Do not costume JJ McCarthy in numerous uniforms – including the giants — extra.
Sam Darnold’s second straight Jets-style efficiency in a prime-time sport ends the Vikings’ season on Monday night time in 27-9 wild card loss to the Ramspossibly it helped Minnesota’s choice makers determine how they need to deal with their upcoming quarterback controversy.
Whereas Darnold deserves congratulations, plaudits and possibly even the Comeback Participant of the Yr award for main the Vikings to a 14-4 document, the truth is that he gave up within the two largest video games of the season.
McCarthy, the tenth total decide by the Vikings in final 12 months’s NFL draft, is now ready for the second.
Some have speculated whether or not the Vikings ought to commerce McCarthy due to Darnold’s ascension, however these two ugly performances in opposition to the Lions and Rams are warts that will probably be robust to take away.
Darnold, 27, regarded like the previous Jets dropout in these video games, taking dangerous sacks, makes bad throws and led his group to 9 factors within the two video games.
He accomplished simply 43 of 81 (53.1 %) of his throws for 411 yards with one landing and one interception over the previous two weeks, together with 25 of 40 on Monday that included a landing and an interception. He additionally misplaced a landing within the playoff loss.
“I really feel like I left some throws on the market that I might have been higher at,” Darnold mentioned. “Simply too many errors on my half. … Clearly I did not play properly sufficient the previous few weeks.”
It is potential the Vikings nonetheless use the franchise tag on Darnold, however giving him a discount and buying and selling McCarthy after these back-to-back duds will elevate some flags.
To date, this season — the perfect of his profession — is the standout in a profession that has included too many lackluster seasons with the Jets and Panthers.
Darnold mentioned he is not anxious about how these two weeks will have an effect on his future.
“It is essential for all of us to consider Sam’s workload, what he was ready to do that 12 months when not many individuals thought he would be capable to lead a group to 14 wins,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned. “It did not work out ultimately and I feel Sam would be the first to let you know. Might he have performed higher tonight? I am positive he would let you know he might. … Sam and the journey he and I took this 12 months will definitely all the time be one thing that holds a particular place in my coronary heart.”
That is to not say McCarthy, 21, is a surefire can’t-miss prospect, and this choice is a no brainer.
He is had two knee surgical procedures since tearing his meniscus over the summer time and hasn’t performed a single NFL sport. There are even some who questioned if his ceiling would come into the league.
However having a quarterback in a rookie deal is the largest cheat code within the NFL — other than Patrick Mahomes — and the Vikings imagine in McCarthy sufficient to pick him within the prime 10.
Groups with championship aspirations should make choices — well, maybe the giants don’t do that — and Darnold, when it mattered, did not appear like a quarterback who could lead on a group to the promised land.
There are unknowns with McCarthy, together with his ceiling and flooring.
“Simply too many negatives,” O’Connell mentioned. “Actually the final two weeks too many adverse video games that set you again.”
If the Vikings select to let Darnold hit free company, it could present a potential choice for quarterback-needy groups just like the Giants or probably the Browns.
And in that state of affairs, the Vikings would hope their first-round decide can thrive in these essential video games the place Darnold, in an in any other case nice season, regarded like he’d seen ghosts once more.
“On the finish of the day, all that issues is when you’ve got a superb season, what do you do within the playoffs?” Darnold mentioned. “We did not get it achieved and that is all that issues.”
