Rams defense turned Sam Darnold's carriage ride in FA back into a pumpkin

The LA Rams mean business. Long lauded for its ability to apply relentless pressure on opposing quarterbacks, the team's pass rush elevated its game to the next level. And in one game, the young and passionate defensive front poured pain and insult on Minnesota Vikings veteran quarterback Sam Darnold. Yikes!

Throughout the 2024 NFL season, NFL analysts threw wild speculations over the future of the Minnesota Vikings football team. After all, the Vikings had drafted former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, the rookie quarterback suffered an ACL injury in preseason, ending his first NFL season before it began.

Not to worry. Veteran quarterback Sam Darnold signed with the Vikings as well. And his 2024 NFL season was nothing short of spectacular. A longtime journeyman quarterback, Darnold clicked in Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell's offense. His first season for the Vikings proved to be the best football season of his career, and his reputation skyrocketed as he landed NFL Pro Bowl honors for the first time in his career.

His Cinderella season seemed to be falling into place. He has signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. NFL rumors quickly grew louder and more frequent over expectations that he could command an incredibly lucrative multi-year contract after the end of the 2024 NFL season. Per OTC.com, Darnold's fair market value in the 2025 NFL Free Agency Market could rise to as high as $40 million per year. That's quite a golden carriage ride for a quarterback who struggled to remain an NFL starter over his career.

It was like a fairy tale. But like every fairy tale, the clock strikes midnight and golden carriages turn back into pumpkins. Thanks to the relentless Rams pass rush, that is exactly what happened here.

And it could cost Darnold millions in terms of the amount offered in his next contract to play in the NFL.

Rams force Darnold's clock to strike midnight

It is not as though Vikings' starting quarterback Sam Darnold was inept. He managed to complete 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Not good numbers, but certainly not the worst either. The thing is, the Rams pass rush tied an NFL record with nine quarterback sacks against Darnold in the game. Those sacks came from eight different players.

And it rattled Darnold noticeably throughout the game.

Entering the game, it did not take a fortune teller to understand what was on the line for Sam Darnold. After a horrific game against the Detroit Lions, Darnold had to understand that his future in the NFL depended upon his rebounding against a young but passionate Rams defense. Despite all of the wild speculation about Darnold securing his bag after 2024, that speculation presumed that Darnold would not trip and fall flat on his face at the finish line.

Three Rams defenders: NT Kobie Turner, OLB Byron Young, and NT Neville Gallimore, all put up multiple sacks on Darnold. Five Rams defenders: OLB Michael Hoecht, DT Braden Fiske, DE Desjuan Johnson, DB Cobie Durant, and DB Ahkello Witherspoon, all had a hand in sacking quarterback San Darnold as well,.

That pressure kept the Vikings offense on its heels, never synching in to mount any type of successive offensive drives. The Vikings ended the game with just 6 of 17 third-down conversions and just one of four fourth-down conversions. For any NFL quarterback hoping to sign a mega multi-year contract in the NFL, he has to do better.

The Minnesota Vikings' season is over. That pivots the team from playing football to strategizing how to play football in 2025. On one hand, veteran QB Sam Darnold should be affordable for the Vikings now, if they choose to extend him. On the other hand, did Darnold show enough to warrant an extension in the first place?

As always, thanks for reading.

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