Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson lead surging Vikings past Seahawks 27-24

SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold has inspired confidence in his coach and teammates throughout this career-changing season. With the Vikings facing another late deficit, they had no doubt he'd deliver.

Darnold connected with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third touchdown pass of the game, and Minnesota outlasted Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 on Sunday to keep pace with Detroit for the top spot in the NFC.

After the Seahawks took the lead on Smith's third TD pass, Darnold led a 30-second drive that was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty. He stepped up in a collapsing pocket and launched a deep ball that Jefferson hauled in just short of the goal line with two defenders closing in.

“There wasn’t really one guy — and I know I’m not speaking just for myself — (who didn’t think) we’re going to go down and we’re going to get a touchdown,” Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said. “And I think the level of confidence that that group has in their quarterback and the level of confidence the quarterback has in the 10 guys in the huddle is significant. And that’s how you’re able to go do that in that moment on the road at this place where you can’t hear yourself think.”

Jefferson finished with 10 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings (13-2) won their eighth straight. If they can beat Green Bay and Detroit to close out the season, they will earn the top seed in the conference and a first-round playoff bye.

Darnold threw for multiple touchdowns for the 11th time this season and more than 200 yards for the 10th. He finished 22 of 35 for 246 yards, helping O'Connell become the first Vikings coach with multiple 13-win seasons.

On the final drive, O'Connell's headset malfunctioned and Darnold improvised, calling his own play and his own number on a short scramble. He finished with a quarterback rating over 100 for the 12th time.

Not bad for a veteran who was signed to a one-year deal as a placeholder after the Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. The final play showed his chemistry with Jefferson, who made a decision mid-route that Darnold recognized.

“We spend a lot more time than in college with each other and I definitely felt that going into the season and especially throughout the season,” Jefferson said. “Seeing how much fun we were having together, seeing the different plays that we were making, all of us came together every single game. We just lean on each other to fight for one another.”

Said Darnold: “I just needed to give him a shot, you know, put it on his back hip and let him do the rest.”

Smith threw for 314 yards and his 4-yard TD pass to AJ Barner gave the Seahawks a 24-20 lead with 4:41 left, but he couldn't rally Seattle (8-7) after Jefferson's late TD. Jason Myers missed a 60-yard field goal try after the two-minute warning, and Theo Jackson picked off Smith with 49 seconds left to seal it.

The Seahawks have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak and fell one game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.

Smith also had scoring passes of 25 yards to DK Metcalf and 18 yards to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He was also intercepted twice. Smith-Njigba had eight receptions for 95 yards.

Minnesota improved to 8-1 in one-score games this season.

“The reason that their record is what it is and what their record is in one score games is because they’re a good football team,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. "We hung right in there. We had an opportunity to win the game, and we didn’t. There’s things in all three phases that we can do better, but we also did a lot of great things. We gave ourselves a chance to win.”

The Vikings ran a 12-play opening drive, consuming 6:54 on the way to a 7-0 lead on Darnold’s 5-yard pass to Jordan Addison, who was open in the middle of the end zone for his third catch of the series.

Smith found Metcalf in man-to-man coverage with Stefon Gilmore early in the second quarter in the right corner of the end zone. It was Metcalf’s first TD reception since Week 7.

Darnold responded two drives later to make it 14-7 on a 14-yard pass to Jefferson over Tre Brown, who was left in single coverage on the All-Pro’s corner route.

Joshua Metellus pressured Smith on the first play of Seattle’s ensuing drive and Dallas Turner stepped in front of a pass to Noah Fant for an interception that set up Minnesota at the Seattle 31. The Vikings settled for Will Reichard’s 52-yard field goal after Boye Mafe sacked Darnold.

Smith drove the Seahawks 88 yards in 1:05 on five plays to cut the lead to 17-14 with 20 seconds left in the half. He found Smith-Njigba three times on the drive. The first, a 13-yard reception, put the second-year player over 1,000 yards receiving for the first time. The second, for 25 yards to the Vikings 18, drew a biceps flex from Smith-Njigba for the cheering crowd. And the third went for the score.

Metcalf shook off a long scoreless streak to catch his 47th career TD with the Seahawks. That helped him pass Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent and move into sixth on the team's career touchdown list.

Smith-Njigba became the 10th Seahawks receiver to record a 1,000-yard season.

Vikings: S Harrison Smith (foot) was inactive, missing a game for the first time since 2022.

Seahawks: Placed LB Trevis Gipson (ankle) on injured reserve. ... RB Kenneth Walker III left the game with an ankle injury.

Vikings: Host Green Bay next Sunday.

Seahawks: At Chicago on Thursday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) catches a 25-yard touchdown pass ahead of Minnesota Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore (2) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15), center, celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates after scoring an 18-yard touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) catches a 14-yard touchdown pass ahead of Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) breaks up a pass intended for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs with the football as Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) tries to tackle during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks to pass while pressured by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman (51) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) celebrates after catching a 4-yard touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (87) celebrates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (43), right, celebrates after sacking Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) celebrates after forcing a incomplete pass intended for Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) celebrates after catching a pass against Seattle Seahawks safeties Julian Love (20) Rayshawn Jenkins (2) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) scores a 39-yard touchdown ahead of Seattle Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

TORONTO (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 27 points, Jalen Green had 22 and the Houston Rockets won in Toronto for the first time in more than five years by beating the struggling Raptors 114-110 on Sunday night.

Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who hadn’t won in Toronto since Dec. 5, 2019. Current Rockets guard Fred VanVleet scored 20 points for the reigning NBA-champion Raptors in that game.

Ja’Kobe Walter fouled out with a career-high 27 points and Chris Boucher and Ochai Agbaji each added 15 as Toronto’s losing streak reached seven. The Raptors have lost six straight at home.

Walter scored Toronto’s first 14 points of the game, a run that ended when Gradey Dick made a free throw with 7:06 remaining in the opening period.

Jamal Shead had 11 points and a career-high 10 assists for the Raptors.

Toronto’s RJ Barrett missed his second straight game because of an illness.

Rockets: VanVleet was injured when the Rockets lost at Toronto last season. In his first appearance as a visitor, he had eight rebounds and five assists but didn’t score until the final minute of the game. VanVleet shot 1 for 10, missing all five of his 3-point attempts.

Raptors: Scottie Barnes had 10 rebounds but scored only six points. He shot 2 for 15 and went 0 for 8 from distance, missing his first eight field goal attempts.

Sengun fed Cam Whitmore for a one-handed alley-oop dunk that gave Houston a 99-91 lead, its biggest of the game at that point, with 6:58 left in the fourth quarter.

Houston allowed 23 points on 14 turnovers in the first half. It cleaned things up after the break, but its 21 turnovers were a season-worst.

Both teams play on the road Monday, with Houston in Charlotte and Toronto visiting New York.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) looks to shoot over Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead (23) during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick, bottom, is fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, top, as he dives for the ball during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick, bottom, is fouled by Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, top, as he dives for the ball during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick, front right, and Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) vie for the ball during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) fouls Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (14) during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors forward Chris Boucher (25) is fouled on his way to the hoop between Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) and Reed Sheppard, right, during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (14) moves the ball around Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., left, during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors forward Jamison Battle (77) pressures Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) moves the ball while under pressure from Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) picks up an offensive foul as he drives to the net past Toronto Raptors guards Gradey Dick (1) and Ja'Kobe Walter, left, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)