Sam Darnold had a nightmare start against the Los Angeles Rams just eight days after struggling against the Detroit Lions, and Jason Kelce called it a “horror show” on offense

A record season for the Minnesota Vikings has been unraveled within the last eight days, and former NFL star Jason Kelce didn’t hold back when assessing their downfall.

The Vikings missed out on the No. 1 seed in the NFC after being steamrolled 31-9 by the Detroit Lions in Week 18, and they started even worse against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday. Despite being in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs, the Vikings went into halftime 24-3 behind as quarterback Sam Darnold was sacked six times.

Kelce was honest when giving his assessment during the halftime show, saying: “It’s been a horror show on offense. It’s been a rough first half and last week for Sam Darnold.”

The Vikings couldn’t get anything going on offense, and were behind inside five minutes after a strong opening drive from the Rams was finished by running back Kyren Williams. Things went from bad to worse, as Darnold threw an interception and Rams linebacker Jared Verse recovered a fumble for a 57-yard touchdown.

Darnold was swarmed by the Lions, and Rams head coach Sean McVay appeared to take notes as the quarterback struggled again under pressure. The six sacks Darnold took through the opening two quarters are the most by any quarterback in the first half of a playoff game in the last 25 years.

The damage was done early on, as the Rams went on to win 27-9 even though Darnold threw a touchdown pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson, but the two-point attempt was missed. It’s been a disappointing end to a strong season, as the Vikings won 14 regular season games for the first time.

It was done during a season of uncertainty, as Kirk Cousins left for the Atlanta Falcons and rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy was ruled out for the season through injury. That left Darnold, who originally signed a one-year, $10 million contract last offseason, to compete with McCarthy.

It ended up being Darnold’s breakthrough year, following unsuccessful stints with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers. Darnold may be a late bloomer, but with the 27-year-old a free agent in the offseason, he’s in line for a big contract after proving his worth this season.

While Darnold was never going to command a top deal, he may have impacted his overall value due to how the season has ended. The Vikings had a kind schedule through 2024, but lost to the Lions twice and also were beaten earlier in the year by the Rams.

Anything can happen in the regular season, but the manner of the defeats in recent weeks with the stakes raised will concern some teams who may have been tracking Darnold. There’s also a lot to consider for the Vikings.

Other key free agents this offseason include: S Harrison Smith, CB Stephon Gilmore, CB Byron Murphy, RB Aaron Jones, S Cam Bynum, LT Cam Robinson, DT Jerry Tillery, CB Shaq Griffin, DL Jonathan Bullard, G Dalton Risner, TE Johnny Mundt, WR Brandon Powell, QB Nick Mullens, QB Daniel Jones, RB Cam Akers, DE Jihad Ward, DE Patrick Jones, WR Trent Sherfield, LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, CB Fabian Moreau.