JOYFUL AND BITTERSWEET

VIKINGS 42

FALCONS 21

Sunday's game at the purple palace turned into a celebratory atmosphere, as the Vikings turned a close game into a 4th quarter runaway, and moved to a stunning 11-2. But the fact they did this at the expense of Kirk Cousins, in his much anticipated return to Minnesota, did add a tinge of bittersweetness to the proceedings.

The first mystery of the day was answered quickly. Would Kirk get booed. The answer was yes, and a lot. Worse than any opposing QB that I have ever seen. As long as I live, I will never understand why so many Vikings fans bought into all the bullshit narratives surrounding this guy. He was mostly a very good QB here for his 5 1/2 healthy seasons, and while it didn't translate to enough playoff success to satisfy the "if you don't win a super bowl you're a bum" crowd, we had some great times. Plus....these same fans are the ones who wanted him gone the whole time. So why are you neanderthals mad that he left, especially since it was clear the Vikings were ready to move on?

Well, anyway, on to the game. It was a weird emotional mix to be rooting against Kirk. I've seen beloved former Minnesota athletes play Minnesota teams before, but rarely with this kind of inner turmoil.

Atlanta came in on a crumbling 3 game losing streak, with Kirk having thrown 4 picks in last week's loss. But the opening drive was a bit of a statement. With the boos cascading, the Falcons drove 70 yards to an opening TD. Kirk zipped a few nice throws, and Tyler Allgier busted in for the score.

The Vikings opening drive ended in no points after a Falcons D not known for getting sacks dropped Sam Darnold on successive plays.

Were the Vikings going to sleepwalk through another 1st half?

The game started to turn on the Falcons 2nd drive. In long field goal range, they decided to pass on the field goal (their kicker has been bad this year) and try a 4th down. Kirk's throw was a little off, and the Vikings got the ball back. 

It took just 2 plays for Darnold to hit Jordan Addison on a wide open bomb and the tying score. There would be more of this. 

Atlanta's next drive ended in a truly awful interception from Kirk that Josh Metellus grabbed as if the intended receiver. That didn't lead to any points, but that early Falcons momentum was gone.

Atlanta's mistakes began to pile up. Mike Hughes (yes, him, he's still in the league) committed a big DPI to set the Vikings up. The drive looked to end with a Will Reichard field goal in his 1st game back. But on the kick, the Falcons got penalized for holding. The Vikings took the gift first down, and a few plays later, Darnold zipped a TD to Justin Jefferson (his 1st since October), and the Vikings had the lead.

Kirk delivered a vintage deep shot to set the Falcons up for a possible tying TD, but on a 2nd and goal at the 1, they ran a stretch run that knocked them back. Kirk's 3rd down pass was tipped incomplete, and they had to settle for a field goal and a 14-10 halftime score.

The 3rd quarter opened with Reichard clanking a long field goal off the post. Atlanta responded with a field goal drive that probably shouldn't have happened. Kirk fired a pass over the middle that sure looked like a Shaq Griffin pick, but it was also grabbed by Drake London. Sure, the tie goes to the receiver, but this didn't look like a tie to me. Atlanta got to the redzone, but another holding penalty held them to 3.

On a day where he made many spectacular plays, Darnold's best came on the next drive. Sam looked to be boxed in for another sack, but slipped away, and on the run fired a bomb to Jefferson, who was comically wide open and walked in for the score.

That wasn't the dagger, though. Atlanta came right back, and in just 5 plays, much on the ground, they tied the game. Bijan Robinson got the TD and the 2. The Vikings' defense gave up 496 yards and forced just a single punt.

The 4th quarter was set up for a lot of drama, but that drama never made it. Darnold hit a deep shot to Addison, then Addison again for the TD. 

Then came the true dagger play. Ray Ray McCloud fumbled the ensuing kickoff, CJ Ham recovered, and in a game where it was looking like neither defense was too interested in stopping anybody, the Falcons forfeited a possession.

The Vikings cashed in, as Darnold found Addison one more time for the score. If you're counting, that's FIVE touchdowns for Darnold. Not since Daunte Culpepper in that great 2004 season had a Vikings QB done that. Listen, folks, Darnold needs to be the guy long term. And I intend to keep beating that drum. 

Kirk was probably having some unwelcome flashbacks to having a defense unable to stop anybody. Now down 14, it was pretty much desperation time, and Kirk's 2nd pick of the day, a one-hander by Byron Murphy, sealed the deal.

The Vikings offense wasn't satisfied, and even though they started at their own 2 following the pick, they drove 98 yards to another score through a Falcons D that had no will left to spare. Aaron Jones burst in for the 6th Vikings TD of the day, and the blitzkrieg was complete.

I was hoping Kirk could at least go out in presumably his final game up here with a TD, but his final throws were incomplete. Kirk threw for 344, and neither pick was that crucial, but it was not the triumphant return he surely hoped for. And the loss knocked Atlanta out of 1st, though there is still a fair chance this could be a rematch in the playoffs. 

The Vikings could have clinched a playoff berth on Sunday, but out of nowhere, the Rams put up 44 on the Bills. It will happen next week more than likely.

This game, and the complete performance by this offense and the ascendancy of Darnold, has me really starting to think the ceiling for this team may be more than just winning A playoff game against a bad division winner. Why can't they compete with the Lions or Eagles?

To close it out, a farewell to Kirk Cousins, one of my favorite Vikings of all time, and clearly one of the most unappreciated. Thanks for the memories (the comebacks, the playoff win in the Superdome, the dorkiness) and for helping expose just how stupid so many fans really are. I liked that.