Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings got an unanticipated wake-up call after the embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions to end the NFL’s regular season. Sam Darnold had looked like a quarterback ready to be a franchise cornerstone for most of the season — but on the biggest stage with the brightest lights, he was a no-call, no-show. And (whether officially or not) it prompted O’Connell to make an insurance move in case the spotlight becomes too big for Darnold again.
How likely is it that the Vikings unleash Daniel Jones for his Vikings debut in the most important game of the season? Well, I guess that’s entirely up to Sam Darnold. If he looks like he did against the Lions, Jones could make his debut as early as halftime, I’d think.
That said, it’s not likely Jones plays for the first time with the Vikings in the playoffs barring any major injuries. Nick Mullens has been Darnold’s backup all season and Jones was activated to the lineup presumably as an emergency option…