Though it was another stressful game for pretty much everybody involved — that seems to be standard operating procedure at this point — the Vikings escaped with the win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The win helped the Vikings stay within striking distance of the Detroit Lions in the NFC North.

Though the Vikings will have to be much better if they want to have a chance at unseating the Lions, the fact that quarterback Sam Darnold continues to play at a high level bodes well for them moving forward.

Here are five takeaway from the Vikings’ 23-22 win over the Cardinals:

Darnold stepped up

After looking completely out of sorts for a large portion of the game, Darnold stepped up when the Vikings needed him most, leading a pair of touchdown drives that helped the Vikings complete the comeback.

That included a nearly impeccable effort from Darnold after getting the ball back with 3 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the game. He provided a calming presence in the huddle with the game on the line and completed 5 of 7 passes for 57 yards in total.

The biggest play of the game came when Darnold found star receiver Justin Jefferson for a big conversion to move the chains. Not long after that, Darnold found running back Aaron Jones, who raced into the end zone for the touchdown that proved to be the difference.

There have been a many examples of elite play from Darnold over the past month. If he can sustain that success moving forward, the Vikings are going to be an extremely tough out in the playoffs.

Jefferson broke out

You can’t keep Jefferson down for too long.

After being limited to two catches for 27 yards last weekend, Jefferson unsurprisingly responded with seven catches for 99 yards this weekend, proving how valuable he is to everything the Vikings do through the air.

Whether he was getting open on a crossing route over the middle, or simply finding some vacated space in a zone, Jefferson proved to be the straw that stirs the drink for the Vikings on offense.

Though his gravity can make life easier for everybody around him, the Vikings are at the peak of their powers when he’s a focal point.

Aaron Jones fumbled again

There’s no doubt that Jones is still the No. 1 running back for the Vikings as they head into the home stretch. That said, if he doesn’t fix his fumbling issues, he could see his playing time decrease in the short term.

After catching a pass early in the game on Sunday, Jones coughed it up while fighting for extra yardage. Though it might seem hard to believe because Jones has never had an issue with ball security, he has now fumbled in three straight games for the first time in his career.

It made sense that coach Kevin O’Connell benched Jones for a prolonged stretch considering how much he preaches ball security on a weekly basis.

Romo finally missed

After being perfect on field goals over the past month, kicker Parker Romo yanked a 43-yard field-goal attempt wide left midway through the game between the Vikings and the Cardinals. He ended up going 3 of 4 on field goals in the game, including a 55-yarder that cleared the crossbar with ease.

Maybe the most impressive kick for Romo was the extra point he made after the Vikings scored a touchdown in the final minute. Though he’s expected to make those types of kicks, there was certainly pressure involved in that moment.

Murphy Jr. got revenge

It’s no secret that cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. wanted revenge against his former team. He got it midway through the game when quarterback Kyler Murray airmailed his intended receiver while under duress.

That misfire allowed Murphy to swoop in for an interception that helped turn the tide in favor of the Vikings. He celebrated the interception with his teammates, then got to celebrate again later in the game after fellow cornerback Shaq Griffin recorded an interception to put the game on ice.

Related Articles

Vikings running back Aaron Jones vows to clean up fumbling issue

Darnold plays hero as Vikings pull off 23-22, comeback win over Cardinals

The Loop Fantasy Football Report Week 13: Last-minute moves

Former Giants QB Daniel Jones arrives in Minnesota ready to help Vikings wherever he can

The gravity of star receiver Justin Jefferson and what it does for the Vikings