Sam Darnold’s performance in the Vikings’ blowout loss to the Lions on January 6, 2025, was dismal, marking his worst outing of the season. Darnold threw for just 166 yards, completing only 43.9% of his passes, and failed to score a touchdown for the first time since Week 10. The Vikings struggled particularly in the red zone, failing to convert any of their four opportunities, settling for two field goals and turning the ball over on downs twice.
Darnold admitted the team’s inability to finish drives was a critical issue, acknowledging, “You can’t go out there and kick field goals in the red zone against a team like (the Lions). Our defense played great and kept us in the game, but we didn’t finish when we had the chance.” The missed opportunities early in the game allowed the Lions to establish momentum, leading to three straight touchdown drives in the latter half that widened their lead.
Entering Week 18, Darnold had been playing at a high level, earning a Pro Bowl selection and leading the Vikings to an unexpected playoff push. However, the Lions’ defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, dialed up relentless pressure, causing Darnold to regress to his old Jets form. Darnold’s accuracy suffered, especially in the red zone, as Detroit’s blitz-heavy defense hurried his decision-making.
Detroit blitzed Darnold on over half of his dropbacks (55.6% in this game), with the pressure affecting nearly 49% of his total dropbacks, one of his highest rates this season. The Lions employed a Cover 0 scheme (full blitz) more than any team had against him all year, forcing Darnold to complete just five passes out of those dropbacks.
While Darnold’s struggles were a major factor, the Vikings’ defense also faltered, especially with running back Jahmyr Gibbs taking over in the final stages of the game. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell also faced criticism for some questionable decisions and a delayed response to the Lions’ defensive game plan.
O’Connell maintained that the loss wouldn’t define the team’s season, pointing to their previous success as evidence of their resilience. “You can’t win nine in a row and then lose one and let it change how we operate. But that also doesn’t mean you can’t improve and have late-season improvement when you’ve been playing really good football,” O’Connell said.
The Vikings now face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round next Monday, with Darnold and the team eager to bounce back from the disappointing loss. Darnold reflected on the season’s achievements and the opportunity ahead, saying, “Losing sucks, but it is what it is. We did a lot of great things this season and now we have an opportunity to go to the playoffs and play another really good team in Los Angeles.”
While Darnold’s 2024 season had shown promise, this setback could either be a minor blip or a sign of greater struggles ahead. He’ll have a chance to prove it was the former in the playoffs against the Rams.
