Against the Texans, Sam Darnold was more than a 'point guard'
Darnold threw four TD passes and made several key plays to lead the Vikings' offense
By Matthew Coller
MINNEAPOLIS — Throughout the offseason, Sam Darnold talked about “playing point guard” in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. His goal was to get the ball into the hands of playmakers, stay on rhythm and not try too hard to do everything himself.
In his four-touchdown performance in a blowout win over the Houston Texans on Sunday, however, Darnold did much more than simply distribute the ball. He made a number of exceptional plays that drove the Vikings to 34 points and a 3-0 record.
The Vikings opened the game with an interception by linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, which gave them an opportunity to jump on the favored Texans. Set up with third-and-goal from the Houston 6-yard line, Darnold escaped the pocket and scrambled around until he saw Justin Jefferson break away from his defender. He flipped him the ball for an early strike to set the tone.
“Justin's [touchdown] is really an example of some off-schedule,” O’Connell said. “Great job by him not getting pushed out early in the play and working back. You guys have seen us work that drill many times in practice. And Sam's athletic ability to create off schedule is a huge weapon in the red zone. And that doesn't mean running the quarterback or RPOs. That means drop back and progress in rhythm and finding a way to get up and out and attack the defense.”
On Darnold’s second drive of the game, he was again looking to take advantage of a Texans miscue. Houston missed a 54-yard field goal, giving Darnold the ball at mid-field. He instantly hit Jefferson for an explosive 28-yard pass to get deep into Houston territory. From the Texans’ 8-yard line, Darnold dropped back, waited for RB Aaron Jones to scamper across the middle of the field and then hit him in stride for a touchdown.
Coming out of the second half, the Vikings were looking to put the game away with a three-score lead. After a pass interference call brought Darnold down to the goal line again, he made the throw that whizzed past Houston defenders and stuck in the hands of Jalen Nailor in the back of the end zone.
“That's total reset on the backside of a formation -- feet, eyes, ball, location, a thing of beauty,” O’Connell explained.
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