The penultimate week of the 2024 NFL regular season has concluded, and most playoff spots have been secured. As it stands, the official playoff seeding has yet to be finalized. Among the uncertain seeds in the NFC playoff picture are the top seed, the No. 5 seed, and the collective NFC North division.
Without further ado, our top NFL team from Week 17 is the Minnesota Vikings.
Sam Darnold is No Longer Seeing Ghosts
Do you remember which quarterback played for the New York Jets during that Monday Night Football game in Week 7 of the 2019 season, where the famous “seeing ghosts” meme originated? The answer is Sam Darnold. In that Week 7 matchup against the New England Patriots, Darnold completed 11 of 32 passes for 86 yards with no touchdowns, four interceptions, and a lost fumble.
Fast forward to the 2024 season and Darnold is playing exceptionally well for the Minnesota Vikings. Last Sunday, he completed 33 of 43 passes for 337 yards and threw three touchdown passes against the Green Bay Packers, a rival in the NFC North.
Since that infamous 2019 season, Darnold has moved around the league. After playing for the Jets, he signed with the Carolina Panthers for a two-season stint, starting in 2021. Following that, he spent the 2023 season with the San Francisco 49ers. His performances with the Panthers and 49ers led to a one-year contract worth $10 million with the Minnesota Vikings this past offseason.
No matter what NFL team you are a fan of—I think we can all admit the Sam Darnold comeback season is truly so special + fun to witness. #SKOL pic.twitter.com/82A4K1hJGl
— A L I S S A (@MissAlissaS) December 31, 2024
Receiver Fever
On Sunday, Darnold completed passes to eight different players. The Vikings have an advantage in the composition of their team, which is their variety of pass-catching threats; they don’t solely need to depend on their elite wide receiver Justin Jefferson for a strong performance. Nevertheless, Jefferson was the team’s leading receiver against Green Bay, tallying eight receptions for 92 yards.
Although Jefferson did not score a touchdown in this game, wide receiver Jalen Nailor, wide receiver Jordan Addison, and running back Cam Akers each found the end zone through the air. This means that when Jefferson is double-covered by the defense, Darnold still has options like Addison, Nailor, Akers, running back Aaron Jones, and tight end T.J. Hockenson. This surplus of weapons will be advantageous for them during their playoff run.
KOC for COTY
As the race for Coach of the Year intensifies, Vikings high coach Kevin O’Connell is a leading contender. He truly deserves this award more than any other coach in the NFL. What he has accomplished with the Vikings this year, particularly with Darnold, has been nothing short of outstanding. Darnold was not even expected to be the starting quarterback, but due to an unfortunate injury to rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, he was thrust into that role.
Last offseason, NFL media pundits believed the Vikings would take a step back because they installed Darnold as their quarterback to replace Kirk Cousins. Despite any challenges, Minnesota has made significant progress, achieving a 14-2 regular season record. If they win in Week 18, they will tie the franchise record for wins, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 1998.
Aaron Jones Against His Old Team
On March 12, 2024, Jones signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings. This occurred a day after his former team, the Green Bay Packers, released him. This meant that Jones was set to face his former team twice a season, including this past Sunday. Against the Packers, Jones had 12 carries for 47 yards and contributed four catches for 30 yards in the receiving game. He left early due to injury.
It’s all love with @Showtyme_33 and his former teammates 🫶 pic.twitter.com/QxlwX1dUsM
— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2024
Minnesota’s Defense Had Jordan in the Love Shack
The Vikings’ defense put pressure on quarterback Jordan Love, significantly disrupting the Packers’ offensive rhythm. The Vikings recorded three sacks during the game, with Blake Chasman contributing one and a half, Dallas Turner adding one, and Andrew Van Ginkel chipping in with half a sack.
NFC Playoff Picture
As previously mentioned, there is some uncertainty in the NFC playoff picture, particularly regarding the NFC North division title. The Vikings’ Week 17 win sets up a thrilling regular-season finale on Sunday Night Football. Next Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings will travel to face the Detroit Lions in the last game of the regular season.
Last time the Vikings were in Detroit, Justin Jefferson put up 12/192/1. Will we see another massive Justin Jefferson performance on SNF?
It’s Lions week. For the #1 seed. pic.twitter.com/VDbDC8S2T9
— 𝙆𝙖𝙨𝙚 (@verysadvikings) January 1, 2025
The stakes for this upcoming game could not be higher: the winner will not only secure the top seed in the NFC and a bye week but will also be crowned the NFC North Champions.
Meanwhile, the loser will drop to the fifth seed, which means they will play on the road during Super Wild Card Weekend. Next Sunday Night’s game will set a record for the most combined wins, as both teams have 13 or more victories.
Main Image Credit:
