EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Sam Darnold pinballed around his collapsed pocket to dodge a sack on third-and-8, before slicing through a skinny opening to sprint right in search of more space as Justin Jefferson’s hand shot up downfield.
Darnold let rip an on-the-run throw that sailed 45 yards in the air and straight into Jefferson’s arms, where he was stunningly wide open inside the 10. He danced his way into the end zone to give the Minnesota Vikings a 21-13 lead, the harbinger of a fourth-quarter surge past the Atlanta Falcons.
“I’m not going to tell you what I told him in regards to my opinion on how many guys make that throw,” coach Kevin O’Connell said with a smile.
The 42-21 decision on Sunday not only gave the Vikings (11-2) their sixth consecutive victory but further validated their decision to let Kirk Cousins leave in free agency for a cheaper replacement.
With O’Connell directing the quarterback development program and calling the plays and Jefferson leading a dangerous and diverse group of pass-catchers, Darnold has finally found a place he can thrive in after such an environment had long eluded the third overall pick in the 2018 draft — even in this roundabout way after the season-ending injury to rookie J.J. McCarthy.
Factor in a defense that’s allowing only 18.5 points per game, sixth best in the NFL, and leads the league in interceptions (20), and these Vikings are going to be a tough team to outscore in the playoffs.
Darnold became the ninth quarterback in NFL history and the first since Aaron Rodgers in 2019 to hit these benchmarks in a game: at least 325 passing yards, five touchdown passes, a 75% completion rate, no interceptions and a 155-plus passer rating.
Jefferson and Jordan Addison combined for 15 catches, 265 yards and five scores.
“This is definitely the ball that we want to play every single game,” Jefferson said. “Just the energy, the tempo that we had, just going out there and executing the plays.”
None more spectacular than that on-the-run 52-yard touchdown pass from Darnold to Jefferson, who started the play in motion from left to right into a three-man bunch with Addison and Jalen Nailor to set up a favorable matchup with nickel cornerback Dee Alford.
Addison ran a clear-out route toward the opposite corner, initially drawing the attention of three defenders. Pro Bowl safety Jessie Bates, who was in a single-high alignment while the other Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons blitzed, diverted from Addison toward an uncovered Nailor on the other side while ignoring Jefferson streaking behind him. Cornerback Clark Phillips left Nailor to try to catch Jefferson, who’d blown by Alford.
“He absolutely cooked the dude on the route,” Darnold said.
The Falcons couldn’t have played their coverage worse, leaving three receivers open, but that’s the type of stress the Vikings can put on a defense with the way Darnold is throwing the ball.
“We already knew what he was about once we got him on our team, that he could throw any pass,” Addison said. “He’s just put it on display for everybody else.”
What’s working
Though Darnold has been sacked 40 times this season, he has the athleticism and instinct to extend plays and find one of his tough-to-cover receivers on longer-developing routes even if pressure comes.
What needs help
The Vikings have allowed their two highest rushing yardage totals of the season in the last two weeks for an average of 4.95 yards per attempt, a trend worth watching for a defense that still ranks second in the NFL against the run. Their final two games against division rivals Green Bay and Detroit will pit them against two of the top five rushing teams in the league.
Stock up
Rookie Jalen Redmond made his first career start and played 39 of 74 snaps, the most among the interior defensive linemen, and had two tackles for loss and two deflected passes at the line. One came on a third-and-goal throw by Cousins that forced Atlanta to settle for a short kick right before halftime. Redmond went undrafted last year out of Oklahoma, was released by Carolina during the preseason and played this spring in the United Football League.
Stock down
Will Reichard made all six extra point attempts in his return from a four-game absence to let a quadriceps strain heal, but his only field goal try from 47 yards in the third quarter clanked off the left upright.
Injury report
CB Stephon Gilmore (hamstring) and backup OLB Patrick Jones (knee) were held out on Sunday. LB Ivan Pace (hamstring) must miss at least two more games.
Key number
.660 — O’Connell’s winning percentage at 31-16 during the regular season is the highest in Vikings history, ahead of Bud Grant (.621). He’s fourth among active NFL coaches, trailing Nick Sirianni (.703), Jim Harbaugh (.682) and Matt LaFleur (.677).
Up next
The Vikings finish their three-game homestand next Monday night against Chicago (4-9), three weeks after beating the Bears 30-27 on the road in overtime.
The Vikings have a two-game edge on the Packers for the first NFC wild card, the No. 5 seed, and will clinch a spot in the playoffs with one more win or one more loss by the Los Angeles Rams, who were the last team to beat them on Oct. 24.
The tiebreaker outlook in the NFC North, however, will likely require an additional loss by the Lions (12-1) in the next three games, even if the Vikings were to win their next three, to set up a division title game on the final weekend at Detroit.
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