Darnold’s Strong Performance Lift Vikings to…
Sam Darnold completed 20 of 32 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score, and the Minnesota Vikings posted a 23-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon in Nashville.
Jordan Addison and Cam Akers had one touchdown catch apiece for Minnesota (8-2), which won its third game in a row and remained one game behind Detroit (9-1) in the NFC North.
Will Levis completed 17 of 31 passes for 295 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Tennessee (2-8), which has lost five of its last six. Nick Westbrook Ikhine had a 98-yard touchdown catch.
The Vikings had 24 first downs, compared with 11 by the Titans. Tennessee also hurt itself by committing 13 penalties, compared with three penalties for Minnesota.
The Titans opened the scoring on a 30-yard field goal by Nick Folk with 4:39 left in the first quarter.
The Vikings answered on the following possession. Darnold fired a pass in stride to Addison, who caught it across the middle and sprinted for a 47-yard touchdown.
Darnold put Minnesota on top 14-3 with a 1-yard rushing touchdown with 7:40 remaining in the second quarter. It was his first rushing score in 10 starts this season.
John Parker Romo made a 40-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 16-3 advantage with 1:41 to go before the break.
A 98-yard touchdown pass from Levis to Westbrook-Ikhine trimmed the Titans’ deficit to 16-10 with seven minutes left in the third quarter. Levis dropped back into his team’s end zone and lofted a pass down the right sideline for Westbrook-Ikhine, who caught it near the Titans’ 35-yard line and sprinted another 65 yards for the score.
The play marked the longest touchdown pass in the NFL this season.
Minnesota bounced back on the next drive to pull ahead 23-10. Darnold looked to his right and found Akers for a 3-yard receiving touchdown late in the third.
Folk brought the Titans within 23-13 on a 43-yard field goal with 14:08 remaining.
Vikings safety Harrison Smith intercepted Levis’ final pass attempt to seal the win.
