MINNEAPOLIS — Sam Darnold celebrated a remarkable day as he led the Minnesota Vikings to a convincing 42-21 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, marking their sixth consecutive win. Darnold achieved a personal best with 347 passing yards and five touchdown throws, completing 22 of his 28 attempts while avoiding any turnovers, even under intense pressure in the first half.
After halftime, Darnold continued his impressive performance, contributing another 250 yards as the Vikings pulled away from a tied score of 21-21 early in the fourth quarter. This win brought Minnesota to an impressive 11-2 record, keeping them just one game behind the NFC North leaders, the Detroit Lions, ahead of a critical season-ending matchup. Wide receiver Jordan Addison flourished with eight catches for 133 yards and three touchdowns, while Justin Jefferson marked his return to the end zone with seven catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns after a six-game scoring drought.
Returning to Minnesota, Kirk Cousins struggled against his former team, throwing two interceptions without any touchdowns, resulting in a disappointing performance for the Falcons. The crowd did not hold back their displeasure, delivering loud boos as Atlanta suffered their fourth consecutive defeat, pushing them out of the top spot in the NFC South and trailing Tampa Bay by a game.
Over the last four games, Cousins has struggled significantly, notching eight interceptions and failing to score, as the collective issues on the team contributed to their decline. The 35-year-old quarterback is still recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon that ended his six-year stint with the Vikings midway through last season. He completed 23 of 37 passes for 344 yards with the Falcons, who were able to reach midfield on every possession but failed to capitalize on opportunities, resulting in several missed chances for touchdowns.
One pivotal moment came when Ray-Ray McCloud III was overthrown on a crucial fourth-down attempt in the first quarter. The Falcons later settled for short field goals before and after halftime, which did not adequately reward their 496 total offensive yards. The game spiraled further as McCloud fumbled the kickoff, which allowed the Vikings to score another touchdown on a Darnold pass to Addison, deepening Atlanta’s woes. Additionally, a defensive holding call on Kentavious Street during a field goal attempt led to another touchdown pass from Darnold to Jefferson just before halftime.
On the ground, Bijan Robinson had a solid performance with 22 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown, while Tyler Allgeier contributed nine carries for 63 yards and a score, despite facing the league’s top-ranked run defense. However, the team was unable to recover from the turnovers committed. Cousins further compounded the issue when he threw an inexplicable interception to Josh Metellus after hesitating during a pivotal moment early in the second quarter, bringing his total to an alarming 15 interceptions this season, the highest in the league.
Injury-wise, the Falcons saw Mike Hughes return to their defensive lineup after missing two games with a knee injury. He had previously made a significant impact against the Vikings in his NFL debut. Meanwhile, the Vikings were partially affected by injuries, with cornerback Stephon Gilmore and linebacker Patrick Jones unable to play. Tight end Josh Oliver returned to the field after a two-game absence, along with long snapper Andrew DePaola and placekicker Will Reichard, both coming back from four-game injury stints.
Looking ahead, both teams will be in action again next Monday night, December 16; Atlanta will face off against Las Vegas, and Minnesota will host Chicago.
