Stephen A. Smith calls out Sam Darnold after disappointing finish to breakout regular season

The Sam Darnold story was perhaps the most surprising turn of events in the 2024 season. Heading into the year, most expected the J.J. McCarthy-led Vikings to post a rebuild-like final record. Instead, they eclipsed all but one team in the NFC going into Week 18.

Had Darnold won the game, the road to the Super Bowl would have gone through Minnesota. Now, the road to the Super Bowl goes through Detroit. Reacting to the loss on Tuesday's episode of First Take, NFL analyst Stephen A. Smith called out Darnold for prematurely celebrating.

"Yes, they (the Lions) applied pressure," Smith said. "And then in applying that pressure, he looked incredibly rattled. Clearly his worst game of the year. And when is that worst game of the year? With a division crown on the line, a week after you were celebrating prematurely, acting like you had already won something, when you hadn't."

With the loss, the Vikings slipped to the fifth seed. Their only opportunities for a home playoff game are if the Commanders or Packers pull off some upsets. Of course, the Vikings themselves would have to win their first game of the postseason.

Sam Darnold posts season-lows in Week 18 collapse

Sam Darnold during the Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions game - Source: Imagn

The Minnesota Vikings quarterback lost his first game of 2025 and the final game of the regular season. The Lions beat the Vikings 31-9, leaving Darnold with one of his worst statistical games across the board.

Darnold completed a season-low 43.9% of his passes and threw for a season-low 166 yards. With a passer rating of 55.5, it was his third worst score of the season.

The performance also sets up a huge challenge for the quarterback going into the postseason, where the Vikings face the Los Angeles Rams, whose starters went on a five game winning streak till they lost their last game. The Vikings would hope to restart their momentum and also stop the Rams' momentum.

Meanwhile, the Rams have the opportunity to study the Vikings' outing against the Lions and duplicate what worked for Lions. Will head coach Kevin O'Connell be able to pivot quickly or will Sam Darnold and the Vikings stumble into a losing streak to cap their otherwise storybook season?