Part 2/8:
Darnold himself was open about his struggles, acknowledging, "I clearly just didn't play good enough the last couple of weeks." He admitted to leaving too many routine throws on the field and recognized the need to take better care of the football, particularly in critical moments of the game. The weight of expectations loomed large, and while the Vikings finished the regular season strong, the true test came in the playoffs where performance ultimately defines a team’s worth.