The Minnesota Vikings are one of two undefeated teams left in the NFL, along with the Kansas City Chiefs. Just like everyone predicted before the season started, right?
The Vikings have been one of the surprise stories in the NFL, and while they were easy to dismiss after the first week and a win over the New York Giants, it has become harder to ignore their success after wins over the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, and Green Bay Packers. Those wins have most of the NFL on notice that the Vikings may very well be “for real.”
The Vikings have been climbing up most outlet’s power rankings heading into Week 5, but it seems like there’s not quite a consensus on the team — at least as it pertains to their quarterback. In the latest power rankings from Dan Pizzuta of The 33rd Team, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold comes in as the 19th-ranked quarterback in the NFL.
That may seem absurd on the surface for a quarterback who is leading one of only two remaining undefeated teams — especially when you add in the fact that Darnold is ninth in passing yards, third in QBR, and leads the league in both passer rating, and passing touchdowns this season.
The ranking looks even more disrespectful when you look at some of the names ahead of Darnold — in particular, the name right ahead of him, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence has the 26th-best passer rating in the league this year — a rating only slightly better than Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson.
Lawrence also has a completion percentage just barely above 50% on the season—53.3%—just four touchdown passes on the season, and a passer rating a full 40 points lower than Darnold’s.
Obviously, there’s still some skepticism about Darnold and whether or not he’s simply a product of the offense he’s in with head coach Kevin O’Connell and the weapons around him, like wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Even still, to be that low in the rankings seems questionable, at best.
