The Vikings opened this season predicted by both data and actual humans to finish with around seven victories. Even the more optimistic prognosticators looked at their roster and figured a 10-win year was about the ceiling of this team.

Despite his struggles in Week 18, the free agency market for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold remains highly competitive.

Surprisingly, the Lions played zone coverage with a wall on the goal line, which stifled the play from the start. Darnold threw the ball away, but it was just the beginning of the

Pardon us. Coming through. Sorry to interrupt the pitch-fork party’s tarring and feathering of the quarterback y’all loved five days ago when he was 14-2 but … This, believe it or not, is a story about someone other than Sam Darnold who needs to play better against the Rams in the playoffs on Monday night.

And yet, even after resting their starters to effectively throw away the third seed in Week 18, Sean McVay and the Rams aren't taking their foe for granted, as on Monday, the Super Bowl-winning head coach told reporters just how impressed he's been with Sam Darnold in Kevin O'Connell's offensive scheme.