Sam Darnold is going to have a cabinet full of game balls at this rate.

Good Morning Football host Peter Schrager awarded his Week 3 prize to the Vikings quarterback after he went 17-for-28 with 181 yards passing and a career-high-tying four touchdowns against the Texans.

"This is a team that sacked Caleb Williams seven times last week! This is a team that absolutely silenced the Bears last week! And yet here's Sam Darnold, four touchdowns like it's nothing," Schrager exclaimed.

Darnold's only other game with four passing touchdowns happened in Week 11 of 2019 when he was with the New York Jets at Washington.

"Sam Darnold looked so cool and calm and comfortable," Schrager observed, "he might as well have been in a sweatshirt or a windbreaker." (Darnold might be soon, thanks to the chill forming in the air).

Schrager highlighted Darnold's toughness, too.

Late in the third quarter, the Vikings quarterback got hit low from behind and had to hobble off the field for a play. He swiftly visited the medical tent, strapped his helmet on again and returned fashionably.

Darnold got an enormous standing ovation, with recorded decibel levels in the 120s, and proceeded to lead the Vikings on a drive into Texans territory that garnered three points. He was the epitome of poise.

"That was a little bit of an [ugh] moment, but you know what? Darnold was great," said Schrager, noting early expectations for this team were misjudged. "What a wild turn of events it's been for the Vikings.

"He might win a game ball every single week," Schrager added.

GMFB co-host Kyle Brandt piped in at the end of Schrager's spiel with a smooth transition to his choice.

"I look at Darnold and I imagine he just must be so happy right now," Brandt conveyed. "And I'm trying to think [of an NFL player] who's just happier right now [on] Monday after Week 3?"

Brandt landed on Pittsburgh's Justin Fields as the winner of his game ball for his performance against the previously 2-0 Chargers. Fields was efficient as a passer, completing 78.1% of his throws for 245 yards.

Isaiah Stanback and Jamie Erdahl, who was wearing a Vikings windbreaker, started and ended the "second-act game-ball segment" by selecting Carolina QB Andy Dalton and Green Bay QB Malik Willis.

Kevin O'Connell is cookin'

The Athletic's Ted Nguyen included a brilliant instance of Vikings offensive strategy in his NFL Week 3 best and worst coaching decisions article.

Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores is making headlines, and rightfully so. That defense is doing some special things in a unique way … but let's give some recognition to Coach Kevin O'Connell. He has the Vikings offense playing efficient football with journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold.

Darnold is transformed. The 2024 version owns a 117.3 passer rating and leads the NFL with eight passing touchdowns. From 2018-23, Darnold had a 78.7 rating and was intercepted 56 times in 56 starts (14 in his first nine).

He has expertly operated the intent of O'Connell's play calls through three games.

The Vikings rank sixth in explosive play rate (16.1 percent) and 10^th in EPA (expected points added) per play. They are doing all this without their starting tight end (T.J. Hockenson) and No. 2 receiver (Jordan Addison).

We're obligated to quickly shout out a severely underrated offensive cast.

Jalen Nailor is one of five Vikings players since 1970 with a touchdown catch in each of the team's first three games. Aaron Jones, Sr., has 325 scrimmage yards. Four different players caught a touchdown Sunday.

(Note: Justin Jefferson has one receiving touchdown in every game, as well, making him and Nailor the first Minnesota duo to accomplish the feat and the first league-wide since Tampa Bay's Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in 2018).

So on and so forth.

Nguyen is aware … Having Justin Jefferson certainly helps, but how often do we see defenses take away a top receiver? O'Connell doesn't allow that to happen, and his scheme is a big reason Jefferson continues to produce despite defenses focusing on him.

Nguyen submits a play breakdown as evidence the Vikings are beginning to prove themselves as real contenders.

On first-and-10 at Minnesota's 44-yard line with 4:31 left in the first quarter Sunday, the Vikings aligned with tight ends Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver to the left of the formation. Jefferson was a few yards outside of them at the top of the numbers. Then Darnold shifted Oliver to the right, which caused the Texans to rotate their safeties to that side.

After the snap, Oliver ran a flat route to occupy the safety, the hook defender was occupied by a short crosser, and the corner and free safety had to respect the deep route to the right (a fly pattern by Nailor).

Jefferson burst up the field, erasing the 10-yard cushion between him and Houston cornerback Kamari Lassiter. When he passed the Vikings logo at midfield, Jefferson arced his route into a deep crosser.

There wasn't a defender in sight.

The best receiver in football should never be this open. Jefferson does plenty to get open on his own, but he can thank O'Connell for this catch.

Jets reeled in Darnold's throw that traveled 20 yards in the air, tucked the ball and gained eight more before he was tackled at Houston's 28-yard line. Five plays later the Vikings took a two-score advantage.

Minnesota is 3-0 because its players are bringing to life creative schemes taught by Flores and O'Connell.