Sam Darnold expressed irritation with the Vikings’ open-door attitude toward Daniel Jones, doubting their defensive scheme and execution.
Sam Darnold, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, has seen his fair share of highs and lows in his NFL career. After being drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold has navigated through a challenging path in the league, including struggles with consistency, changes in coaching staff, and uncertainty about his future as a starting quarterback. However, after joining the 49ers, Darnold has found himself in a more stable environment, learning behind veteran quarterbacks and developing his game further.
Throughout his career, Darnold has faced many obstacles, but one of the more recent frustrations for him has been the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive strategy, particularly in their matchup against the New York Giants and Daniel Jones. Darnold, having closely followed Jones’ progress in the NFC East and throughout the NFL, expressed frustration with how the Vikings have approached defending Jones. This frustration stemmed not just from Jones’ performance on the field, but from the Vikings’ defensive game plan, which Darnold viewed as too lenient, even complacent, in its approach.
The Minnesota Vikings, under head coach Kevin O’Connell, have had their share of ups and downs in recent seasons, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The Vikings have struggled with consistency in their defensive unit, often giving up big plays at inopportune times. This has been especially evident in their matchups against mobile quarterbacks like Daniel Jones, who has shown the ability to use both his arm and legs to generate offense for the Giants.
Jones, who has had his own set of challenges in the NFL, particularly with turnovers and establishing consistency, has developed into a more dangerous dual-threat quarterback under head coach Brian Daboll. His ability to make plays with his legs has been a key factor in the Giants’ offensive success, and this ability is something that defenses like the Vikings have struggled to contain. Darnold, as a quarterback who has had to face similarly mobile quarterbacks in his career, understands the challenges of defending against a player like Jones. However, it is his critique of the Vikings’ defensive strategy that has drawn attention.
Darnold’s Critique of the Vikings’ Defensive Strategy
Sam Darnold’s main point of frustration centered around the Vikings’ defensive approach toward Daniel Jones. According to Darnold, the Vikings adopted an “open-door” mentality in their defensive game plan—essentially giving Jones too much room to operate. While the Vikings’ defense had success in other areas of the field, Darnold felt that they allowed Jones to dictate the pace of the game with minimal resistance, especially when it came to his mobility in the pocket and his ability to make plays with his legs.
Jones, known for his ability to scramble and extend plays, can be a nightmare for defenses when they fail to contain him. This was especially evident in the Vikings’ 2023 matchup against the Giants, where Jones capitalized on gaps in the defense, moving the ball downfield with ease. Darnold, who has faced similar challenges in his own career, noted that the Vikings’ defense appeared to lack a comprehensive containment strategy for Jones. Rather than focusing on limiting Jones’ running lanes or collapsing the pocket to force him into uncomfortable situations, the Vikings seemed to give him the freedom to make plays in ways that exposed their defense’s weaknesses.
From Darnold’s perspective, the Vikings’ defensive approach towards Jones seemed to lack a sense of urgency. The Vikings’ pass rush was often ineffective at getting to Jones, which allowed him to make decisions freely. Moreover, their secondary seemed ill-prepared to deal with Jones’ deep ball, leading to missed opportunities for the Vikings to limit big plays. Darnold expressed that in his view, the Vikings were not aggressive enough in pressuring Jones and instead allowed him to operate within a system that played into his strengths, rather than forcing him to make uncomfortable decisions.
Darnold’s frustration with the Vikings’ defensive scheme likely comes from his own experiences facing mobile quarterbacks and understanding the importance of disrupting their rhythm. In his own career, Darnold has faced various styles of quarterbacks, including those who rely heavily on their legs to create offense. Having faced such challenges, Darnold sees the importance of a defense that is disciplined and focused on limiting a quarterback’s mobility, something he felt was lacking in the Vikings’ strategy.
The Vikings’ Struggles Against Mobile Quarterbacks
The Vikings’ issues in defending against mobile quarterbacks are not new. Over the years, they have consistently struggled with quarterbacks who can move both inside and outside of the pocket. Quarterbacks like Jones, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Fields have exposed the Vikings’ defense, especially when they are given the chance to scramble and create plays out of structure. The Vikings’ defense has often struggled with maintaining containment in the pocket, and this weakness has been particularly evident against dual-threat quarterbacks like Jones.
In the case of Daniel Jones, his ability to move with the football, combined with his strong arm, makes him a particularly difficult quarterback to defend. Jones can extend plays, keep his eyes downfield, and make accurate throws on the run. This combination of mobility and accuracy has made him a more dangerous player than he was earlier in his career. Additionally, Jones’ ability to scramble and pick up first downs with his legs forces defenders to respect his running ability, opening up passing lanes and making it difficult to predict his next move.
The Vikings’ defense, under head coach O’Connell, has been known to play a more passive style at times. They have been reluctant to blitz aggressively or commit to a more physical, hard-hitting approach in the secondary. This lack of aggression has been an issue in multiple games, particularly against quarterbacks who thrive on making plays outside the pocket. For Darnold, this seems like a glaring flaw that is easy to criticize, given that he has faced quarterbacks like Jones and understands the importance of forcing them into difficult situations.
In a game like the Vikings’ matchup against the Giants, it became clear that the Vikings were not taking the necessary steps to neutralize Jones’ mobility. Instead of collapsing the pocket with pressure or containing the edges to force him into the middle, the Vikings seemed content to let Jones dictate the pace of the game. This strategy allowed Jones to remain comfortable in the pocket, extend plays, and make plays downfield. Darnold saw this as a missed opportunity for the Vikings to take control of the game, as a more aggressive defensive approach could have limited Jones’ ability to make plays.
Defensive Strategy in the NFL: A Constant Battle
For many NFL teams, defending against a quarterback like Daniel Jones presents a unique challenge. It requires a balance between maintaining discipline in coverage and being aggressive enough to prevent the quarterback from escaping the pocket. Many teams, including the Vikings, have struggled to find the right balance in defending against mobile quarterbacks. It’s a constant battle to stay one step ahead of a player who can change the course of a game with just one well-executed run.
For Darnold, the frustration with the Vikings’ approach likely comes from his own understanding of how difficult it can be to face a quarterback who excels at moving and extending plays. In his own experiences as a quarterback, Darnold has had to adjust his game plan to account for defenders trying to get pressure on him, and he recognizes the importance of disrupting a mobile quarterback’s rhythm. To Darnold, it seemed as if the Vikings were missing the opportunity to do just that with Jones.
Darnold’s critique is not just about the Vikings’ inability to contain Jones but also about the larger issue of defensive schemes in the NFL. In today’s game, where dual-threat quarterbacks are becoming more common, the need for disciplined, aggressive defensive play is more important than ever. The Vikings’ lack of focus on Jones’ mobility could have been a result of overconfidence in their system or underestimating the challenge of defending a quarterback like him. Either way, Darnold’s critique serves as a reminder of the complexities of modern NFL defenses, where a lack of preparation and adaptability can lead to significant problems.
The Role of Defensive Coordination
Ultimately, the Vikings’ defensive struggles against Daniel Jones reflect larger issues in defensive coordination and preparation. Defensive coordinators in the NFL must not only account for the traditional threats of the passing game but also the ever-present danger of mobile quarterbacks who can make plays with their legs. To effectively defend against a player like Jones, a defense must be disciplined in its approach while still maintaining the ability to disrupt the quarterback’s rhythm.
Darnold’s critique of the Vikings’ “open-door” approach to Jones highlights the need for defensive systems to evolve and adapt. In an era of mobile quarterbacks, defenses can no longer afford to play passive or conservative games. Defensive coordinators must find new ways to contain and pressure quarterbacks like Jones, who thrive when they are allowed to operate freely.
