The Kamara that stole Christmas: Saints RB ends Vikings' playoff hopes
The Minnesota Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention on Christmas Day as Alvin Kamara led the New Orleans Saints to a 52-33 victory in the Superdome on Friday night.
Kamara played the Grinch to the Vikings' playoff hopes scoring six touchdowns against Minnesota's porous defense. Kamara helped the Saints strike on the opening drive with a 40-yard touchdown that put the Vikings down 7-0.
The Vikings had an answer with their own star running back as Dalvin Cook tied the game with a 15-yard touchdown on the second drive of the game.
But Mike Zimmer had no answer for Kamara, who put the Saints back on top with a one-yard touchdown at the end of the first quarter. After Wil Lutz extended the lead with a 30-yard field goal, the Vikings chipped into the lead with a four-yard rushing touchdown from Mike Boone.
On the following possession, Kamara scored for the third time in the first half with a five-yard touchdown to go up 24-14 at halftime. The Vikings chipped into the lead again with a two-yard touchdown from Kirk Cousins to Irv Smith Jr., but Dan Bailey missed the extra point to make it a 24-20 game.
But every time the Vikings were within striking distance, Kamara returned to the end zone. Kamara's fourth touchdown of the day was a six-yard run and put New Orleans up 31-20.
After Smith's second touchdown of the day, a four-yard pass from Cousins, Kamara scored his fifth touchdown with a seven-yard run and effectively put the game away.
Taysom Hill extended the lead with a touchdown of his own before Adam Thielen added a garbage-time score for the Vikings. With Minnesota out of the game, Kamara added his sixth touchdown, tying an NFL record set by Ernie Nevers in 1929.
At 6-9, the Vikings have been eliminated from playoff contention and will wrap up their season at Detroit next week.
