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MINNEAPOLIS — As the Minnesota Vikings prepared to celebrate their ninth consecutive victory, they noticed that Sam Darnold was still absent from the jubilant locker room; he was concluding his interview with the television crew.
His presence was undoubtedly worth the wait.
Darnold showcased another highlight in a transformative season, throwing for a career-high 377 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings edged the Green Bay Packers 27-25 on Sunday, putting them in a prime position for the playoffs’ top seed in the NFC.
“Seeing how he has truly maximized his opportunities has made our football team rally behind him,” coach Kevin O’Connell remarked. “It’s been a joy to coach him.”
The Vikings, now 14-2, are set for a crucial matchup in Detroit next Sunday night that will determine both the NFC North champion and the coveted first-round bye along with home-field advantage for the playoffs. Despite a close battle, they finished strongly with a record of 7-1 at U.S. Bank Stadium, where their high-energy defense thrives on the electrifying atmosphere created by the fans.
“Playing here definitely affects our opponents,” linebacker Blake Cashman stated. He led the team with 11 tackles and contributed 1½ sacks, ensuring that Packers quarterback Jordan Love struggled to establish any rhythm during the game.
Darnold found Jalen Nailor, Jordan Addison, and Cam Akers for touchdowns, bringing his total to 35 passing touchdowns, the fourth-most for a player in their first season with a new team in NFL history.
Upon entering the locker room after a post-game chat with Tom Brady, the iconic seven-time Super Bowl champion and current Fox analyst, Darnold was greeted with cheers and drenched in water by his teammates. He was lifted high into the air in celebration.
“It was pure chaos,” Darnold said, beaming. “I think I blacked out a bit when Aaron Jones picked me up.”
The only touchdown for the Packers (11-5) came late in the game, with Love connecting with Malik Heath for a three-yard score that narrowed the gap to two points and reignited the “Go Pack Go!” chants from their enthusiastic fans amidst the sea of purple.
Despite another rally against Minnesota, reminiscent of their earlier 31-29 loss in Green Bay, the Packers’ season has been fraught with difficulties, leaving them 0-5 against the top three teams in the NFC.
“We know the kind of team we are,” Love commented. “There’s still plenty we need to improve on.”
The Packers also faced setbacks with losses to the Lions and an earlier defeat against the Eagles in Brazil.
“I can’t claim we’re on the same level if we haven’t beaten them,” safety Xavier McKinney expressed. “We need to be sharper and start games better.”
In the second half, Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson scored rushing touchdowns, contributing to a late comeback for the Packers after Vikings kicker Will Reichard missed a second field goal attempt, preventing an extension of their lead.
With the score tighter than desired and the Packers still holding all their timeouts before the two-minute warning, O’Connell confidently placed his trust in Darnold to secure the win.
Darnold executed critical bootleg plays that resulted in two important first downs— one to fullback C.J. Ham and another on a third-and-2 pass to Akers. Before that, he completed a challenging pass to Justin Jefferson for 9 yards that forced the Packers to use their final timeout.
“We can be aggressive, but he continues to demonstrate excellent decision-making,” O’Connell noted. “Darnold is performing at a remarkably high level as a quarterback.”
Notably, Darnold completed 33 of 43 passes, with one interception, while the Vikings amassed a total of 441 yards, marking their second-best offensive output this season.
He surpassed both Brett Favre (33, Vikings, 2009) and Vinny Testaverde (33, Ravens, 1996) for fourth place on the all-time list for touchdown passes in a player’s debut season. He trails only Matthew Stafford (41, Rams, 2021), Brady (40, Buccaneers, 2020), and Peyton Manning (37, Broncos, 2012). Stafford and Brady went on to win the Super Bowl in those respective years, while Manning is a Hall of Famer.
Injury updates show that Packers WR Christian Watson (knee) was not active, while LB Quay Walker (ankle) missed another game, and CB Jaire Alexander (knee) has been out for six straight games and nine in total this season. Additionally, two backups, FS Zayne Anderson and DE Brenton Cox, entered concussion protocol during the match and did not return.
For the Vikings, Jones (quadriceps) left the game in the fourth quarter as a precaution, and OLB Patrick Jones (knee) was injured after a controversial low block from Packers TE Tucker Kraft, which drew boos from the crowd but not a penalty.
Looking ahead, the Packers will host the Chicago Bears for their regular-season finale next Sunday, while the Vikings will travel to Detroit to battle for the NFC North title and the conference’s top seed next weekend.
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