NEW ORLEANS — Alvin Kamara tied an NFL file by operating for six touchdowns in a sport and completed with a career-high 155 yards dashing to assist New Orleans beat the Minnesota Vikings 52-33 on Friday and clinch a fourth straight NFC South title.
Sporting completely different coloured sneakers — one crimson and one inexperienced on Christmas Day — Kamara sprinted for a 40-yard landing on the sport’s opening drive. He added scoring runs of 1, 5, 6, 7 and three yards in opposition to a Minnesota defensive entrance hit exhausting by accidents.
Kamara equaled a file set by Corridor of Fame fullback Ernie Nevers in 1929 for the Chicago Cardinals.
“The offensive line will get the sport ball for positive, kudos to them,” Kamara mentioned. “Sean (Payton, the Saints coach) dialed it up, I did the small half.
“Right now was a fantastic day, we obtained out first purpose, division title. Gonna take it from there.”
Minnesota (6-9) was eradicated from playoff rivalry whereas permitting essentially the most factors by any Vikings workforce since 1963.
The Saints (11-4) by no means punted, and set a file of yards gained in a sport by a Vikings opponent with 583. They could have gained by a better margin if not for a pair interceptions of Drew Brees, one in every of them on a go that deflected off receiver Emmanuel Sanders‘ arms.
Brees accomplished 19 of 26 throws for 311 yards in his second sport again from rib and lung accidents that had sidelined him for 4 video games.
Sanders had 4 catches for 83 yards, whereas tight finish Jared Cook dinner caught three passes for 82 yards. New Orleans’ 264 yards dashing have been essentially the most by a Vikings opponent in head coach Mike Zimmer‘s seven seasons.
New Orleans native Irv Smith Jr. caught a pair of landing passes within the third quarter for the Vikings, the second pulling Minnesota to 31-27. However the Saints responded with two brief landing runs by Kamara and one by reserve QB Taysom Hill within the fourth quarter to place the sport out of attain.
Kirk Cousins handed for 283 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings, who by no means led and trailed for good after Kamara’s second TD within the first quarter.
In a sport that noticed each defences battle, Saints receiver Marquez Callaway made a play that any defensive again would admire when he prevented Eric Wilson from intercepting a go Brees thrown proper on the linebacker. Brees took benefit of the second probability, hitting Callaway for 11 yards on the subsequent play after which discovering Cook dinner for a 19-yard acquire to the Vikings 6. That arrange Kamara’s third TD run of the half to place New Orleans up 24-14.
INJURIES
Vikings: Minnesota didn’t report any accidents.
Saints: LB Kwan Alexander injured his proper ankle late within the third quarter. He was initially helped off the sector however later took a cart from the sideline to the locker room.
UP NEXT
Vikings: go to Detroit on Jan. 3, the ultimate Sunday of the common season.
Saints: go to Carolina on Jan. 3.
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