruled out for the year with a meniscus injury</a>. That thrust backup Sam <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-harrison-phillips-honest-admission-sam-darnold-before-season">Darnold into the limelight where he as surprisingly been excellent</a>.</p><p>Darnold <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41325999/vikings-sam-darnold-no-longer-letting-mistakes-snowball" rel="noopener">talked about his experiences in Minnesota</a> and how his mindset has caused him to succeed with the Vikings through two games.</p><p>“I’ve learned a lot,” Darnold said per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “I’ve had experiences where bad things have happened. And I think the more you play football, the more you understand you can’t control everything out there and things are going to happen in the game.”</p><p>The Vikings know that better than almost any team in the NFL. Minnesota had a rough offseason that featured plenty of roster turnover <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-cornerback-khyree-jackson-tragically-dies-at-24-after-car-accident">as well as some tragedy off the field</a>. It is good to have a QB who can roll with the punches when they come in.</p><p>“But you’ve got to understand that you’ve got to put your head down and continue to work and continue to grind throughout these games,” Darnold continued. “Because at the end of the day, it’s not about what happened in the past or on the previous play, but it’s about the next one.”</p><p>This is the perfect attitude for someone like Darnold to have, especially because it meshes with where the Vikings are as a franchise.</p><p>Perhaps Darnold to the Vikings was simply a match made in heaven.</p><h2><b>Vikings WR Justin Jefferson squashes injury concerns with three-word statement</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Justin-Jefferson-with-Minnesota-Vikings.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Rempel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Darnold’s job has been made much easier by throwing to superstar Justin Jefferson.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/vikings-news-justin-jefferson-squashes-injury-concerns">Jefferson has been dealing with a quad injury</a>, which led to some uncertainty this week about whether he’ll be active against the Texans in Week 3.</p><p>Jefferson <a href="https://x.com/SeifertESPN/status/1836871068746723695" rel="noopener">gave a brief and fiery response</a> that should have Vikings fans pumped up.</p><p>“Asked Justin Jefferson if he’s playing Sunday vs. Texans,” Seifert said. “‘Yeah, for sure [Jefferson said].’ Says his quad feels ‘great’ and he’s working daily with medical staff to make sure it feels ‘fantastic’ by Sunday.”</p><p>Jefferson <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/vikings-justin-jefferson-limited-again-thursday/" rel="noopener">was limited in practice on Thursday</a> but does seem to be trending toward playing in a crucial game against the Texans.</p><p>“Jefferson maintained his activity level from Wednesday’s session as he tends to the bruised right quadriceps that he picked up late in the third quarter of this past Sunday’s win against the 49ers,” the outlet reported. “Both the wide receiver and coach Kevin O’Connell have expressed optimism in the meantime that the injury isn’t serious, but Jefferson now has just one more session this week to prove his health ahead the weekend. In the end, Jefferson appears destined to have a designation for Sunday’s game versus the Texans.”</p><p>Vikings fans will be thrilled to have their best player on the field is Jefferson really is active against the Texans on Sunday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024 SEASON STATS
PASSING YDS	PASSING TDS	INTERCEPTIONS	POSITION RANK
1896.5	18.8	11.7	10

2024 SEASON STATS
PASSING YDS	PASSING TDS	INTERCEPTIONS	POSITION RANK
1896.5	18.8	11.7	10

Sam Darnold news

Sam
Darnold news