USC football fans are used to seeing Sam Darnold come up big in clutch moments. Just go watch the fourth quarter of the 2017 Rose Bowl. On Sunday for the Minnesota Vikings, he did it again.
Trailing the Arizona Cardinals 22-16 with a little over three minutes left to play in the fourth quarter, Minnesota got the ball back at its own 30 yard-line. Darnold subsequently led the Vikings down the field on an eight-play, 70-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown pass to Aaron Jones that tied the game at 22.
After the extra point gave the Vikings a one-point lead, Minnesota’s defense sealed the deal with an interception of Arizona quarterback (and Lincoln Riley protege) Kyler Murray. Darnold and the Vikings were then able to go into victory formation and improve to 10-2 on the season.
With the win, the Vikings remained just one game back of the Detroit Lions in an incredibly strong NFC North. Minnesota and Detroit square off in the Motor City during the final weekend of the regular season.
Darnold is currently enjoying the best statistical season of his NFL career. Despite being just 12 games in, the former USC star has already set a career-high in touchdown passes with 23. He is also just 72 passing yards away from matching his career-high in that category—set all the way back in 2019 with the New York Jets.
In addition, despite being in his seventh NFL season, Darnold has yet to make the playoffs as a starting quarterback. (He was the backup for the San Francisco 49ers when they made it to the Super Bowl last season.) With Minnesota currently having one of the best records in the league, it looks as though this will finally be the season that changes.
Up next for Darnold and the Vikings is a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday.