Vikings win 5th straight, rallying past Cardinals 23-22 on Sam Darnold’s TD pass with 1:13 left

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Minnesota Vikings struggled to find their offensive rhythm well into the second half, with Aaron Jones contributing another early turnover. But this team, confident, connected, and resilient, never wavered.

With just 1:13 left on the clock, Sam Darnold threw his second touchdown pass of the half, finding Jones to give the Vikings their first lead. The Vikings had overcome a 13-point deficit to win 23-22, securing their fifth consecutive victory.

Darnold, who passed for 104 of his 235 yards in the fourth quarter alone, faced relentless pressure from the blitz-heavy Arizona defense. Despite Arizona’s five sacks, which kept Minnesota (10-2) out of the end zone for most of the game, Darnold finally connected with Johnny Mundt for a touchdown with 1:17 left in the third quarter. That was just the second offensive touchdown the Vikings had scored against the Cardinals in 15 quarters.

The previous week in Chicago, Darnold had delivered a perfect 6-for-6 performance for 90 yards in overtime to set up a game-winning field goal.

Arizona (6-6) had a strong start but faltered late, with Kyler Murray throwing two costly interceptions in the fourth quarter. The loss dropped the Cardinals to second place in the NFC West, one game behind Seattle.

Minnesota’s defense stepped up when it mattered most. Jonathan Greenard delivered a crucial sack with 48 seconds left, knocking the ball out of Murray’s hands. On the very next play, Greenard chased down Murray for a minimal gain, forcing the Cardinals to burn another timeout. On fourth down, the Vikings’ defense swarmed Murray in the pocket, forcing a desperate heave that Shaquill Griffin intercepted.

Earlier, Murray had thrown an ill-advised pass under pressure on third down, which was picked off by Byron Murphy at the Minnesota 32, setting up a third field goal by Parker Romo.

Justin Jefferson was a standout for the Vikings, catching seven passes for 99 yards. His clutch fourth-and-6 catch on the Arizona 34-yard line kept the game-winning drive alive.

Minnesota stayed within a game of Detroit in the NFC North, scoring on their final three full possessions, amassing 187 yards over 23 plays on those drives.

Despite dominating in yardage with 228 offensive yards in the first half, Arizona led by just 9-6 at the break, often opting for safe, short passes and inside runs when they got close to scoring.

Next up, the Cardinals will host Seattle next Sunday, while the Vikings will face Atlanta at home.