The Vikings remained undefeated with Sunday’s impressive 34-7 win over the Houston Texans. Unfortunately, Minnesota starting quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a bruised knee during the game.
Luckily, an MRI revealed Darnold has no structural damage to his left knee and should be good to go for this coming Sunday’s matchup at the 2-1 Green Bay Packers, as Nick Shook of the league’s website and NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero shared.
“Really good news,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said about the update on Darnold’s condition. “Positive news. Extensive evaluations [Monday] morning, really just revealing a knee bruise in there. A little sore. But hoping Sam can have a normal week of preparation as we go through it.”
Darnold began the season as Minnesota’s QB1 after first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy needed a complete meniscus repair in August. Darnold has since emerged as arguably the biggest surprise of the NFL’s first month, with the 27-year-old tossing four touchdown passes in the blowout victory over Houston.
According to Pro Football Reference, Darnold began leading the NFL on Monday with eight TD passes this season. He finished the weekend ranked fifth among qualified players with a 73.1 adjusted QBR, second with a 117.3 passer rating and first in the league with a 10.3% touchdown percentage on the campaign.
Per ESPN Bet, Darnold helped the Vikings become the first team in nine seasons to start a campaign 3-0 without that club being favored to win by more than one point for any game.
With McCarthy sidelined indefinitely, Minnesota has journeyman Nick Mullens serving as Darnold’s primary backup. For a piece published Monday, one unnamed executive told The Athletic’s Mike Sando that the Vikings “can’t win” if they have to play Mullens for a significant amount of time.
Steelers veteran Russell Wilson is the subject of some trade rumors. Pittsburgh will likely keep Justin Fields atop their depth chart until further notice, but Minnesota won’t be in the market for a proven commodity like Wilson — at least for this week.
As of Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Vikings as 2.5-point road underdogs for this Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field. Darnold will look to continue to prove doubters wrong against a Packers team that could get signal-caller Jordan Love back from the knee injury that sidelined him for the past two games in time for Love to start against Minnesota.
