EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Nothing about this moment said, Let it rip. But there was Sam Darnold, the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback, eyeing the left side of the field. And there was superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, peeling off a corner route toward the sideline.
Until this second-and-12 situation early in the second quarter, Darnold had played smartly. A checkdown to the flat here, a quick strike up the seam there. Eventually, the Vikings were going to ask him to launch one, to trust Jefferson and to trust himself. That time was now.
Darnold feathered a pass perfectly in Jefferson’s direction, and as the ball dropped into Jefferson’s hands for a 44-yard gain, you almost felt like the only thing that would have done the pass justice was one of the shot tracers they use on TV to follow shots on the PGA Tour.
Moneyball.
Sam Darnold x @JJettas2
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/gNnifylb6X
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 8, 2024
Darnold jogged up to take the next snap as Jefferson lined up out wide. Coach Kevin O’Connell scanned his play sheet for the next call. It was arguably the most significant throw in the Vikings’ 28-6 shellacking Sunday of the New York Giants, and all of the major Vikings characters were focused on capping the drive with a touchdown. Which they did.
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After the game, Jefferson described Darnold’s pass as “beautiful.” O’Connell called it “remarkable.” When asked why it impressed him so much, the head coach stressed the importance of being able to lean on his quarterback in a vital moment.
And, frankly, isn’t that the central question surrounding the Vikings this season? Can Darnold lift the offense when he’s called upon? The Giants did not present the toughest test Sunday, but all you can do is handle the task in front of you, and Darnold did. He completed 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
“Baller,” veteran safety Harrison Smith said of his quarterback. “I love Sam, man. I mean, he started 12-for-12. What the f— else could you want?”
Darnold’s performance paired nicely with the team’s as a whole. Yes, penalties affected the offense in the early going. Sure, fullback C.J. Ham fumbled horrendously on the opening possession.
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But in general, the Vikings entered Sunday expecting to dominate — and they did. Even before Darnold’s eye-popping second-quarter throw, Brian Flores’ defense anchored the team the way it’ll have to if the Vikings want to contend in the NFC.
The Giants finished with 240 yards of offense and averaged 3.5 yards per play. It was such a putrid offensive performance that it inspired Giants fans to boo as early as the first half. The Vikings fans’ “Skol” chant could be heard throughout the stadium in the second.
Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. was bouncing around like a kid who’d just been let into an amusement park. Edge rusher Jihad Ward celebrated by side-stepping off the field like he was performing an Irish jig. Safety Cam Bynum approached edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel on the sideline with big eyes as if to say, You’re a bad man. Rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner placed his hands on his helmet like he was thinking, It’s crazy how well this is going for us!
Instant impact.@UnoErra
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/5m0zB2GZ9o
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 8, 2024
“We put a lot of pressure and anxiety on the coordinators’ and quarterbacks’ minds,” Van Ginkel said afterward.
The pressure is sometimes an illusion, but the anxiety is not, and that was the case Sunday. The Vikings leaned on a four-man pass rush on 75.5 percent of their defensive snaps, according to TruMedia. Last year, they deployed a four-man pass rush only 29.9 percent of the time. Despite mostly rushing with four, Minnesota’s pressure affected Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, hitting him 11 times and forcing him into two interceptions.
The most impressive play was made by Van Ginkel, who in many ways is the one-man embodiment of what Flores wants his defense to be: smart, versatile and physical. With 4:26 remaining in the third quarter and the Vikings up 21-6, he assessed the Giants’ formation and felt like he knew what was coming.
New York positioned three receivers in a bunched formation to Van Ginkel’s side of the line of scrimmage. The Vikings brought multiple defenders up to the line of scrimmage, indicating a blitz. Jones caught the snap and turned toward Van Ginkel’s side to throw a quick bubble screen. The 29-year-old defender leaped, snagged the ball with two hands like he was skying for a rebound, sauntered into the end zone and held his hands up in an “Are you not entertained?” pose.
.@AndrewVanGinkel ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!?!
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/XFx58RvTIt
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 8, 2024
“We didn’t go crazy,” Smith said. “We were just playing good.”
That goes for the team as a whole. Running back Aaron Jones darted away from tacklers throughout the afternoon, piling up 94 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Receiver Jalen Nailor benefitted from a savvily designed play call, which sent Jefferson in motion to distract the defense, allowing Nailor to leak up the sideline for a touchdown.
If there was an obvious negative, it was Jordan Addison’s ankle injury. He exited in the third quarter, and while initial reports are promising, he will undergo additional testing when the Vikings return to Minnesota.
All of this matters, but only to a point. That’s how key a cog Darnold is to the Vikings’ hopes this season. Both coaches and teammates spoke promisingly about his potential in recent weeks. Even San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach Brian Griese said recently: “I can’t wait to see what he does (with this opportunity).”
Next up is Darnold’s former team in San Francisco, which poses an entirely different test. The Vikings will likely need him to let it rip, and if Sunday proved anything, it’s that he can deliver when he has to.
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(Photo of Harrison Smith: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
