SEATTLE — Sam Darnold has impressed confidence in his coach and teammates all through this career-changing season. With the Vikings going through one other late deficit, that they had little question he’d ship.
Darnold linked with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third landing cross of the sport, and Minnesota outlasted Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 on Sunday to maintain tempo with Detroit for the highest spot within the NFC.
After the Seahawks took the lead on Smith’s third TD cross, Darnold led a 30-second drive that was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty. He stepped up in a collapsing pocket and launched a deep ball that Jefferson hauled in simply in need of the aim line with two defenders closing in.
“There wasn’t really one guy — and I know I’m not speaking just for myself — (who didn’t think) we’re going to go down and we’re going to get a touchdown,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stated. “And I think the level of confidence that that group has in their quarterback and the level of confidence the quarterback has in the 10 guys in the huddle is significant. And that’s how you’re able to go do that in that moment on the road at this place where you can’t hear yourself think.”
Jefferson completed with 10 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns because the Vikings (13-2) gained their eighth straight. If they’ll beat Inexperienced Bay and Detroit to shut out the season, they’ll earn the highest seed within the convention and a first-round playoff bye.
Darnold threw for a number of touchdowns for the eleventh time this season and greater than 200 yards for the tenth. He completed 22 of 35 for 246 yards, serving to O’Connell turn into the primary Vikings coach with a number of 13-win seasons.
On the ultimate drive, O’Connell’s headset malfunctioned and Darnold improvised, calling his personal play and his personal quantity on a brief scramble. He completed with a quarterback ranking over 100 for the twelfth time.
Not unhealthy for a veteran who was signed to a one-year deal as a placeholder after the Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending knee harm within the preseason. The ultimate play confirmed his chemistry with Jefferson, who decided mid-route that Darnold acknowledged.
“We spend a lot more time than in college with each other and I definitely felt that going into the season and especially throughout the season,” Jefferson stated. “Seeing how much fun we were having together, seeing the different plays that we were making, all of us came together every single game. We just lean on each other to fight for one another.”
Mentioned Darnold: “I just needed to give him a shot, you know, put it on his back hip and let him do the rest.”
Smith threw for 314 yards and his 4-yard TD cross to AJ Barner gave the Seahawks a 24-20 lead with 4:41 left, however he couldn’t rally Seattle (8-7) after Jefferson’s late TD. Jason Myers missed a 60-yard discipline aim attempt after the two-minute warning, and Theo Jackson picked off Smith with 49 seconds left to seal it.
The Seahawks have misplaced two straight after a four-game profitable streak and fell one recreation behind the Los Angeles Rams within the NFC West.
Smith additionally had scoring passes of 25 yards to DK Metcalf and 18 yards to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He was additionally intercepted twice. Smith-Njigba had eight receptions for 95 yards.
Minnesota improved to 8-1 in one-score video games this season.
“The reason that their record is what it is and what their record is in one score games is because they’re a good football team,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald stated. “We hung right in there. We had an opportunity to win the game, and we didn’t. There’s things in all three phases that we can do better, but we also did a lot of great things. We gave ourselves a chance to win.”
The Vikings ran a 12-play opening drive, consuming 6:54 on the way in which to a 7-0 lead on Darnold’s 5-yard cross to Jordan Addison, who was open in the midst of the tip zone for his third catch of the collection.
Smith discovered Metcalf in man-to-man protection with Stefon Gilmore early within the second quarter in the correct nook of the tip zone. It was Metcalf’s first TD reception since Week 7.
Darnold responded two drives later to make it 14-7 on a 14-yard cross to Jefferson over Tre Brown, who was left in single protection on the All-Professional’s nook route.
Joshua Metellus pressured Smith on the primary play of Seattle’s ensuing drive and Dallas Turner stepped in entrance of a cross to Noah Fant for an interception that arrange Minnesota on the Seattle 31. The Vikings settled for Will Reichard’s 52-yard discipline aim after Boye Mafe sacked Darnold.
Smith drove the Seahawks 88 yards in 1:05 on 5 performs to chop the result in 17-14 with 20 seconds left within the half. He discovered Smith-Njigba thrice on the drive. The primary, a 13-yard reception, put the second-year participant over 1,000 yards receiving for the primary time. The second, for 25 yards to the Vikings 18, drew a biceps flex from Smith-Njigba for the cheering crowd. And the third went for the rating.
Receiving milestones
Metcalf shook off an extended scoreless streak to catch his forty seventh profession TD with the Seahawks. That helped him cross Corridor of Fame receiver Steve Largent and transfer into sixth on the crew’s profession landing listing.
Smith-Njigba turned the tenth Seahawks receiver to report a 1,000-yard season.
Accidents
Vikings: S Harrison Smith (foot) was inactive, lacking a recreation for the primary time since 2022.
Seahawks: Positioned LB Trevis Gipson (ankle) on injured reserve. … RB Kenneth Walker III left the sport with an ankle harm.
Up subsequent
Vikings: Host Inexperienced Bay subsequent Sunday.
Seahawks: At Chicago on Thursday.