The biggest surprise team of the 2024 NFL season thus far has been the new-look Minnesota Vikings, as head coach Kevin O’Connell’s squad hadn’t missed a beat coming into Week 4’s matchup against the division-rival Green Bay Packers on the road at Lambeau Field.
With veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins leaving the team in NFL free agency and rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy suffering a season-ending injury before the 2024 campaign even began, the outlook for the season looked bleak, to say the least, with the team having to turn to journeyman Sam Darnold.
Even though Darnold has struggled as a starter in the NFL throughout his entire career since being selected by the New York Jets with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the former USC star has been playing the best football of his career with the Vikings.
Darnold kept it going in Week 4 as he led the Vikings to a fourth straight win at the expense of the division-rival Packers, keeping Minnesota undefeated and earning the distinction as one of the best all-around teams in the league right now.
Although Darnold continues to prove his worth as the leader under center in Minnesota, Skip Bayless isn’t sold on him yet, even though he’s buying the Vikings as a team that is for real.
I’m still not all that sold on Sam Darnold … BUT I HAVE TO GIVE UP IT: THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS ARE FOR-REAL, FOR REAL.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) September 29, 2024
With Darnold being a disappointment as a starter for the teams he has started for during his NFL career, it’s unsurprising that some, like Bayless, still don’t think he’s the real deal this season.
However, until the Vikings lose or Darnold noticeably struggles, the veteran will continue his resurrection as a starter in this league while making Minnesota a team to watch moving forward.
