Sam Darnold's five TDs lead Vikings to 42-21 win over Kirk Cousins' Falcons

Ben Goessling, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Dec 8, 2024

Published in Football

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

MINNEAPOLIS — The Vikings showed little interest last week in making their first meeting with Kirk Cousins any kind of we-didn’t-need-you statement. By the end of the day on Sunday, they didn’t have to say anything.

Sam Darnold made the statement for them with the best game of his career. He became the first Vikings QB to throw five touchdowns in a game since Daunte Culpepper did it on Oct. 17, 2004, and set career highs in passing yards (347), touchdowns (5) and passer rating (157.9), as the Vikings blew out the Falcons 42-21.

The Falcons scored first in Kirk Cousins’ return to U.S. Bank Stadium, and tied the game at 21 in the third quarter. But after that, the Vikings poured it on, turning the game into a party atmosphere by the middle of the fourth quarter, with Darnold pumping his towel to the fans as they chanted “M-V-P” for Cousins’ replacement, and the stadium sang along to the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” as the video boards showed Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson to give each his moment in the sun.

Addison caught three touchdown passes and finished with 133 yards, while Jefferson had seven catches for 132 yards and two scores.

Why it happened: Darnold continued his electrifying performance, while the Vikings pressured Cousins into two interceptions (and nearly came away with a third). Cousins threw for 344 yards, and Atlanta outgained the Vikings 434-420, but the Falcons were penalized 10 times for 117 yards.

What it means: The Vikings are 11-2, keeping pace with the Lions and pulling two games ahead of the Packers for second place in the NFC North. They’ll finish their three-game homestand against the Chicago Bears next Monday night, and can clinch a playoff spot with losses by the Rams and Cardinals today.

Play of the game: With 3:36 left in the third quarter, the Vikings faced a third-and-8 on a play that nearly turned into disaster. Cameras showed Kevin O’Connell giving a frustrated wave of his hand before the play before Darnold snapped the ball with two seconds left on the play clock. But Darnold delivered perhaps the highlight play of the year; he evaded two Falcons rushers who got through on a blitz, rolled to his right and flung one 44 yards on the move for Justin Jefferson, who’d ran downfield waving his hand in the air after a busted Falcons coverage. Jefferson caught it with no one around after Dee Alford fell down, and strutted into the end zone for a TD that made it 21-13 Vikings.

Turning point: With the Vikings up 28-21 in the fourth quarter after Darnold’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, Brian Asamoah II forced a Ray-Ray McCloud III fumble on the ensuing kickoff. C.J. Ham — named this week the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee — recovered the fumble at the Falcons’ 32, setting up a drive that ended with Darnold’s fifth TD pass to make it a 14-point game.

Up next: The Vikings conclude their three-game homestand next Monday night, when they’ll be in their all-white jerseys for a NFC North matchup with the Bears and interim coach Thomas Brown, who replaced Matt Eberflus after Chicago’s Thanksgiving Day snafu in Detroit.

____