Comeback quarterback Sam Darnold threw four touchdown passes as the Minnesota Vikings extended their winning start to the NFL season with an emphatic 34-7 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Darnold, with his third team in as many seasons, had struggled for playing time with the San Francisco 49ers last year and the Carolina Panthers in 2022 but has made a hugely impressive start for his new team.
After leading the Vikings to wins at the New York Giants and then at home to the San Francisco 49ers, the former first round draft pick for the New York Jets equalled his career-best touchdown haul as his team improved to 3-0.
Darnold found Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones for first quarter touchdowns and then in the third quarter connected with Jalen Nailor for the third straight game before completing the rout with two yard pass to tight-end Johnny Mundt in the fourth quarter.
It was a tough day for Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who threw two interceptions and was sacked four times, three of those coming from former Houston linebacker Jonathan Greenard.
Houston struggled to contain Vikings running back Aaron Jones who put up 102 yards on 19 carries and praised the impact Darnold is having on the team.
“He is showing it in practice every day, he’s leading us, he’s consistent and he is contagious, he turns up happy at work every day and it spreads around the building, I am super proud of Sam,” Jones told the NFL Network.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also moved to 3-0 with a 20-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Steelers quarterback Justin Fields threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin in the fourth quarter and then ran in a 5-yard touchdown to hand the Chargers their first defeat this season.
Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley rushed in two touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Eagles edged the Saints in New Orleans 15-12.
After bursting free for a 65-yard score early in the fourth, Barkley grabbed the game winning touchdown with a 4-yard run with 1:01 left in the game.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts had set up the score, finding Dallas Goedert with a 61-yard pass on third and 16.
Rookie receiver Malik Nabers scored two touchdowns as the New York Giants beat the Cleveland Browns 21-15.
Later on Sunday, Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs look to continue their winning start at the Atlanta Falcons.
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