GLENDALE, Ariz. — It hurts. And it's going to hurt for a while.
There's no other way to say it after the Vikings 2024 season came to an abrupt halt with a 27-9 loss to the Rams in their Wild Card Playoff game.
Minnesota's offense failed to find a rhythm, and Sam Darnold suffered a whopping nine sacks for a loss of 82 yards. Six of those QB takedowns happened in the first half.
"There were a couple of those where they were able to scheme up a guy here or there that on paper you have accounted for, but it doesn't matter on paper," Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said. "And then I did think there were other times where we're not going to be able to win the game on one play — and that's me included. But there just some plays there that, we go back and look at it, I'm sure everybody in that room will acknowledge a play [throughout the game]."
O'Connell emphasized there were "far too many negatives" over the past two games in which Minnesota lost to the Lions and Rams in consecutive weeks in déjà vu fashion to the losses in Weeks 7 and 8.
"In a game like that, we've got to find a way to sustain a little bit more forward momentum," O'Connell said. "To still try to have your playmakers make plays, give Sam the chance to put the ball in play. Just got to find a way to eliminate some of those negatives, because that's never going to be a formula for any kind of success, regardless of if it's January or not."
View game action photos from the Vikings at Rams Wild Card round matchup at State Farm Stadium.
L.A.'s front especially attacked the Vikings interior offensive line. Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner sacked Darnold twice, and nose tackle Neville Gallimore added 1.5 sacks.
Each sack does tell an individual story, but O'Connell noted the importance of providing better protection for the QB.
"We've got to find a way to be able to give a quarterback, especially with players like Justin [Jefferson], Jordan [Addison], T.J. [Hockenson], we've got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket," he said. "There can be a thousand excuses made, whether it's losing [Christian Darrisaw in Week 8] or even [Brian O'Neill to concussion protocol] midway through tonight — but for me, it's the foundation of the interior pocket that we're gonna have to take a long look at.
"I thought those guys battled; that's a good, young, fast, athletic front," O'Connell added. "But when you look at it, over the course of the of the entirety of the season, we lost to two football teams, and both of them were able to do some similar things against us via pressure […] and we just weren't able to ever find that rhythm, find those two or three plays that can kind of, you know, take a little bit of the steam out of what they're doing and sustain a little bit."
Darnold took accountability, as well, however, for mistakes made and instances where he could have made a smarter decision with the football.
He noted he'll always go through his progressions and said when he feels "people in my face" or pressure coming around the edge, it's on him to find a solution.
"It's up to me to be able to move and still find a window to throw," Darnold said. "I'm 100-percent responsible for the football and what happens to it. It's up to me to be able to feel that and either step up, move, go run for a first down or just simply throw it away. I felt like there were a lot of sacks today that I was responsible for, where I was just holding onto the football and taking sacks where I could have [gotten rid of it].
"Just in the moment, decision, trying to get away, I wasn't able to get the ball out," he added.
Darnold finished his outing 25-of-40 passing for 245 yards, one touchdown to Hockenson and one interception — an errant pass intended for Addison that was picked by Cobie Durant in the second quarter.
Clearly and understandably upset, Darnold said the loss hurts even more because of the team's camaraderie and closeness throughout a successful regular season.
"We knew right from the start what kind of group we had," he said. "It sucks to come up short."
Demonstrating that locker room connection, an equally disappointed Jefferson stressed that no one will be pointing fingers at any one person.
"Our team performances as a whole have not been great — not just Sam's. I would never blame Sam for the losses or the struggles we've been having. It's a whole team thing, a whole offensive thing," Jefferson said. "The execution is just not there. On those plays that are there and we should be executing, we just weren't.
"We've just got to look in the mirror, see what we need to fix in the offseason, work our butt off and when we come back as a team, figure it out," he said.
Jefferson had five catches for 58 yards Monday night, and Hockenson led the team with 64 yards on five catches. Jalen Nailor recorded three receptions for 33 yards, and Addison had three grabs for 29 yards.
On the ground, Aaron Jones, Sr., totaled 48 yards on 13 carries; Cam Akers added five rushes for 39 yards.
"It's one of the worst feelings in the world," Jones said of the loss, later adding that the performance "isn't indicative of our team."
The running back echoed Jefferson's sentiments and support of Darnold.
"Sam battled. I'm proud of Sam. I'd take him any day. I'm so proud of him. He's proven so many people wrong, and I've witnessed it every step of the way," Jones said. "It's been beautiful, and I got to call it a little bit and say he was going to bounce back. It was a pleasure to be able to help him, along with the offensive line."
Questions about what comes next for the Vikings at QB feels natural; those conversations will come later.
"At the end of the day, I always say I'm confident to go out and perform the way I've been performing, but it's not my job to say who I want to be the quarterback," Jefferson said. "At the end of the day, they're going to figure it out — and whoever they decide to go with, we can work with that."
Darnold, who signed a one-year deal with Minnesota as a free agent last spring, said he isn't focused on anything past the loss that will sting for a long time.
"I'm just thinking about what I could have done better today," he said. "And, really, just spending time with the guys in this locker room. That's really all I'm focused on.
"At the end of the day, in the NFL you only get one season with one team, with everyone together," Darnold continued. "I'm just going to be spending as much time as I can with the guys in this locker room, and then I'll think about whatever the future holds after that."
