Atlanta Falcons vs Minnesota Vikings Match Player Stats (Dec 08, 2024)
You might think that whoever gains more yards wins the football game. Not so fast. The Atlanta Falcons vs Minnesota Vikings match player stats from December 8, 2024, flip that script completely.
Minnesota thumped Atlanta 42-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium despite being outgained by 63 yards. The Vikings jumped to 11-2 on the season while the free-falling Falcons dropped their fourth straight to sink to 6-7.
This win gave Minnesota their 30th victory in 41 all-time meetings with Atlanta dating back to 1966. Some things never change.
Table of Contents
Tale of the (Deceptive) Tape
Just looking at the yardage totals, you’d think Atlanta won this game. The actual stats paint a different picture:
Team Performance Metrics
| Key Stat | Atlanta Falcons | Minnesota Vikings |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 21 | 42 |
| Total Yards | 496 | 433 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| Red Zone TD % | 40% (2/5) | 100% (4/4) |
| Penalties | 12 for 127 yards | 6 for 35 yards |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 53.8% (7/13) | 66.7% (8/12) |
The Falcons crossed midfield on all nine possessions according to CBS Sports, but kept shooting themselves in the foot. Three turnovers and a putrid 40% red zone conversion rate simply won’t cut it in the NFL.
Minnesota, meanwhile, punched in touchdowns on all four red zone trips. When they got close, they finished. Period.
Darnold Dazzles, Cousins Crumbles
Sam Darnold picked the perfect day for a career performance. Kirk Cousins? Not so much in his return to Minnesota.
Quarterback Performance
| QB | Comp/Att | Yards | TDs | INTs | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Darnold | 22/28 (78.6%) | 347 | 5 | 0 | 157.9 |
| Kirk Cousins | 23/37 (62.2%) | 344 | 0 | 2 | 70.1 |
Darnold was nothing short of brilliant. He hit on 4 of 6 deep balls for 163 yards and 2 scores, carving up the Falcons secondary all afternoon. His five touchdown passes set a personal best and had Viking fans forgetting all about their former quarterback.
Speaking of Cousins, his Minnesota homecoming was a disaster. Sure, he racked up 344 yards, but he couldn’t find the end zone once and tossed two killers that pushed his season total to an NFL-worst 15 picks. Not exactly what Atlanta paid for when they lured him away from the Vikings after the 2022 season.
Jefferson and Addison Put on a Show
The Vikings receiving duo might as well have been playing a different sport than everyone else:
Vikings Receiving Corps
| Player | Catches | Yards | Avg | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Addison | 8 | 133 | 16.6 | 3 | 49 |
| Justin Jefferson | 7 | 132 | 18.9 | 2 | 52 |
| T.J. Hockenson | 4 | 45 | 11.3 | 0 | 18 |
For the first time ever, two Vikings receivers each topped 100 yards with multiple TD catches in the same game. Jefferson snagged everything thrown his way, while Addison found the end zone three separate times.
The Falcons secondary had absolutely no answers. Atlanta tried everything – press coverage, zone looks, safety help – and still got torched on deep balls and intermediate routes alike.
This dynamic duo wasn’t done either. Two weeks later in their Week 16 beatdown of the Los Angeles Rams, they’d pick up right where they left off.
Falcons Receivers: All Yards, No Points
Atlanta’s pass-catchers put up solid numbers that ultimately meant nothing:
Falcons Receiving Corps
| Player | Catches | Yards | Avg | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darnell Mooney | 6 | 142 | 23.7 | 0 | 49 |
| Ray-Ray McCloud | 8 | 98 | 12.3 | 0 | 27 |
| Drake London | 5 | 70 | 14.0 | 0 | 20 |
| Kyle Pitts | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 |
Mooney led all receivers with 142 yards but couldn’t find paydirt. More puzzling was Kyle Pitts catching just one ball on six targets. That’s your Pro Bowl tight end? The Cousins-to-Pitts connection remained a season-long mystery that the Falcons coaching staff couldn’t solve.
Ground Game: Atlanta’s Silver Lining
On the ground, Atlanta actually showed some juice:
Rushing Performance
| Player | Carries | Yards | Avg | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson ATL | 22 | 92 | 4.2 | 1 | 13 |
| Tyler Allgeier ATL | 9 | 63 | 7.0 | 1 | 25 |
| Aaron Jones MIN | 13 | 73 | 5.6 | 1 | 15 |
| Cam Akers MIN | 5 | 37 | 7.4 | 0 | 25 |
Rookie Bijan Robinson kept plugging away against a stout Vikings front, grinding out 92 yards on 22 carries. Allgeier added some pop with a 25-yard burst among his 9 attempts.
Together they scored Atlanta’s only touchdowns of the day – the one bright spot for a Falcons offense that moved the ball between the 20s but stalled when it mattered most.
Defense: Vikings Bend But Don’t Break
The defensive stats show how the Vikings made plays when they counted:
Defensive Impact
| Player | Team | Tackles | Sacks | INTs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaden Elliss | ATL | 10 | 1.0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | ATL | 9 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Blake Cashman | MIN | 7 | 0.0 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | MIN | 7 | 0.0 | 1 |
| Byron Murphy | MIN | 3 | 0.0 | 1 |
Atlanta actually got after Darnold with four sacks, but they couldn’t take the ball away once. Kaden Elliss was all over the field with 10 tackles and a sack, while Jessie Bates added 9 stops.
The Vikings defense gave up yards but made the plays that changed the game. Metellus and Murphy each picked off Cousins, with Murphy’s interception near the goal line crushing Atlanta’s last real hope.
The Falcons’ own website didn’t sugarcoat the defensive issues. Safety Jessie Bates admitted on Atlanta’s post-game report: “There are no excuses to those deep balls. You gotta get better.”
Those coverage problems would haunt Atlanta again three weeks later in their Week 17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, when another potent passing attack carved them up.
Game-Changing Moments
Four key plays turned a tight contest into a blowout:
1. Street’s Costly Flag: Falcons DL Kentavious Street got flagged for holding on a Vikings field goal try. Instead of three points, Minnesota got a fresh set of downs and scored a touchdown. Brutal.
2. McCloud’s Fumbled Kickoff: After the Vikings took a 28-21 lead, Ray-Ray McCloud coughed up the ensuing kickoff at his own 32. Seven plays later, Minnesota was back in the end zone.
3. Murphy’s Clutch Pick: With Atlanta trying to rally from down 35-21, Byron Murphy intercepted Cousins near the goal line with just over six minutes left. Game over.
4. Fourth Quarter Collapse: Minnesota outscored Atlanta 21-0 in the final quarter. The Vikings found another gear when it mattered, while the Falcons simply wilted.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris didn’t mince words in his post-game comments: “We gave up big play after big play today.” No argument there, coach.
What It Means
For the Vikings, this win cemented their status as serious NFC contenders at 11-2. Darnold silenced his doubters with his best game as a pro, while Minnesota’s receiving corps proved they belonged in the conversation for NFL’s best.
For Atlanta, dropping to 6-7 after four straight losses was a killer. This game exposed all their flaws – red zone struggles, turnovers, defensive lapses – that would continue to plague them down the stretch.
This outcome also continued a trend in the Vikings-Falcons rivalry. Since 2010, Minnesota has now taken 7 of 9 meetings, with quarterback play typically making the difference.
FAQs: Falcons-Vikings Breakdown
How many touchdowns did Darnold throw against Atlanta?
Darnold torched the Falcons for 5 touchdown passes – 3 to Addison and 2 to Jefferson. Career day for the Vikings QB.
Who gained the most receiving yards in the game?
Darnell Mooney topped all receivers with 142 yards for Atlanta, though he didn’t score. Jefferson (132) and Addison (133) both topped 100 yards for Minnesota.
Why did Atlanta lose despite outgaining Minnesota?
Three reasons: turnovers (3-0), red zone failures (40% vs 100%), and penalties (12 for 127 yards). Yards don’t win games, points do.
How did Cousins perform in his return to Minnesota?
Rough day at the office. Cousins threw for 344 yards but had zero TDs, two picks, and a 70.1 passer rating against his former team.
Did Minnesota set any records in this game?
Yes – Jefferson (132 yards, 2 TDs) and Addison (133 yards, 3 TDs) became the first Vikings receiving duo to each top 100 yards with multiple TDs in a game.
Which penalties hurt Atlanta most?
The defensive holding call against Kentavious Street was killer. It wiped out a Vikings field goal attempt and led to a touchdown instead – a 4-point swing.
What was the turning point of the game?
McCloud’s fumbled kickoff return after Minnesota took a 28-21 lead. The Vikings scored again seven plays later to go up 35-21, and Atlanta never recovered.
How did Kyle Pitts perform against the Vikings?
Just one catch for 14 yards on six targets. Whatever chemistry issues existed between Cousins and Pitts, they were on full display in this game.
The Atlanta Falcons vs Minnesota Vikings match player stats from this Week 14 showdown remind us why we actually play the games. All the yards in the world don’t matter if you can’t finish drives, protect the football, and make stops when they count. Minnesota did all three, and that’s why they walked away with a decisive victory.
