December 22, 2024 • 24 mins
Minnesota Tim reviews the thrilling victory of the Minnesota Vikings over the Seattle Seahawks, marking their first win in Seattle since 2006. He highlights Sam Darnold's impressive performance, which has put him in the MVP conversation, and discusses the Vikings' defense and key plays that contributed to their success. The podcast also explores game-changing moments that influenced the outcome and speculates on the future of Sam Darnold with the Vikings as they approach the playoffs.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
The Minnesota Vikings defeat the Seattle Seahawks twenty seven twenty
four and advance to thirteen and two during the regular season.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
And my, oh my, was this a thriller.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
And we have a lot to talk about on today's podcast.
Just so you know, this podcast is more organized than
I've ever been, so expect some bombs. So first things first,
the Minnesota Vikings rarely win in Seattle. This is the Vikings'
first win since two thousand and six at Seattle. And
(00:47):
I thought it would be fun to go down to
the record books and take a look at who was
on the Minnesota Vikings roster in two thousand and six,
and he guesses. Brad Johnson was the Minnesota Vikings quarterback
who actually was a guest on the Minnesota ten podcast
(01:10):
a few months ago. You can go on YouTube or
on Apple and check it out. He was the quarterback
for the Vikings. Let's take a look at his stats.
But first before I tell you or share with you,
Brad Johnson's stats. Moweld Moore, the Minnesota Vikings, pulled off
a trick play in two thousand and six. Mueldy Moore
(01:32):
was one for one for fifteen yards. One touchdown, zero interceptions,
a passer rating of.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
One hundred and fifty eight point three.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
So the Minnesota Vikings running back Muweldy Moore had a
perfect passer rating that game. Running backs Chester Taylor twenty
six carries one hundred and sixty nine yards, and this
was the game he went for a long of ninety
five yards. And then you take a look at the
receiver corps and you are not going to be blown
(02:05):
away by this. Marcus Robinson four catches seventy seven yards,
Travis Taylor two for twenty five, Chester Taylor four for nineteen,
and here we go Troy Williamson one reception for eighteen yards,
and the Minnesota Vikings advanced to four and two back
(02:26):
in two thousand and six after defeating Seneca Wallace and
Matt Hasselbeck and a bunch of other guys that aren't
familiar names on the Seattle Seahawks roster.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
So the Minnesota Vikings made history in this ballgame.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
They pulled off the unfathomable and did something that they
haven't done in eighteen years.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
So let's talk about it. Number one. The biggest story
following this game.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Is another Sam Donald electric performance. Donald twenty two for
thirty five two hundred and forty six yards, three touchdowns,
zero interceptions, and his throat to Justin Jefferson was one
(03:15):
of the best throws I think I've ever seen in
the NFL, and it was something that if it was
another quarterback, particularly Petrian Mahomes or Josh Allen, the media
would be blasting this throw in our faces over and
(03:35):
over and over again.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
It would be the lead play on.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
SportsCenter Sam Darnold. Just a few plays before this throw
to Jefferson was hobbled because he got sacked, which ultimately
became a face mask penalty, which was huge for the
Minnesota Viking success on that drive because the off was
(04:00):
struggling to move the ball, they had really no rhythm
face mask caapmans.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Here's a free fifteen yards. A few plays later.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Donald, he doesn't just sit in the pocket and throw
a laser beam to Jefferson between the cornerback and safety.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
He steps up on the move, fires a.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Forty yard bomb, just flicks it to Jefferson for the
go ahead score twenty seven to twenty four. This throw
was sensational and it was the game winning touchdown in
this football game. And this is another game this season
where Sam Darnold has led the Minnesota Vikings to a
(04:41):
game winning or game ceiling drive. He did it against
San fran game ceiling drive, did it against Green Bay,
game ceiling drive, New York game ceiling drive. He failed
against Detroit to get a game ceiling drive, failed against
Los Angeles US to get the.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Game tying drive. It happens.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Game ceiling drive against Chicago, game ceiling drive against Arizona,
game ceiling drive against Seattle.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Sam Donald has.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Been so consistent this season on the Minnesota Vikings that
you have to start wondering at this point in time
where the Vikings thirteen and two.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
The Minnesota Vikings organization the plan is to move to J. J. McCarthy.
But at this point in time, how do you not
start to question your original plan and not bring back
Sam Donald Because this guy is playing at an MVP level.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
If it wasn't for Josh Allen's.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
MVP season, Sam Donald would be the NFL MVP right now.
He is second on the list of MVP right now,
ahead of Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes. Sam Donald this season
thirty two touchdowns, eleven interceptions, and so much of the
(06:19):
MVP award is about reputation and who.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
They think deserves it now.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
And Josh Allen is playing good football this year, and
he's playing at an MVP level rushing touchdowns, passing touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
He deserves an MVP. But if Sam.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Donald was another quarterback in the league that has been
so good for so long, he would be getting a
lot more love and a lot more respect than he's
getting right now. Sam Donald this season on the Minnesota
Vikings is transforming his NFL legacy because next year, either
(07:02):
by the Minnesota Vikings or by another organization, he is
going to get top dollar. And based on how he's
playing this season, you consider his age, you consider his talent,
which is clear and obvious. Sam Donald deserves it and
(07:24):
it is so fun to watch. In fact, Donald in
this football game became the third quarterback, not third quarterback,
the sixth quarterback in Minnesota Vikings' franchise history to throw
thirty touchdowns in a single season. The other quarterbacks on
(07:45):
that list Kirk Cousins he did it three times, Brett Favre,
Dante Culpepper, Randall Cunningham, and Warren Moon. And there's still
two games left to go of the season. Donald is
at thirty two touch right now and couldn't throw for
thirty six thirty seven touchdowns by the time this season
(08:07):
is over and the Minnesota Vikings are in control of
their own destiny, as are the Lions for the number
one seed.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
In the NFC. Think about that statement and think about.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Your record prediction before the Minnesota Vikings season started, the
national perception of the Minnesota Vikings before this season started,
Odds had the Vikings at six and a half. I
had the Vikings winning five games. They're thirteen and two
(08:47):
and on the cusp of being the number one seed
in the NFC. And this is because of what Sam
Darnold has done. He's come completely changed, because of the
coaching from Kevin O'Connell. He's completely changed his style of game,
(09:09):
his decision making. Even at the end of the game,
when the Vikings tried to put the Seahawks away with
a play action play past, Sam Donald tries to make
a throw finish off the game and complete pass stops
the clock for Seattle. Now, Sam Donald slides burns off
an extra forty seconds, calls it a crap shoe play,
burns off a lot of time. Vikings pick next play
(09:31):
on Gino Smith. So it's those small details in Sam
Donald's game that has been so transformative this season. And
you've got to give credit to Kevin O'Connell, West Phillips,
Josh McCown, and Sam Donald himself for being a coachable player.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
So it's really got to be.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
A conversation in the Minnesota Vikings organization because how do
you not consider bringing this guy back. Maybe you had
a plan before the season started to shift to Jajon McCarthy,
and you don't want to pay Sam Darnold because you
have all this flexibility this offseason with salary cap space
(10:15):
and guys you can sign, and McCarthy's the tenth overall pick.
But the conversation has to be happening or it has
to be redone because if the plan was to let
Darnald walk, well, you better restart that conversation because if
it was not for Josh Allen, he would be the
MVP this season. And he is just playing at a
(10:39):
level that has not been seen before from a twenty
eight year old quarterback on the Minnesota Vikings. Brett Favre
two thousand and nine is forty case. Keenum is getting
up there in age, and he was clearly not the
(11:00):
talent that Sam Donald is. Right like Case Keenom didn't
throw for thirty touchdowns, and he wasn't a top pick
in the draft, and he wasn't touted as this guy
that could be a franchise quarterback.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Sam Donald was.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
And now Sam Donald has got to make the Minnesota
Vikings organization think twice about their decision to just give
the keys to ja J. McCarthy next season because of
the play that he's played with so far this season.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
And you think about.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Being second in MVP voting or at least an MVP
play this season behind Josh Allen, and you think about
any other quarterback in the league, would he want to
trade that guy?
Speaker 2 (11:54):
No?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So why would we want to get rid of Sam Donald?
Why would we want to let him walk? Why is
Sam Donald any different then another quarterback that put up
MVP numbers.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
He's not.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
And that's why the conversation needs to shift. And here's
Sam Donald following the game on his touchdown pass to
Justin Jefferson, which gave the Vikings the lead.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Safety, and felt like I just needed to give him
a shot, you know, put it on his back hip
and let him do the rest. So and then yeah, obviously,
you know my teammates being pumped up about it. Wouldn't
wouldn't expect anything less. And you know, I was just
telling him like, you know, we got to get stop here.
You know it's not over. So sure enough we did that.
Super proud of THEO Jackson man the way that he
(12:39):
was able to play today and step in when we
need him.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
So that Sam Donald following the game on his touchdown
pass to Justin Jefferson. All right, Number two, My second
takeaway from this football game is the Minnesota Vikings defense
now going into this game, Harrison Smith was a late scratch.
She's gonna be healthy for Green Bay. But it's one
of those situations where, you know what, we're twelve and two.
(13:06):
We don't want to get him more banged up in
the final stretch of the season and in the playoffs,
so we think we can win without him. So we'll
give him a rest day and make sure he's one
hundred percent for that divisional game versus Green Bay, and.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
The Vikings.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Bet paid off. The Vikings won without Harrison Smith. They
won without Jalen Redman, who has really stepped up recently.
And was diagnosed with a concussion after last week's game
and was unable to participate. And they also were without
the fourth string cornerback Morrow. So the Minnesota Vikings had
(13:46):
key defensive players injured and we're still able to pull
off this win on the road in a hostile environment,
in a game that's a must win game for the
Seattle Seahawks who are vying for that division with a
Los Angeles Rams, who also won on Sunday. One of
the big moments in this game was the play at
(14:10):
the end of the game made by Andrew Van Ginkle,
and the Seattle Seahawks were driving down the field just
like they did prior to take the lead twenty four
to twenty. They're driving down the field again, and they
were just marching right down the field. The Vikings defense
was tired, They've been there on the field quite a bit,
and the Seahawks were already past the Vikings fifty yard line.
(14:35):
They were already in our territory, and it just seemed
like they were gonna march down score touchdown. And the
Vikings did only have like thirty to forty five seconds
to try to tie the game or take the lead,
and Van Giggle comes up with a huge sack which
knocks the Seattle Seahawks out of field goal range, or
at least it made it a what sixty two yard
(14:56):
field goal? They picked up an extra yard on the
next play, which put them in a position to kick
a sixty yard field goal which was nowhere near being good.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
It was short by a long ways.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
So that huge sack by Andrew Van Geego stands out
to me because it essentially knocked the col Seahawks out.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Of makeable field goal range, pushed.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Him back, and that prevailed or prevented the Seattle Seahawks
from tying that game twenty seven to twenty seven. Another
play that stands out to me in this game, and
this is the second week in a row this guy
has stood out.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
It's Dallas Turner.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Last week he had a good sack against Caleb Williams,
a nice little undermove against the opposive line where he
tipped his shoulder, and then this week he steps in
front of the tight end and intercepts the ball.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
So that's two.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Weeks in a row where first round talent Dallas Turner
has stood out on tape and made a game changing play.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
So that is awesome.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
One of the bad news was right before half, Vikings
up seventeen to seven.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
You get a stop.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
You going to the locker room feeling good, and the
Vikings defense gives up five plays for eighty eight yards
and a touchdown at the end of the half. Completely
changed to the mindset for both teams going into halftime.
Seahawks are feeling great about themselves. Vikings could have been
feeling better and felt like they left plays on the field, and.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
So that was not good.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
And the fact that the Seahawks put up twenty four points,
you like that number to be a little less. But
at the same time, the Vikings defense made plays when
they had to make plays, and they stepped up when
they had to step up. Andrew Van ginkelesack Dallas Turner interception.
But a play that went by the wayside that could
(16:56):
have been there was the Blake Cashman drop and Gino Smith.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Throw it right to him and got batted by one of.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
The defensive linemen and it was Bobblin Tours, but he
still got to catch that football.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
And you know, the Seattle Seahawks, they.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Didn't score off that drive, but the field position battle
was completely changed because they punted. It put the Minnesota
Vikings down in their own territory, and I think the
Vikings ended up punting again, so it is a field
position battle. Came back that point, and the Vikings offense
was struggling out of halftime before their touchdown to Jefferson
(17:31):
late in that game to take the lead.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
They had only three points.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Up to that point in the second half, So the
Minnesota Vikings offense could have used a little nudge, a
little help by Blake Cashman who dropped that interception and
he wasn't able to come away with it. So that
was something that got by the Minnesota Vikings defense a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
And it's one of those.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Plays that's not being talked about more because the Seahawks
punted and the Vikings won and it's all good and
blah blah blah, YadA, YadA YadA. But that was one
of those plays that you know you should have made
and didn't and it kept the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Looming in the game longer than they should have.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Now, for the last point that I want to make
in this podcast, there were three game changing moments that
are not going to be discussed following this football game.
That completely changed this game. Moment number one that I
can think of, the off sides which led to a
(18:35):
Minnesota Vikings touchdown. First quarter, third and four, third and eight,
something like that doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Third down, Donald takes a sack. There's third and eight.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Donald takes a sack, and Bike's got to kick a
s field goal.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Nope, off side penalty.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Seattle Seahawks corner number twenty two, free five yards, third
and three, first down, Jordan Addison touchdown because of a
silly mistake by the Seattle Seahawks defender cornerback.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
You rarely see that on a quarterback. That never happens
on a quarterback.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It's like a defensive lineman or a defensive end gets
a little greedy. A cornerback was off sides. The Minnesota
Vikings took a field goal and made it into seven points.
That's a four point swing and the Minnesota Vikings won
by three. Okay, that's the game right there. That's huge
(19:38):
And it was nothing the Vikings did. I mean, they
executed after the penalty, but it was a dumb mistake
by the Seahawks, all right. Game changing moment number two
Hawkinson's fourth down catch in that first quarter. It was
what fourth and three. I thinks it might have been
in the Viking It might have been the same drive
as that offsides two game changing moments on the same possession.
(20:02):
Donald throws high on Hockinson when he's five feet wide
open and Hockinson is nearing the sideline and he toad
drags his foot in bounds and barely gets that big
fat foot of his inbounds and he's able to do it.
That's a game changing moment because not many tight ends
in the NFL could make that play. I don't know
(20:22):
if there's another tight end on the roster that could
make that play for the Minnesota Vikings. All right, that's
game changing moment. Number two.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I talked about this one a little bit. The face
mask on Sam Donald late in the game that the
officials threw. That was huge. The cash men drop.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
That was a game changing moment because it could have
helped the Minnesota vikingss, you know, get going in the
right direction offensively, which they weren't able to do because
he dropped it and they pumped the ball down and
blah blah blah. Talked about that already. And my last
thing that I want to talk about is that I
really thought at the end of this game, it felt
(21:06):
like the Seahawks were going to win. The Vikings offense
was not capitalizing when they were asked to capitalize because
the Vikings were forcing the Seahawks to punt, and the
Vikings were winning twenty to seventeen. But the Vikings could
not take control of that game offensively, and there was
(21:30):
only a matter of time before the Seahawks put a
good drive together, and late in the game they took
a lead twenty four to twenty and I'm like, ah,
it's not looking good. Vikings offensive struggling, but then they
got a huge break the face mask call. Then donalda
had had dimed to Justin Jefferson down the field. So
the thing I was happy to be wrong. I wanted
(21:51):
the Vikings to win, but it just felt like the
Vikings weren't going to win because the Seahawks did put
a drive together. But Sam Donald and the Minnesota Vikings
again overcame adversity and put points on the board when
they needed to, which Sam Donald has done all season long.
(22:12):
And that's why the Vikings really need to consider changing
their plan and thinking about Sam Donald being QB one
on the Minnesota Vikings roster for the foreseeable future, next year,
two years, whatever the case may be. And it's interesting
because there was a new juicy report that was just
(22:35):
shared this morning by a CBS insider guy, and I
felt insider on CBS. I don't know his name, not
an Adam Schefter guy, not a Ja Glazer guy, but
they said something along the lines of, you know, the
Vikings and Sam Donald might be interested in putting a
deal together and staying together for a few years. We'll
(22:58):
see if that happens, but it seems like the Vikings
should really consider taking Sam Donald and making him the
face of the franchise. I'm struggling with this because Randald
cunning him had one good year, Brett Favre one good year,
case Keenum one good year, so you see one year wonders.
(23:23):
I'm the Minnesota Vikings roster. But Sam Donald is different.
And what's different about Donald is that one he's in
his prime right now, and two, Sam Donald.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
As talented.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
It's way more talented than a case Keenum and Randald
cutting him end of his career, Brett Favre end of
his career. He had one glory run with both of
those guys at the end of their careers. Donald is
in the midst of his prime. And that's why this
is not just a one year wonder. This feels like
this could be sustainable well for a few good seasons.
(24:03):
So I get the Sellar cap flexibility, I get all
that stuff, but at some point, how can you just
pooh pooh thirteen and two second in the MVP race
and say, you know, we're gonna move on to Jajon McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
I don't know how you do that.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
But Sam Darnold Minnesota Vikings thirteen and two, versus Green
Bay next week and versus the Lions week eighteen. Wow,
what a ride the season has been. Thanks for going
on this journey with me. Thank you for making this
podcast part of your day.
The Minnesota Vikings defeat the Seattle Seahawks twenty seven twenty
four and advance to thirteen and two during the regular season.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
And my, oh my, was this a thriller.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
And we have a lot to talk about on today's podcast.
Just so you know, this podcast is more organized than
I've ever been, so expect some bombs. So first things first,
the Minnesota Vikings rarely win in Seattle. This is the Vikings'
first win since two thousand and six at Seattle. And
(00:47):
I thought it would be fun to go down to
the record books and take a look at who was
on the Minnesota Vikings roster in two thousand and six,
and he guesses. Brad Johnson was the Minnesota Vikings quarterback
who actually was a guest on the Minnesota ten podcast
(01:10):
a few months ago. You can go on YouTube or
on Apple and check it out. He was the quarterback
for the Vikings. Let's take a look at his stats.
But first before I tell you or share with you,
Brad Johnson's stats. Moweld Moore, the Minnesota Vikings, pulled off
a trick play in two thousand and six. Mueldy Moore
(01:32):
was one for one for fifteen yards. One touchdown, zero interceptions,
a passer rating of.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
One hundred and fifty eight point three.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
So the Minnesota Vikings running back Muweldy Moore had a
perfect passer rating that game. Running backs Chester Taylor twenty
six carries one hundred and sixty nine yards, and this
was the game he went for a long of ninety
five yards. And then you take a look at the
receiver corps and you are not going to be blown
(02:05):
away by this. Marcus Robinson four catches seventy seven yards,
Travis Taylor two for twenty five, Chester Taylor four for nineteen,
and here we go Troy Williamson one reception for eighteen yards,
and the Minnesota Vikings advanced to four and two back
(02:26):
in two thousand and six after defeating Seneca Wallace and
Matt Hasselbeck and a bunch of other guys that aren't
familiar names on the Seattle Seahawks roster.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
So the Minnesota Vikings made history in this ballgame.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
They pulled off the unfathomable and did something that they
haven't done in eighteen years.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
So let's talk about it. Number one. The biggest story
following this game.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Is another Sam Donald electric performance. Donald twenty two for
thirty five two hundred and forty six yards, three touchdowns,
zero interceptions, and his throat to Justin Jefferson was one
(03:15):
of the best throws I think I've ever seen in
the NFL, and it was something that if it was
another quarterback, particularly Petrian Mahomes or Josh Allen, the media
would be blasting this throw in our faces over and
(03:35):
over and over again.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
It would be the lead play on.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
SportsCenter Sam Darnold. Just a few plays before this throw
to Jefferson was hobbled because he got sacked, which ultimately
became a face mask penalty, which was huge for the
Minnesota Viking success on that drive because the off was
(04:00):
struggling to move the ball, they had really no rhythm
face mask caapmans.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Here's a free fifteen yards. A few plays later.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Donald, he doesn't just sit in the pocket and throw
a laser beam to Jefferson between the cornerback and safety.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
He steps up on the move, fires a.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Forty yard bomb, just flicks it to Jefferson for the
go ahead score twenty seven to twenty four. This throw
was sensational and it was the game winning touchdown in
this football game. And this is another game this season
where Sam Darnold has led the Minnesota Vikings to a
(04:41):
game winning or game ceiling drive. He did it against
San fran game ceiling drive, did it against Green Bay,
game ceiling drive, New York game ceiling drive. He failed
against Detroit to get a game ceiling drive, failed against
Los Angeles US to get the.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Game tying drive. It happens.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Game ceiling drive against Chicago, game ceiling drive against Arizona,
game ceiling drive against Seattle.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Sam Donald has.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Been so consistent this season on the Minnesota Vikings that
you have to start wondering at this point in time
where the Vikings thirteen and two.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
The Minnesota Vikings organization the plan is to move to J. J. McCarthy.
But at this point in time, how do you not
start to question your original plan and not bring back
Sam Donald Because this guy is playing at an MVP level.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
If it wasn't for Josh Allen's.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
MVP season, Sam Donald would be the NFL MVP right now.
He is second on the list of MVP right now,
ahead of Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes. Sam Donald this season
thirty two touchdowns, eleven interceptions, and so much of the
(06:19):
MVP award is about reputation and who.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
They think deserves it now.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
And Josh Allen is playing good football this year, and
he's playing at an MVP level rushing touchdowns, passing touchdowns.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
He deserves an MVP. But if Sam.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Donald was another quarterback in the league that has been
so good for so long, he would be getting a
lot more love and a lot more respect than he's
getting right now. Sam Donald this season on the Minnesota
Vikings is transforming his NFL legacy because next year, either
(07:02):
by the Minnesota Vikings or by another organization, he is
going to get top dollar. And based on how he's
playing this season, you consider his age, you consider his talent,
which is clear and obvious. Sam Donald deserves it and
(07:24):
it is so fun to watch. In fact, Donald in
this football game became the third quarterback, not third quarterback,
the sixth quarterback in Minnesota Vikings' franchise history to throw
thirty touchdowns in a single season. The other quarterbacks on
(07:45):
that list Kirk Cousins he did it three times, Brett Favre,
Dante Culpepper, Randall Cunningham, and Warren Moon. And there's still
two games left to go of the season. Donald is
at thirty two touch right now and couldn't throw for
thirty six thirty seven touchdowns by the time this season
(08:07):
is over and the Minnesota Vikings are in control of
their own destiny, as are the Lions for the number
one seed.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
In the NFC. Think about that statement and think about.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Your record prediction before the Minnesota Vikings season started, the
national perception of the Minnesota Vikings before this season started,
Odds had the Vikings at six and a half. I
had the Vikings winning five games. They're thirteen and two
(08:47):
and on the cusp of being the number one seed
in the NFC. And this is because of what Sam
Darnold has done. He's come completely changed, because of the
coaching from Kevin O'Connell. He's completely changed his style of game,
(09:09):
his decision making. Even at the end of the game,
when the Vikings tried to put the Seahawks away with
a play action play past, Sam Donald tries to make
a throw finish off the game and complete pass stops
the clock for Seattle. Now, Sam Donald slides burns off
an extra forty seconds, calls it a crap shoe play,
burns off a lot of time. Vikings pick next play
(09:31):
on Gino Smith. So it's those small details in Sam
Donald's game that has been so transformative this season. And
you've got to give credit to Kevin O'Connell, West Phillips,
Josh McCown, and Sam Donald himself for being a coachable player.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
So it's really got to be.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
A conversation in the Minnesota Vikings organization because how do
you not consider bringing this guy back. Maybe you had
a plan before the season started to shift to Jajon McCarthy,
and you don't want to pay Sam Darnold because you
have all this flexibility this offseason with salary cap space
(10:15):
and guys you can sign, and McCarthy's the tenth overall pick.
But the conversation has to be happening or it has
to be redone because if the plan was to let
Darnald walk, well, you better restart that conversation because if
it was not for Josh Allen, he would be the
MVP this season. And he is just playing at a
(10:39):
level that has not been seen before from a twenty
eight year old quarterback on the Minnesota Vikings. Brett Favre
two thousand and nine is forty case. Keenum is getting
up there in age, and he was clearly not the
(11:00):
talent that Sam Donald is. Right like Case Keenom didn't
throw for thirty touchdowns, and he wasn't a top pick
in the draft, and he wasn't touted as this guy
that could be a franchise quarterback.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Sam Donald was.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
And now Sam Donald has got to make the Minnesota
Vikings organization think twice about their decision to just give
the keys to ja J. McCarthy next season because of
the play that he's played with so far this season.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
And you think about.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Being second in MVP voting or at least an MVP
play this season behind Josh Allen, and you think about
any other quarterback in the league, would he want to
trade that guy?
Speaker 2 (11:54):
No?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So why would we want to get rid of Sam Donald?
Why would we want to let him walk? Why is
Sam Donald any different then another quarterback that put up
MVP numbers.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
He's not.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
And that's why the conversation needs to shift. And here's
Sam Donald following the game on his touchdown pass to
Justin Jefferson, which gave the Vikings the lead.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Safety, and felt like I just needed to give him
a shot, you know, put it on his back hip
and let him do the rest. So and then yeah, obviously,
you know my teammates being pumped up about it. Wouldn't
wouldn't expect anything less. And you know, I was just
telling him like, you know, we got to get stop here.
You know it's not over. So sure enough we did that.
Super proud of THEO Jackson man the way that he
(12:39):
was able to play today and step in when we
need him.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
So that Sam Donald following the game on his touchdown
pass to Justin Jefferson. All right, Number two, My second
takeaway from this football game is the Minnesota Vikings defense
now going into this game, Harrison Smith was a late scratch.
She's gonna be healthy for Green Bay. But it's one
of those situations where, you know what, we're twelve and two.
(13:06):
We don't want to get him more banged up in
the final stretch of the season and in the playoffs,
so we think we can win without him. So we'll
give him a rest day and make sure he's one
hundred percent for that divisional game versus Green Bay, and.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
The Vikings.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Bet paid off. The Vikings won without Harrison Smith. They
won without Jalen Redman, who has really stepped up recently.
And was diagnosed with a concussion after last week's game
and was unable to participate. And they also were without
the fourth string cornerback Morrow. So the Minnesota Vikings had
(13:46):
key defensive players injured and we're still able to pull
off this win on the road in a hostile environment,
in a game that's a must win game for the
Seattle Seahawks who are vying for that division with a
Los Angeles Rams, who also won on Sunday. One of
the big moments in this game was the play at
(14:10):
the end of the game made by Andrew Van Ginkle,
and the Seattle Seahawks were driving down the field just
like they did prior to take the lead twenty four
to twenty. They're driving down the field again, and they
were just marching right down the field. The Vikings defense
was tired, They've been there on the field quite a bit,
and the Seahawks were already past the Vikings fifty yard line.
(14:35):
They were already in our territory, and it just seemed
like they were gonna march down score touchdown. And the
Vikings did only have like thirty to forty five seconds
to try to tie the game or take the lead,
and Van Giggle comes up with a huge sack which
knocks the Seattle Seahawks out of field goal range, or
at least it made it a what sixty two yard
(14:56):
field goal? They picked up an extra yard on the
next play, which put them in a position to kick
a sixty yard field goal which was nowhere near being good.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
It was short by a long ways.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
So that huge sack by Andrew Van Geego stands out
to me because it essentially knocked the col Seahawks out.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Of makeable field goal range, pushed.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Him back, and that prevailed or prevented the Seattle Seahawks
from tying that game twenty seven to twenty seven. Another
play that stands out to me in this game, and
this is the second week in a row this guy
has stood out.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
It's Dallas Turner.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Last week he had a good sack against Caleb Williams,
a nice little undermove against the opposive line where he
tipped his shoulder, and then this week he steps in
front of the tight end and intercepts the ball.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
So that's two.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Weeks in a row where first round talent Dallas Turner
has stood out on tape and made a game changing play.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
So that is awesome.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
One of the bad news was right before half, Vikings
up seventeen to seven.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
You get a stop.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
You going to the locker room feeling good, and the
Vikings defense gives up five plays for eighty eight yards
and a touchdown at the end of the half. Completely
changed to the mindset for both teams going into halftime.
Seahawks are feeling great about themselves. Vikings could have been
feeling better and felt like they left plays on the field, and.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
So that was not good.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
And the fact that the Seahawks put up twenty four points,
you like that number to be a little less. But
at the same time, the Vikings defense made plays when
they had to make plays, and they stepped up when
they had to step up. Andrew Van ginkelesack Dallas Turner interception.
But a play that went by the wayside that could
(16:56):
have been there was the Blake Cashman drop and Gino Smith.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Throw it right to him and got batted by one of.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
The defensive linemen and it was Bobblin Tours, but he
still got to catch that football.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
And you know, the Seattle Seahawks, they.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Didn't score off that drive, but the field position battle
was completely changed because they punted. It put the Minnesota
Vikings down in their own territory, and I think the
Vikings ended up punting again, so it is a field
position battle. Came back that point, and the Vikings offense
was struggling out of halftime before their touchdown to Jefferson
(17:31):
late in that game to take the lead.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
They had only three points.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Up to that point in the second half, So the
Minnesota Vikings offense could have used a little nudge, a
little help by Blake Cashman who dropped that interception and
he wasn't able to come away with it. So that
was something that got by the Minnesota Vikings defense a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
And it's one of those.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Plays that's not being talked about more because the Seahawks
punted and the Vikings won and it's all good and
blah blah blah, YadA, YadA YadA. But that was one
of those plays that you know you should have made
and didn't and it kept the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Looming in the game longer than they should have.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Now, for the last point that I want to make
in this podcast, there were three game changing moments that
are not going to be discussed following this football game.
That completely changed this game. Moment number one that I
can think of, the off sides which led to a
(18:35):
Minnesota Vikings touchdown. First quarter, third and four, third and eight,
something like that doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Third down, Donald takes a sack. There's third and eight.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Donald takes a sack, and Bike's got to kick a
s field goal.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Nope, off side penalty.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Seattle Seahawks corner number twenty two, free five yards, third
and three, first down, Jordan Addison touchdown because of a
silly mistake by the Seattle Seahawks defender cornerback.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
You rarely see that on a quarterback. That never happens
on a quarterback.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It's like a defensive lineman or a defensive end gets
a little greedy. A cornerback was off sides. The Minnesota
Vikings took a field goal and made it into seven points.
That's a four point swing and the Minnesota Vikings won
by three. Okay, that's the game right there. That's huge
(19:38):
And it was nothing the Vikings did. I mean, they
executed after the penalty, but it was a dumb mistake
by the Seahawks, all right. Game changing moment number two
Hawkinson's fourth down catch in that first quarter. It was
what fourth and three. I thinks it might have been
in the Viking It might have been the same drive
as that offsides two game changing moments on the same possession.
(20:02):
Donald throws high on Hockinson when he's five feet wide
open and Hockinson is nearing the sideline and he toad
drags his foot in bounds and barely gets that big
fat foot of his inbounds and he's able to do it.
That's a game changing moment because not many tight ends
in the NFL could make that play. I don't know
(20:22):
if there's another tight end on the roster that could
make that play for the Minnesota Vikings. All right, that's
game changing moment. Number two.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I talked about this one a little bit. The face
mask on Sam Donald late in the game that the
officials threw. That was huge. The cash men drop.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
That was a game changing moment because it could have
helped the Minnesota vikingss, you know, get going in the
right direction offensively, which they weren't able to do because
he dropped it and they pumped the ball down and
blah blah blah. Talked about that already. And my last
thing that I want to talk about is that I
really thought at the end of this game, it felt
(21:06):
like the Seahawks were going to win. The Vikings offense
was not capitalizing when they were asked to capitalize because
the Vikings were forcing the Seahawks to punt, and the
Vikings were winning twenty to seventeen. But the Vikings could
not take control of that game offensively, and there was
(21:30):
only a matter of time before the Seahawks put a
good drive together, and late in the game they took
a lead twenty four to twenty and I'm like, ah,
it's not looking good. Vikings offensive struggling, but then they
got a huge break the face mask call. Then donalda
had had dimed to Justin Jefferson down the field. So
the thing I was happy to be wrong. I wanted
(21:51):
the Vikings to win, but it just felt like the
Vikings weren't going to win because the Seahawks did put
a drive together. But Sam Donald and the Minnesota Vikings
again overcame adversity and put points on the board when
they needed to, which Sam Donald has done all season long.
(22:12):
And that's why the Vikings really need to consider changing
their plan and thinking about Sam Donald being QB one
on the Minnesota Vikings roster for the foreseeable future, next year,
two years, whatever the case may be. And it's interesting
because there was a new juicy report that was just
(22:35):
shared this morning by a CBS insider guy, and I
felt insider on CBS. I don't know his name, not
an Adam Schefter guy, not a Ja Glazer guy, but
they said something along the lines of, you know, the
Vikings and Sam Donald might be interested in putting a
deal together and staying together for a few years. We'll
(22:58):
see if that happens, but it seems like the Vikings
should really consider taking Sam Donald and making him the
face of the franchise. I'm struggling with this because Randald
cunning him had one good year, Brett Favre one good year,
case Keenum one good year, so you see one year wonders.
(23:23):
I'm the Minnesota Vikings roster. But Sam Donald is different.
And what's different about Donald is that one he's in
his prime right now, and two, Sam Donald.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
As talented.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
It's way more talented than a case Keenum and Randald
cutting him end of his career, Brett Favre end of
his career. He had one glory run with both of
those guys at the end of their careers. Donald is
in the midst of his prime. And that's why this
is not just a one year wonder. This feels like
this could be sustainable well for a few good seasons.
(24:03):
So I get the Sellar cap flexibility, I get all
that stuff, but at some point, how can you just
pooh pooh thirteen and two second in the MVP race
and say, you know, we're gonna move on to Jajon McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
I don't know how you do that.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
But Sam Darnold Minnesota Vikings thirteen and two, versus Green
Bay next week and versus the Lions week eighteen. Wow,
what a ride the season has been. Thanks for going
on this journey with me. Thank you for making this
podcast part of your day.
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