After his best season as a pro, Darnold was off his game for a second straight week. How will it impact Minnesota's offseason plans?

With all due respect to the stupid (and desperate) NFL team that will eventually give Sam Darnold a Brink’s Truck of money this offseason — I urge you to reconsider. Monday night’s Minnesota Vikings wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams was a microcosm of Darnold’s inherent flaws as a difference-making quarterback. Proceed with caution.

At the dawn of the new year, Sam Darnold was a folk hero in Minnesota. Not only did the quarterback -- no longer locally branded a reclamation project, but rather a full-blown, high-octane Pro Bowler -- sweep the rival Green Bay Packers to give the Vikings their best regular-season record in 16 years,