Seven days separated two visuals that could not have been more in contrast if you hung a portrait of Quasimodo next to the Mona Lisa. There was Sam Darnold, after defeating the Packers, hoisted atop teammates' shoulders,

Kevin O'Connell, the QB coaches and backups have Darnold playing at a high level. Can he bounce back from the Week 18 debacle in Detroit?

As the Vikings immediately started the process of turning the page following a 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions, Kevin O’Connell made his way toward the 50-yard line to shake hands with his counterpart Dan Campbell.

Pardon us. Coming through. Sorry to interrupt the pitch-fork party’s tarring and feathering of the quarterback y’all loved five days ago when he was 14-2 but … This, believe it or not, is a story about someone other than Sam Darnold who needs to play better against the Rams in the playoffs on Monday night.

Detroit’s defense sent a ton of six- or seven-man pressures and played mostly man coverage. Can the Rams replicate that in the playoffs?

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is in line for a significant raise after his Pro Bowl-caliber season.

On this episode of the Access Vikings podcast, Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Michael Rand preview Monday night’s playoff game between the Vikings and the Rams.