Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold completed 24-of-40 passes for 231 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in Minnesota’s 30-12, Week 15 win over the Bears.

The interception was forgivable as it happened on a fourth-down go and actually gained the Vikings some field position. Darnold threaded a good throw here or there, and the Vikings converted a lot of early third-and-longs on a deep-zone heavy Bears defense. For the most part, it was actually Chicago’s pass rush subduing him as Darnold took two sacks while right tackle Brian O’Neill spent the game shuttling back-and-forth between the locker room with an apparent knee injury. Justin Jefferson cost him (and Jefferson) a second likely touchdown with a drop near the five-yard-line in the second quarter. Darnold didn’t exactly light the world on fire, but he at least managed to mostly keep the Vikings out of harm’s way in a game where they were only up 13-0 until the end of the third quarter. A game against a surging Seahawks defense, but one that possibly will be trying to back an extremely rough-looking Sam Howell, will confusingly keep Darnold near the QB1 line for Week 16.