Sam Darnold is at the top of the five biggest sports questions in Minnesota

In six games, Sam Darnold has given the 5-1 Vikings more than they should or could have expected from the quarterback position.

There’s also no denying that his first three games were better than his next three games.

And it’s interesting that while Darnold is No. 7 in passer rating (104.0) in the NFL, he is No. 18 in QBR, an ESPN statistic that aims to provide a clearer picture of impact beyond just numbers of a quarterback to win.

The mood is unscientific and nonspecific, but Darnold’s mood seems to be changing. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has been talking more about missed opportunities on offense lately, many of which stem from Darnold.

You can feel that the Vikings made a mistake against a very good Detroit team and weren’t able to capitalize on two big plays (stopping a fake punt and scoring another defensive touchdown) because they didn’t make enough small ones could.

In that game, Darnold went a very respectable 22-for-27 for 259 yards as well as a touchdown and an interception. The eye test was a little less impressive, but the play also seemed to set the stage for what the Vikings should reasonably expect from Darnold for the rest of the season.

So this question is the most important question in Minnesota sports right now: How far above or below the level at which he played in the Lions game will Darnold play the rest of the season?

He’ll get a quick opportunity to answer that question on Thursday in Los Angeles against the Rams. Traveling two time zones west in a short week doesn’t seem to be a recipe for offensive efficiency or precision, but Darnold said Tuesday that getting back to play so soon would be beneficial.