Above Image Credit: Sportingclass
When: Sunday, Oct. 6, 9:30 AM EST
Where: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (London, England)
Channel: NFL Network (check your cable listings)
The NFL heads to England on Sunday as the New York Jets will face the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.
No Misfortune Within Minnesota
It’s amazing to see the Vikings with an undefeated streak right now. The last time they made headlines was in the offseason and preseason, and they were bad news.
First, 24-year-old rookie, Khyree Jackson, who was drafted this year from Maryland, died in a car accident. He and two of this high school teammates were killed when an Infiniti Q50 tried to change lanes and sped up, hitting Jackson’s car and causing it to go off the road.
Then, rookie QB J.J. McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during preseason, ending his NFL debut.
Since then, things have been looking up for Minnesota. Now, they’re one of the few undefeated teams remaining in the league.
The Resurgence of Sam Darnold
One of the biggest surprises of the season so far has to be the performance of Vikings QB Sam Darnold.
He’s been struggling for the last several seasons as a quarterback. He spent three seasons with the New York Jets, then two seasons with the Carolina Panthers, and last season with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Vikings lost Kirk Cousins to a 4-year, $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons in March. That’s when the Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year, $10 million contract.
Now, he has recorded 932 yards, 11 touchdowns (most in the nation), 3 interceptions, and has the third-highest QB rating in the nation. While he wasn’t considered MVP material in the past and is still a long way from it, there’s no doubt he’s in his best QB run right now. There are even stories speculating that Minnesota should consider a contract extension for Darnold, even with McCarthy waiting in the wings.
Jets vs. Vikings: Final Prediction
The Vikings have been on a roll as of late. Defensively, the team has the most sacks in the nation with 17. The Jets have the fifth-most with 14. If the game comes down to defense, the amount of sacks will be considered a factor in this game.
The Jets will not have a lot of their top defenses playing Sunday due to injuries. That may be their only chance to keep Minnesota in check, but without guys like C.J. Mosley or Haason Reddick, that’s gonna be easier said than done. The Jets defense also have allowed 256.5 yards this season which isn’t good.
This Jets vs. Vikings matchup would be more in favor of Minnesota. Based on how things are looking, I see the Vikings remaining undefeated.
