TheLeviathan

Ok....unless we're required to play the QB2 on rotational basis, I don't see how it matters.

I think that's where I'm at too.

They'll also lose if all their shoes are tied together or they have to play defense blindfolded. Is Sam Darnold hurt or what is the impetus here?

Is anyone concerned that his defensive scouting reports aren't very good? (At least in terms of keeping him at catcher)

At worst we gave up nothing for nothing. At best...we gave up nothing to take an interesting flyer that pans out. You make that move 100% of the time. Even if it develops into nothing.

What context do you need? Someone standing up at a press conference saying they hate black people while they twirl their mustache? Remember - in 10 years....10 years!!! - we came up with a grand total of about 12-15 black men who got hired as head coaches. Of those rare few who got a chance, a third of them didn't even get a second year. This is a sport which is predominantly played by black men. Yet the vast majority of leaders are white. Sometimes racism isn't overt. It's just so engrained in the system that no one is even aware they are taking part in it. The NFL and their head coaches (quarterbacks too) are monuments to this IMO.

I will begin working with my children on meme-worthy acts of anguish, exuberance, and shame. (Pending results of game)

If it moves....I'll go for sure. Can I trade "shirtless" for a sign with an inside BYTO joke? "I left Statfreak at home" or (memory failing - is this right? @Brock Beauchamp) "Get Reeeaaaadddyyyyy!"

That would make 5 of 14 then. 36% ain't helping the argument.

I don't know how you're getting the Texans thing. Wilks was AZ, Culley Houston, Mayo was NE, and Pierce was Vegas. I actually don't need context, the evidence is really overwhelming that rich old white guys don't like hiring black guys. And when they do, they get a lot less slack than the white guys. Is it always racism? No. Is that a major factor? Statistically speaking it would be crazy not to conclude it's a factor given all the data.

The minute the ink dries on that will be an albatross/mistake they wish they never made. I get the move, but what the Vikings did is the more daring and smarter one IMO. Paying what you could sign 3-4 impact players at other positions for one mediocre QB is a good way to be stuck at 7-8 wins. Take big swings or save your money.

Well, let's look a tad deeper than shall we? The only black coaches even hired in that time frame have been Lovie Smith (2 years), Jim Caldwell (4 years) Todd Bowles (4 years), Hue Jackson (2.5 years), Anthony Lynn (4 years), Vance Joseph (2 years), Steve Wilks (1 year), Brian Flores (3 years), David Culley (1 year), Demeco Ryans (2 years and counting), Antonio Pierce (1 year), Jared Mayo (1 year), Raheem Morris (1 year and counting). Out of 13 tries, I count 4 guys that only got one year. I guarantee you that percentage (31%) is way higher than the 6 white guys that got fired after one.

Well, his options were Miami or the Jets.....was there really much of a choice there? :) It did break well, but it's not like he pressured for Miami specifically and no one else. Not to defend him or his actions, but I tend to sympathize with players who want to be paid fairly and have some autonomy as to where they play. They lose me (as Hill did) when they go about it like a child.

I don't like his methods, but if I were in his shoes.....I'd probably want to get the hell out of that organization too.

For sure. Antonio Pierce caused ASU a ton of problems before he left to join the Raiders, so I don't have a ton of sympathy for him....but my god that organization is a mess. And I'm with you about the league, it's like the only time they hire black coaches are when they are looking for a placeholder.

The Raiders don't get nearly enough scorn for what a garbage organization they are.

Antonio Pierce fired for not miraculously winning with a terrible team.

Your basis isn't on film though. Of course I was being hyperbolic, but the arguments around "How do we win with Cousins" sound a lot like the arguments people are making right now in the aftermath of last night. It was always excuse making for poor quarterbacking. No quarterback is ever going to have things perfect, you have to be able to execute what is available. Darnold failed miserably last night. To try and dismiss what I'm saying as "only two plays" is a far worse sin in terms of poor dialogue here. I've clearly gone above and beyond those two plays, so diminishing it that was is certainly it's own bad form. But let's be clear - those two plays are two easy ass touchdowns. Like....the QB for some farm town in western MN makes those throws levels of easy. You try to...I don't know what you're trying to do? Protect Darnold? Like, seriously...if he's looking at Nailor....that;s on him too! It's right there on film - Nailor is the rub player. Both times. Addison is the read. He's looking right at him! Jefferson is a ridiculous talent, but a halfway decent throw is a touchdown. Instead, Darnold threw it 4 feet high and behind him into the defender. If that's a drop then I, again, have to wonder why we're protecting Darnold from criticism so freaking hard. Hockenson was open on the out route. Open on the seam. He missed both times. Misses are all over last night. Those misses are documented in the links I posted from guys who are generally cheerleaders for Darnold calling him out on twitter. This wasn't total systems failure. This was total quarterback failure. It really is that simple. Hopefully, it's something he can wash away and look great like he did the last 5-6 weeks. That doesn't change how awful he was.

Yeah, I don't know how you look at those replays and videos and conclude everyone else was the problem. He had two wide open touchdowns to Addison that were clearly the go-to read and he didn't throw them. The OL didn't do that. Addison didn't do that. KOC didn't do that. Please watch those plays - 14 points - and tell me how on earth anyone but Darnold is to blame. The data is there: Darnold takes more hits because of his own decision making. He holds the ball too long. He doesn't take the easy plays. And part of why I'm pushing is that, as Vikings fans, we've heard a really tired narrative for a long time: if you just give Cousins/Darnold an all-pro offensive line that gives them 7 seconds to throw, a field of all-pro receivers, an all-pro running back, and 50M....we'll be good! It's a ridiculously unrealistic bar for competent QB play. The truth is, and it's right there on video, he had plenty of time to make low difficulty throws that would've put somewhere between 3 and 5 touchdowns on the board. The play-calls were there to beat those coverages. The person who didn't finish the task was Darnold. If he can't do that, then he isn't worth investing in. And yes, it was one game. He's earned a chance to show that it was one game. But it was also one BRUTAL game at the worst possible time. Making excuses for it won't change that.

I mean, it was pretty painfully bad and cost them an enormous game. I think it's worthwhile to point out that this wasn't anything other than terrible QB play. I disagree with characterizing that as a drop. It would've required a circus catch when that throw was an easy TD if thrown with any accuracy.

https://x.com/BaldyNFL/status/1876265991325548581

Depends on return. I'd take a high 2nd and a little something extra and call it a day. It's a good return on 10M and a prayer.

I didn't even see the bad miss on the corner route.

I'm on tag and trade. I think, after waffling a bit, that's where I'm firmly at. Darnold holds the ball too long. I'd rather have the cap room and a fresh QB with no warts from past mistakes.

Maybe PFF is on the right track, but I don't think they are. Let me throw this tidbit out, it's a stat that is current as of two weeks ago: Love: ADOT - 8.9, time to throw 2.88 seconds, sacks 11 (2.7% sack rate). Purdy: ADOT 8.7, time to throw 2.94 seconds, sacks 29 (6.4% sack rate). Darnold: ADOT 9.1, time to throw 3.08 seconds, sacks 45 (8.9% sack rate). There are three roughly equal QBs in terms of mobility. Darnold is throwing the ball about an equal distance downfield with more time than them, but doubling Love in sack rate and significantly ahead of Purdy too. I know there were 26 pressures, but I can guarantee you that number gets cut in half if Darnold just makes the available, easy throws. He held the ball two more seconds after missing Addison for that early TD. We're quick to blame the OL for sacks, but the QB plays a significant role in that.