Acme Packing Company · Dec 26, 2024
Do not blitz Sam Darnold
Jeff Hafley, if you are listening, do not blitz Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Just don’t do it.
It might sound like a good idea to throw chaos at a quarterback who was only pushed into the starting role when first-round pick J.J. McCarthy went down with a knee injury in August, but all the data is telling you to avoid this plan.
According to NFL Pro, Darnold’s passing stats against a stock four-man rush include 230 completions on 352 attempts for 2,692 yards (7.6 yards per pass), 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His EPA per play against non-blitzes is +0.04 per dropback, he has a passer rating of 94.6 and he’s recorded an adjusted yards per attempt (AY/A) of 7.45.
