The Minnesota Vikings won the NFL 27:25 against the Green Bay Packers and are now fighting with the Detroit Lions for a week off in the first knockout round of the playoffs.
On the last game day of the regular season there will be a showdown in the National Football Conference (NFC) with the Lions for German star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
In Minneapolis, quarterback Sam Darnold was once again the celebrated player. The 27-year-old American was signed before the season to make the transition to starter easier for rookie JJ McCarthy. But the rookie injured his knee, and so Darnold led the Vikings in the 16th game.
Darnold throws passes for nearly 400 yards and three touchdowns
Against the Packers, Darnold impressed with passes for 377 yards and three touchdowns. On the way to his 14th win of the season, the playmaker could even afford to lose the ball.
“It was absolute chaos,” said Darnold after being given a water shower by his teammates and coaches in the locker room: “To be celebrated like that by my colleagues was a nice moment.” Coach Kevin O’Connell praised the “extremely high level” of his quarterback.
New rookie record by Jayden Daniels
The Lions and St. Brown are preparing for the important duel at the San Francisco 49ers on New Year’s Eve. Behind the winner of the game, the Philadelphia Eagles secured second place in the NFC with an easy 41:7 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels set a first-year record for yards rushing in the Washington Commanders’ 30-24 overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie ran for 820 yards in the games so far, surpassing Robert Griffin III’s record (815) from 2012.