Minnesota Vikings

If the Packers lose to the Bills Sunday night, they'll be four losses behind the Vikings in the NFC North.

The Packers (3-4) could be four games back in the loss column if they lose to the Bills in Buffalo on Sunday night. With 2:45 to go and Arizona down to one timeout, Adam Thielen was called for holding on first down. Minnesota could've put the final nail in the coffin, but instead they went three-and-out when two Dalvin Cook runs went for only four yards and then Cousins got sacked when J.J. Up 34-26, Cam Bynum intercepted Murray with 6:55 to go in the game. As far as Sunday's game went, Joseph had a terrible attempt on a 56-yard field goal as the first half came to end, so bad that the kick hit a defensive lineman in the head for a zero effort block. What was worse was Joseph banging an extra point off the upright in the fourth quarter.

The Minnesota Vikings picked up their sixth win of season Sunday with a 34-26 victory against the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz.

Against the [Saints](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/saints/) last week, Simmons had a pick-six. Later, returner [Greg Dortch](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/greg-dortch-LXuT7JLh6O4b2T7s/) muffed a punt that Minnesota recovered. [Dalvin Cook](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/dalvin-cook-Q99hlGEYxo2NCWBY/)rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown and [Alexander Mattison](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/alexander-mattison-kUzBxoSbOCrNzg5T/)added 40 rushing yards and a score. [Billy Price](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/billy-price-Gq8yUPpJpG2cERFh/) snapped the ball when Murray wasn’t expecting it. [Kirk Cousins](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/kirk-cousins-iPIYwkTzxrquSQo2/)threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another in the win. [Kyler Murray](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/kyler-murray-NS1S9ZYKzjSSbF41/)was moving his offense into Vikings territory with under a minute to play but back-to-back Minnesota sacks staled the drive and secured the win.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Za'Darius Smith had three sacks to help Minnesota's defense hang on against Kyler Murray, and the Vikings beat the Arizona Cardinals ...

Osborn on third-and-2 from the 5 for a 34-26 lead that Greg Joseph failed to pad when his extra point hit the upright. Both Smith and Watt paid homage to Allen's calf-roping celebration with their own sacks. Then they went 31 yards in four plays for a touchdown after the Murray's dangerous heave under pressure from his own end zone was picked off by Harrison Smith. Cardinals: Five starters were inactive with injuries: LG Max Garcia (shoulder), LT D.J. “We just crushed ourselves, just did too many things that we can’t do,” Cardinals defensive end J.J. That touchdown was set up by a fumbled punt return by Greg Dortch at his 25. “Against a good football team, they’re going to beat you.” All five of their wins in the streak have been within that margin. “We’re right there. “I thought we were a really good football team last year. “It feels good. Why we found them now, I don’t know,” Cousins said.

Bud Grant was still the head coach of the Purple, while the quarterback matchup in this 27-7 Cardinals victory was Fran Tarkenton vs. Jim Hart.

That stretch of the schedule will be a gauntlet, at least compared to what they have faced to this point in the season. They were not able to follow that prescribed route against the Cardinals and still won. Placekicker Greg Joseph had a long field goal attempt blocked on the final play of the half, and more importantly, missed an extra point in the fourth quarter that would have given the Vikings a two-score lead. The Vikings failed in all of those areas against Arizona but still managed to come away with the win. That was a long time ago, and the 2022 version of the Cardinals gave the Vikings everything they wanted over 60 minutes. This 6-1 team is firmly in first place in the NFC North and they have won five games in a row following their Week 2 loss to the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings started their 34-26 victory over the Arizona Cardinals with a 75-yard touchdown drive and ended it with a sack.

When the players have to tell the coach to "calm the f--- down" during a game, If it's not the miscommunication and turnovers -- they had three giveaways on Sunday -- it's the continued failure to send in play calls in a timely matter. "I ain't going to say nothing," said Smith, who had three of the Vikings' four sacks. It featured football players apologizing to their head coach after not getting sleep because they were playing the game through the night. You don't have to be around the Vikings long to feel the positive vibes. What are the things we really got to focus on in all three phases to win the football game each and every week? They have as much talent as the Vikings, but can't find a way to bring it together. "It's one of those things where we're focused on what we have internally in this locker room as a family, as a unit, and it's us against the world. I had no idea how much it means to the O-linemen when I run. The goal is to be talked about when the temperature drops and the shadows grow long on the season. Here's the thing about the Vikings: They have talent, are well-coached and generally don't beat themselves. They are not where they want to be, nor where they expect to be.

The Minnesota Vikings need to gather as an organization and purchase binders full of Powerball tickets, because their luck has turned for the better (the ...

No matter how much the Vikings improve in one-score games, they still have a significant problem. While good fortune is raining down on Cousins and new Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, they still can’t put teams down before they have a chance to come back. Maybe the Vikings’ luck is due in 2022. One-score games have been the death of the Vikings in recent years. Kyler Murray runs from side-to-side and in circles trying to find a lane to launch the ball through and hopefully find an open receiver. Plays like that are why it is so hard to trust the Vikings through seven games.

Following victory over the Cardinals, Vikings stars credited Kevin O'Connell with their performance in key moments.

“[O’Connell] brought that with him Day 1 when he walked in the building both in how we want to play and what team we want to be outside of this stadium.” They overcame those issues by taking advantage of what the Cardinals gave them in the form of 10 penalties, two interceptions and a fumbled punt. The hire of Kevin O’Connell signified a massive sea change in the way the players were managed. “I think a lot of guys are relying on a lot of experience,” receiver Adam Thielen said. They needed every bit of their all-for-one attitude to pull off a win over the Cardinals, who took the lead in the third quarter and threatened to go ahead again in the fourth quarter after a strip sack. What if a little more confidence and a little more belief in each other could get them over the hump?

There was a lot to learn about the Minnesota Vikings during their Week 8 win against Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.

There were definitely some things to learn about the Minnesota Vikings from their Week 8 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Here are seven takeaways from the game held on Oct. Following that win, Minnesota has to be considered the favorite to win the NFC North and secure their spot in the postseason.