Eisen: Darnold More Likely to Regress or Succeed

[Streamhawk]

I'm pretty optimistic. He won't be asked to do Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson things, but my hope is our system makes him succeed in the way Wilson did here.

100%. I think people are giving Minnesota way too much credit for their weapons last year. We clear everything other than JJ here. Sam’s going to be fine or better

 

[Jac]

100%. I think people are giving Minnesota way too much credit for their weapons last year. We clear everything other than JJ here. Sam’s going to be fine or better

I guess the conversation is regress or not. So will he throw for 4300 yards and 35 TDs again? Likely not. But he seems like he's having a really nice training camp and set to have a good year.

The offseason national media narrative has been so annoying. Last year, it was apparently something like 50% Minnesota weapons, 47% Kevin O'Connell, and 3% Sam Darnold. As if he didn't make the throws in the first place. The Rams game got away from the Vikings early (partly because of Darnold's sack fumble that resulted in a Verse TD), and that enabled them to truly unleash their rush. They were a hot team that almost took down the SB champions on their home field. Even so, Darnold went 25-40 for 245 yards and a TD. From a stats POV, that's a good day for an NFL QB (particularly one who faced an unrelenting rush).

 

[Atradees]

The Rich Eisen Show is free on Roku? Ima check into that. Ty.

 

[FortWorthSeahawk]

The Rich Eisen Show is free on Roku? Ima check into that. Ty.

Not for much longer it seems. They just announced earlier in the week that they too will be merging with ESPN.

 

[Atradees]

Not for much longer it seems. They just announced earlier in the week that they too will be merging with ESPN.

That would make more sense I suppose given the player. Been watching Brock and Saulk. Not really feeling it. Just a streamer at this point. Only recently started with Bump and Stacey. I like their training camp show. Live interviews and Darnold stretching in the gym background the other day. Hilarious. Rootsports for Mariners is just too awesome with one exception; the sound and video are often out of sinc. Though my internet speed is fab.

 

[HawaiiD]

I voted 60/40. Based on Sam's wins/loss record last year.I think we will be good enough this year to make the playoffs Win the west.However,
I don't think we will win 15 games?We would pretty much have to sweep the NFC west. I hope I am wrong though.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

So JSN and Cooper Kupp are bums then?

They don't have to be bums to be less than the extraordinary trio I mentioned.

 

[m0ng0]

I think he will regress, but not in a bad way, it's just the way the offense is being built at least to my eyes. I dont expect huge numbers, but if the running game can actually run his numbers will be fairly pedestrian but that's not a bad thing.

 

[CouchLogic]

What is the measurement for success? If we're talking stats, who cares? It's going to be a new/different system, with different scenarios on a play-by-play, game-to-game basis. He could throw for 3000+/- yards and have the most yards at QB in the division.

The only metric that really matters is wins, I guess. Even that is subjectve because again, new/different team. The schedule he's playing isn't even the same. Darnold had to win 12+ games in that division last year. Something tells me he won't need to in the NFCW. AZ is nonexistant, SC is a shell, and the Rams suck (biased opinion on this one). Seattle could take the division with 9/10 wins.

So again, what is the actual basis of success or failure he's to be judge on? This is why I despise the offseason, I see no value in conjecture, lol. Outside of friendly banter of course.

 

[Appyhawk]

I put 60/40 only because I think its like what Soulfish said. He will play well but won't be asked to go get close to 40 touchdowns like he did last year. If I had to guess he does better than Geno's 1 TD/INT per game average though which is good enough for me.

I don't think Darnold will need to throw for 40 TDs this year, assuming our running game proceeds as planned. Our secondary should be able to feast on the opposition being forced to throw the ball in order to try to catch up!

 

[MORGULON]

Pound the rock, dink and dunk, then go up top. He absolutely can throw the deep ball. Shoot, look at the game winning TD he had against us, incredible play, and the throw was on the money, while under duress. Or however you spell that.

Last season I wanted to rip his red beard out.

This is only his 2nd season of starting in a good situation. I see him progressing

 

[MORGULON]

What is the measurement for success? If we're talking stats, who cares? It's going to be a new/different system, with different scenarios on a play-by-play, game-to-game basis. He could throw for 3000+/- yards and have the most yards at QB in the division.

The only metric that really matters is wins, I guess. Even that is subjectve because again, new/different team. The schedule he's playing isn't even the same. Darnold had to win 12+ games in that division last year. Something tells me he won't need to in the NFCW. AZ is nonexistant, SC is a shell, and the Rams suck (biased opinion on this one). Seattle could take the division with 9/10 wins.

So again, what is the actual basis of success or failure he's to be judge on? This is why I despise the offseason, I see no value in conjecture, lol. Outside of friendly banter of course.

* In my best Spock voice

"Very logical captain"

 

[Jville]

Eisen on Darnold:

There is no longer anything to regress to ...............

"O'Connell said this week about his franchise’s pivot to rushing the football: “We’ve thrown the ball at a pretty high clip, like a world class effective clip for three years, with Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold last year. Now, I want to run the football.” .......... “I want to get back to the truest nature of where the foundation of this offense was, which is running the football and marrying the run and the pass, generating explosives that way and trying to be an effective early down offense that can sustain for 17+ weeks.”" --- Viking head coach Kevin O’Connell as reported in April of 2025 by Dustin Baker.

https://vikingsterritory.com/2025/news/top_news/change-to-vikings-offense

 

[GemCity]

I guess the conversation is regress or not. So will he throw for 4300 yards and 35 TDs again? Likely not. But he seems like he's having a really nice training camp and set to have a good year.

The offseason national media narrative has been so annoying. Last year, it was apparently something like 50% Minnesota weapons, 47% Kevin O'Connell, and 3% Sam Darnold. As if he didn't make the throws in the first place. The Rams game got away from the Vikings early (partly because of Darnold's sack fumble that resulted in a Verse TD), and that enabled them to truly unleash their rush. They were a hot team that almost took down the SB champions on their home field. Even so, Darnold went 25-40 for 245 yards and a TD. From a stats POV, that's a good day for an NFL QB (particularly one who faced an unrelenting rush).

Boom!

I see a regression statistically but, he’s not going to have to score 40 a game like Burrow to win games.

 

[94Smith]

This team is going to pound the rock and not apologize for it.

I would be worried about the Seahawks RB core to withstand a full season of heavy carries without injury . Have they ever made it through without injuries? Not that I should talk because the 49ers were down to their 5th Rb last year. I’m just saying in this day and age of the NFL Darnold is going to have a lot of passes. I do think he can keep up the same quality of play though. In the limited action he saw as a 49er he looked steady

 

[Torc]

I would be worried about the Seahawks RB core to withstand a full season of heavy carries without injury . Have they ever made it through without injuries? Not that I should talk because the 49ers were down to their 5th Rb last year. I’m just saying in this day and age of the NFL Darnold is going to have a lot of passes. I do think he can keep up the same quality of play though. In the limited action he saw as a 49er he looked steady

I'm pretty confident that if any of our top 3 backs start, they'll do fine. I would have been fine with McIntosh starting.....which kind of proves your point, doesn't it?

Yeah, we have problems getting RBs through the year.

 

[Appyhawk]

I'm pretty confident that if any of our top 3 backs start, they'll do fine. I would have been fine with McIntosh starting.....which kind of proves your point, doesn't it?

Yeah, we have problems getting RBs through the year.

Even without McIntosh we are at least four deep with good talent at RB.

 

[nwHawk]

Last season I wanted to rip his red beard out.

This is only his 2nd season of starting in a good situation. I see him progressing

I was at that Vikings game last year and thought a couple of times during the game… man, the Hawks need a presence and QB like Darnold.

 

[MORGULON]

I was at that Vikings game last year and thought a couple of times during the game… man, the Hawks need a presence and QB like Darnold.

Very keen observation.

I can't say I had the same thought .
I was bothered watching him drive the Vikings up and down the field.

 

[Torc]

Even without McIntosh we are at least four deep with good talent at RB.

Holani would be the presumptive 3rd stringer after Walker and Charbonnet. We didn't see much of him last year. After him we have three rookies: a 7th rounder, and two UDFA. The rookies are complete unknowns at the NFL level. I may have overstated our talent - I am happy with either Walker or Charbonnet starting. I would also have been fine with McIntosh. I'll be worried if we get down to Holani or the rooks.