The Minnesota Vikings escaped a road loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10, despite scoring zero touchdowns and committing three turnovers -- all interceptions off the hand of quarterback Sam Darnold.
Darnold finished the afternoon 24-of-38 for 241 yards and 3 picks, the latest in a series of uninspiring performances from the Vikings QB that includes a 2-INT performance just last week in a one-score win over the Indianapolis Colts.
The public script has flipped on Darnold, as fans and media personalities/former players (Rob Gronkowski, for example) have gone from chanting "MVP! MVP!" during the first month of the season to calling for head coach Kevin O'Connell to consider a change under center.
However, Minnesota bested Jacksonville 12-7 on Sunday, Nov. 10, moving to 7-2 in the process, and O'Connell said following the game that no change under center is imminent.
"We're going to check back on this moment and use it the right way, and Sam is going to be better off for it," O'Connell said. "I truly do believe that."
O'Connell added that he never considered pulling Darnold in favor of backup QB Nick Mullens. Whether the coach's feelings might have been different if rookie J.J. McCarthy were not sidelined for the year with a knee injury is something no one -- save for O'Connell, and perhaps a few choice personnel people inside the organization -- will ever know.
But for now, Minnesota continues to roll. As such, O'Connell will continue to roll with Darnold as his starter. Darnold has thrown for 2,124 yards, 17 TDs and 10 INTs with a 68.6% completion rate through nine games this season.
