Sorting the Sunday Pile, NFL Week 17: Vikings get ‘big boy’ seat, playoff-seeding scenarios, MVP race check-in

Even with the Lions having yet to play their Week 17 Monday night game, the stage is already set for an incredible matchup between Detroit and the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night in Week 18. Regardless of the outcome, it’s time to formally extend an invite to the “big kids table” for Minnesota, which more than proved its status as an elite-level NFL team over the course of the season and once again on Sunday afternoon in a 27-25 victory over the white-hot Packers. 

Green Bay had lost just once since its Week 10 bye and entered the week favored over the Vikings, despite being the visitor. It was already probably a case of the wrong team being favored and the Vikings proved why, with yet another impressive performance from Sam Darnold, who went 33 of 43 for a career-high 377 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. 

Darnold was hoisted onto his teammates shoulders and drenched in a postgame celebration after closing out the game on a third-and-2 with a quick bootleg flip to Cam Akers that picked up a first down and let Darnold knee the game out. 

There was a stretch of the season where Darnold waffled a bit with his performance, but at what point do we say pedigree (former third overall pick) and coaching (Kevin O’Connell’s gotten the most out of every quarterback he works with) plus performance (Darnold has completed 68 percent of his passes, thrown for 4,153 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 picks) make us fully trust Darnold? I think we should be there. He’s just a good quarterback now! 

If you don’t think situation matters for a quarterback, just consider this picture was less than two years ago:

Getty Images

Darnold’s in a position with great weapons, great coaching and he’s elevated those around him while playing within KOC’s system. He nearly…


Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/sorting-the-sunday-pile-nfl-week-17-vikings-get-big-boy-seat-playoff-seeding-scenarios-mvp-race-check-in/

Author : Will Brinson

Publish date : 2024-12-30 17:00:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Check Also

Commanders’ Jeremy Reaves proposes to girlfriend on field following overtime win against Falcons

Getty Images The Washington Commanders officially clinched a spot in the postseason with a heart-pounding …