Minnesota Vikings Information and Hyperlinks: Do you Nonetheless Consider?

The playoffs begin as we speak! What’s the greatest case state of affairs for the Vikings?

No. 5 L.A. Chargers (-3) at No. 4 Houston

I just like the Chargers on this recreation. They play stable protection and run the ball. CJ Stroud has regressed this season and I’m not certain he’ll snap out of it particularly when he’s lacking Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell.

No. 6 Pittsburgh at No. 3 Baltimore (-9.5)

I’m going with the Ravens on this one. The Steelers are reeling having misplaced 4 straight and their main receiver, George Pickens, is having points.

No. 7 Denver at No. 2 Buffalo (-8.5)

Denver and Field Nix have been a superb story however I feel it ends in Buffalo. Josh Allen is an excessive amount of.

No. 7 Inexperienced Bay at No. 2 Philadelphia (-4.5)

I hate to say it however I need the Packers to win. However there head coach, Matt LaFleur, determined to play his starters final week and so they ended up dropping receiver Christian Watson for the season with a torn ACL and Jordan Love harm his elbow. Jalen Hurts goes to play after lacking the final two video games. I feel SaQuon Barkley may very well be the distinction. However, within the curiosity of the Vikings, I’m hoping the stinking Packers pull off the upset.

No. 6 Washington at No. 3 Tampa Bay (-3)

I feel the Commandos can pull of the win in Tampa. They should cease the run although which is one thing they haven’t executed effectively this season. I identical to Jayden Daniels. I feel he’ll make sufficient performs (kiss of dying?) to get Washington over the hump.

No. 5 Minnesota (-1.5) at No. 4 L.A. Rams

I just like the Vikings on this recreation. Duh! Sam Darnold goes to must play sensible and hit the throws. Defensively, they might want to do a greater job containing Kupp and Puka.

If the Packers, Commandos, and Vikings all win, then the Packers will play the Lions and the Vikings will host the Commandos.

Then, the Vikings greatest the Commandos and the Packers upset the Lions and the Vikings host the NFC Championship recreation.

A person can dream proper?

Minnesota Vikings Information and Hyperlinks

NFL playoffs: Vikings on upset alert and different predictions for wild-card weekend

Title a crew on upset alert

Nadkarni: Minnesota. The Vikings are very slight favorites in opposition to the Rams, and I feel Minnesota — regardless of its 14-3 report — is a crew I’m undoubtedly nervous about. First off, Los Angeles already beat the Vikings as soon as at dwelling this season, profitable 30-20 in Week 7, a recreation wherein Matthew Stafford threw for 4 touchdowns. And due to the NFL’s love of division winners, Minnesota is again on the highway to start out the playoffs.

Merely put, I’m nervous for Sam Darnold in his first ever postseason motion, particularly coming off a dispiriting outing in opposition to the Lions within the Vikings’ season finale. And although defensive coordinator Brian Flores can concoct a fantastic recreation plan, there’s nothing Stafford hasn’t seen.

NFL Skilled Picks: Opinions Divided for Vikings & Rams in Wild Card Spherical

Rams 28, Vikings 24 – Pete Prisco, CBS Sports activities

The Vikings didn’t play effectively within the Sunday evening loss to the Lions that price them an opportunity on the No. 1 seed. Now they face a Rams crew that rested a number of key gamers final week. Sam Darnold wants to reply after a poor exhibiting final week. The issue is the Rams defensive entrance can get after him. Matthew Stafford will likely be challenged by the Brian Flores protection, however I feel he’ll make sufficient performs to tug off the upset.

Rams 31, Vikings 30 – Employees, Bleacher Report

In Week 8, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Minnesota Vikings 30-20 at dwelling. The referees missed a facemask infraction late within the recreation, however the Vikings wanted a late landing drive to doubtlessly tie up the rating anyway.

The Rams pressured Sam Darnold in that contest, sacking him 3 times, and restricted the Vikings explosive performs excessive. Los Angeles could have the blueprint to decelerate Minnesota’s ninth-ranked scoring offense.

Nonetheless, [Bleacher Report NFL analyst Brent] Sobleski picked the Vikings to flip the script on the Rams on this Monday Evening Soccer matchup.

“When the Vikings traveled to the Los Angeles Rams in October, [Rams Head Coach] Sean McVay and Company emerged victorious,” Sobleski mentioned. “Other than the Detroit Lions, the Rams are the one crew to have crushed Minnesota to this point this season. An asterisk must be positioned on that win, although.

“The game was on Thursday Night Football, four days after the Vikings faced the Lions. Meanwhile, the Rams hosted the Las Vegas Raiders the previous Sunday. Los Angeles caught Minnesota at exactly the right time,” Sobleski added. “Many will bet that history can repeat itself after the Vikings lost to the Lions in Week 18, whereas the Rams got to rest their stars. But the Vikings, who were clearly the better squad throughout the season, now have extra time to prepare with the game being on Monday. Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell knows McVay as well as anyone in the game. It’s difficult to envision the Vikings faltering the same way twice.”

Right here is the “upset” of the week. The Rams are dwelling underdogs in opposition to a Minnesota crew coming off a brutal loss in opposition to the Lions. Los Angeles beat Minnesota 30-20 in Week 8. Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua mixed for 12 catches for 157 yards and a TD in that recreation. Matthew Stafford had constant home-road splits this season, and the Rams can win one other shut recreation right here.

How will Sam Darnold reply after a brutal Week 18 efficiency in opposition to the Lions? That is his first playoff begin, and it will likely be closely scrutinized. The Rams have been 3-3 as an underdog of 4 factors or much less this season, and we predict they’ll generate simply sufficient in opposition to the Vikings second-ranked run protection to spring the upset.

The Vikings misplaced to solely two groups this season, the Lions (twice) and Rams. Earlier than falling in Week 18 in Detroit, they misplaced back-to-back to Detroit and Los Angeles in Weeks 7 and eight. The Vikings simply struggled taking part in all-out with Sam Darnold, whereas the Rams nonetheless appeared good resting Matthew Stafford and different starters. That mentioned, the Rams offense is an even bigger difficulty than their protection within the second matchup, and this shock low-scoring recreation will go to the savvier group within the rematch.

Newly minted All-Professional Justin Jefferson wants a playoff win with the Vikings subsequent on his record of feats

Justin Jefferson has smashed all types of NFL receiving information over his first 5 seasons, and he was simply voted as an unanimous choice for first crew All-Professional.

Successful a playoff recreation with the Minnesota Vikings is the subsequent — lengthy overdue — feat on his record. A efficiency matching his famous person standing would go a good distance towards getting that executed.

“It’s definitely important to have those moments,” Jefferson mentioned after apply on Friday. “It’s win or go home. You have those moments, or you miss those moments and you wish had those moments after the season. So you definitely don’t want to have those type of conversations.”

“Our entire operation needed to have a reflection and a time period where we acknowledged what happened,” coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned. “We tried to identify the things we absolutely need to fix, and that’s individual players like Sam and many others, and that’s coaches.”

Darnold went 18 for 41 general and simply 3 for 9 when concentrating on Jefferson, ensuing within the second-lowest catch share of Jefferson’s profession.

“It’s just a matter of me being able to trust the throws, trust my feet, trust my eyes, and just letting it rip,” mentioned Darnold, who sailed a number of passes too excessive and out of attain of his receivers in an uncharacteristic show of inaccuracy. “I think that’s the biggest thing, when I see the throw there, just being able to let it rip and don’t think twice about it.”

If Sam Darnold struggles, may Vikings flip to Daniel Jones?

Now that the common season has ended, Jones has gone all in with the Vikings by becoming a member of the energetic roster. He’ll be with the Vikings and solely the Vikings for the postseason, nevertheless lengthy it lasts.

The truth that the transfer occurred solely days after starter Sam Darnold discovered a second that appeared a bit too huge for his stunningly robust season has raised questions on whether or not Jones is perhaps in line to play, if Darnold struggles within the postseason.

“It’s such a fluid thing here the rest of the way,” coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned Thursday. “We’re gonna do whatever we think gives us the best chance to win.”

Vikings coaches commend Harrison Smith’s management as vet security embarks on sixth playoff run

Harrison Smith resides within the Vikings’ secondary as one of many elders on the roster. He’s seen a lot in his 13 NFL seasons, together with six journeys to the Professional Bowl and one first-team All-Professional nod.

Smith has additionally been part of 5 Vikings groups to achieve the playoffs. The closest he got here to the Tremendous Bowl was again in 2017, the Minneapolis Miracle season wherein the Vikings pulled off an unbelievable win over the Saints earlier than falling to the eventual Tremendous Bowl champion Eagles within the NFC Championship Sport.

Together with his thirty sixth birthday approaching in February, Smith is aware of his place as a veteran on an upstart crew. In reality, he’s shut sufficient in age to his coach, Kevin O’Connell, to have solid a novel bond with the chief of the 14-3 Vikings, assembly with him weekly over espresso.

“We’ve always had a more of a peer relationship,” Smith mentioned lately, by way of The Related Press. “He is my boss, but we’re closer in age. He kind of came into the league when it was a certain way, and it’s changed a little. I’ve definitely gotten to know more about him as a coach, a player, a person, the whole thing.”

“He can be such a good gauge of the locker room and the pulse of the building and all those things,” O’Connell mentioned of Smith. “It’s not necessarily he’s telling me things that I need to know. It’s just his unique ability to be around guys who are a lot younger than him, or other veteran players, and just communicate. I do feel like in a lot of ways it’s a peer-to-peer type of relationship because of the respect level there, but it’s been a cool part of this year getting that time with him.”

“I love coaching him,” Flores mentioned. “He’s allowed me to be more creative and attempt to do some things — because they don’t all work — because of his acumen, because of his leadership, because I think he can get us into some certain things that will help us.”

“You just respect everything about how he operates, how he treats people, how he communicates,” O’Connell mentioned. “I don’t know if it’s being close in age or whatever it is, but I’ve really enjoyed the time that I get with him.”

Vikings’ Sam Darnold Set for Eye-Popping New Contract

The midseason expectations for Darnold can be a contract on par with Baker Mayfield‘s three-year, $100 million deal he signed with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers crew that went 9-8 and received a playoff recreation with him a season in the past.

Darnold has exceeded most of Mayfield’s marks from a yr in the past, begging the query of what Darnold’s value in free company may very well be.

Spotrac up to date its projection of Darnold’s worth because the No. 1 pending free agent this upcoming offseason. Based mostly on Darnold’s efficiency and up to date contracts awarded for comparable quarterback seasons, Spotrac projected Darnold’s subsequent contract to be a four-year, $218.7 million deal.

Contemplating Darnold’s potential worth in free company, the $41.3 million franchise tag is wanting extra affordable than as soon as anticipated.

It wouldn’t be the identical because the one-year, $10 million deal Darnold signed final offseason, however the Vikings can be paying roughly the identical quantity at quarterback as they did this season.

Whereas Minnesota solely has $8.2 million of cap area sunk for his or her current quarterback room, the Vikings did must pay Kirk Cousins a remaining $28.5 million in useless cap this season as effectively. They primarily operated with $36 million spent on the quarterback place this season — $5 million off the price of tagging Darnold for subsequent yr

Proposed Vikings, Giants blockbuster would ship top-5 choose to Minnesota with one caveat

NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. dropped an eye-opening tackle a current episode of Unsportsmanlike on ESPN Radio. Kiper revealed that McCarthy can be his No. 1 graded quarterback within the 2025 draft class, and if he have been a QB-needy crew just like the New York Giants, he can be monitoring Minnesota’s scenario over the approaching weeks to see if McCarthy may turn into obtainable by way of commerce.

In reality, when requested point-blank if he would commerce this yr’s No. 3 general choose for McCarthy, Kiper principally lower off the query along with his reply: “Yes.”

When requested if the Vikings ought to make that commerce, Kiper modified his tone. There’s one caveat: Darnold’s efficiency in these upcoming playoff video games. Right here was Kiper’s tackle the scenario:

I don’t assume it’s worthwhile to know that proper now. That’s one thing, if I’m the Vikings, I’m letting that every one play out as a result of you might have a 27-year-old Sam Darnold wanting actually good for (Kevin) O’Connell, and if he goes by means of the playoffs taking part in rather well, Sam Darnold’s your quarterback. Then you might doubtlessly have a look at buying and selling J.J. If Sam Darnold isn’t at that degree in these playoff video games, you then maintain J.J., you franchise Sam, you let it play out. You possibly can’t go along with J.J. and let Sam go, as a result of J.J. remains to be a relative unknown coming off the harm. However you’ll then franchise Sam and allow them to each go into subsequent yr on that crew with Sam being the starter, develop J.J. perhaps because the inheritor obvious and see how Sam performs.

So, yeah, I feel the playoff scenario developing for Minnesota will decide every part about how they deal with their quarterback scenario.

Whereas Minnesota’s plan on the quarterback place for 2025 stays a thriller, this is a superb drawback to have. A big share of NFL groups want a quarterback, and the Vikings doubtlessly have two on their roster. That’s a major benefit for a crew that’s already a legit playoff contender.

It’s in all probability too quickly to go all-in on Darnold. He’s been nice this season, however that Detroit recreation was a possible crimson flag. We nonetheless must see the way it seems to be when the crew faces added adversity. Monday’s playoff recreation, in opposition to a Rams crew that beat the Vikings again in Week 8, actually qualifies. We’ll additionally wish to see how he comes again and performs subsequent season, after a full yr in Minnesota’s program.

It’s equally too quickly to maneuver on from McCarthy, even for a top-five choose this yr. We haven’t seen the previous Michigan star take an actual NFL snap but. Shifting on from him too quickly may very well be an organization-wide blunder.

Specialists break down all facets of Giants doubtlessly buying and selling for J.J. McCarthy: Professionals, cons, dangers

May the Giants discover their quarterback of the long run by revisiting their current previous?

The Giants bypassed J.J. McCarthy and as an alternative chosen receiver Malik Nabers with the No. 6 choose of the 2024 NFL Draft after conducting intensive in-person homework on the quarterback who guided Michigan to a nationwide championship.

“Malik was our guy,” common supervisor Joe Schoen mentioned when requested about selecting between these two prospects. “He was the guy we targeted.”

One yr later, the Vikings, who drafted McCarthy with the No. 10 choose, may use him as a commerce chip in the event that they re-sign shock Professional Bowler Sam Darnold to an enormous extension as an alternative of franchise-tagging Darnold.

Would the Giants supply the No. 3 choose in 2025? Ought to they?

Why the Giants ought to do it

If Sanders and Ward are going to be the top-two picks, the Giants might want to commerce a number of picks to the quarterback-needy Titans (No. 1) or Browns (No. 2) to maneuver up. It appears like an enormous threat when the early consensus in scouting circles is that neither Sanders nor Ward would have been increased than the fourth-best quarterback within the 2024 class.

Swapping spots from No. 3 to No. 2 to safe a quarterback (Mitch Trubisky) price the Bears two third-rounders and a fourth-rounder in a commerce with the 49ers in 2017.

So, the Giants would purchase a greater participant in McCarthy for a lesser price: simply the No. 3 choose as an alternative of No. 3 and extra. And McCarthy solely can be owed a discount $8.3 million complete over three seasons (as an alternative of the usual four-year rookie contract).

“I would do it if it’s a given that I had him higher than this year’s quarterbacks — and some teams won’t have one or both of [Sanders and Ward] at that level,” an NFC govt mentioned. “Once you get J.J., you find ways to keep good players. If you think a quarterback is talented, I don’t care if you get him for No. 3, No. 6 or No. 9.”

McCarthy additionally would arrive with the advantage of having spent his rookie yr in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s quarterback-maker system. There was pre-injury buzz that McCarthy may win the Week 1 beginning job after his spectacular preseason debut.

“When J.J. got hurt, I thought it might have been the best thing that ever happened to him,” the manager mentioned, “because he gets a redshirt year under Kevin.”

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. mentioned lately on “Unsportsmanlike” that the Giants ought to commerce No. 3 for McCarthy.

“If you look at his grade last year compared to the grades this year of the quarterbacks,” Kiper mentioned, “he would be the No. 1 guy.”

Why the Giants shouldn’t do it

For the reason that Giants handed on McCarthy, he has undergone two knee surgical procedures (torn meniscus) and hasn’t thrown a regular-season go.

The unknown in regards to the harm is a significant downside, however all trades are made pending physicals, so the Giants may carry McCarthy in for a medical analysis earlier than a ultimate dedication.

“There’s no way to know for sure about his knee until he’s on the field,” one NFC scout mentioned. “I wouldn’t do it. Would you buy a car if all you saw was a very nice picture on FaceTime and then were told, ‘It got in a minor fender-bender, but it’s good as new now?’ His ability to make plays with his legs was one of his main tools.”

“I like McCarthy as a prospect more than Sanders and Ward based on grades,” ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller mentioned, “but I wouldn’t trade No. 3. I think it’s bad value for something you haven’t seen. How much was he really able to do this year to learn to put him in a position to play next year?”

The Vikings additionally may replenish their draft capital after two first-round trades in 2024 left them with only a first-rounder and two fifth-rounders in 2025.

However is it engaging sufficient to almost double McCarthy’s salary-cap cost? Protecting him as a backup would price $4.96 million whereas buying and selling him would speed up a $9.53 million dead-cap cost.

“I’m not doing it for them,” the NFC govt mentioned. “It’s too hard to find your guy. If you think it’s McCarthy, I’m keeping both Darnold and McCarthy as long as possible.”

Yore Mock
This assumes the crew extends Daniel Jones on a 1 yr 15M deal.
Trades
Commerce Accomplice: Las Vegas Raiders
Despatched: Sam Darold
Acquired: Spherical 2 Decide 5, Spherical 4 Decide 6
…
Commerce Accomplice: Jacksonville Jaguars
Despatched: Spherical 1 Decide 30
Acquired: Spherical 2 Decide 4, Spherical 4 Decide 30, Spherical 7 Decide 5
…
Commerce Accomplice: Buffalo Payments
Despatched: Spherical 2 Decide 4, Spherical 4 Decide 30
Acquired: Spherical 2 Decide 28, Spherical 2 Decide 30
…
Commerce Accomplice: New York Jets
Despatched: Spherical 3 Decide 33
Acquired: Spherical 4 Decide 8, Spherical 5 Decide 19
…
Commerce Accomplice: Pittsburgh Steelers
Despatched: Spherical 4 Decide 8
Acquired: Spherical 4 Decide 21, Spherical 5 Decide 20
…

37: R2 P5 DL Tyleik Williams – Ohio State 6’3” 327

60: R2 P28 G Donovan Jackson – Ohio State 6’4” 320

Photograph by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos

62: R2 P30 RB Omarion Hampton – North Carolina 6’1” 220

107: R4 P6 CB Azareye’h Thomas – Florida State 6’2” 198

122: R4 P21 LB Chris Paul Jr. – Ole Miss 6’1” 235

138: R5 P1 WR Jack Bech – TCU 6’2” 215

156: R5 P19 S Jonas Sanker – Virginia 6’1” 210

157: R5 P20 C Cooper Mays – Tennessee 6’4” 310

Photograph by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos

165: R5 P28 DL Aeneas Peebles – Virginia Tech 6’1” 290

Photograph by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos

220: R7 P5 DL Darius Alexander – Toledo 6’4” 310

Photograph by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos

236: R7 P21 TE Bryson Nesbit – North Carolina 6’5” 235

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