Kamara ties NFL record as Saints beat Vikings

NEW ORLEANS – Alvin Kamara tied an NFL record by running for six touchdowns in a game and finished with a career-high 155 yards rushing to help New Orleans beat the Minnesota Vikings 52-33 on Friday and clinch a fourth straight NFC South title.

Wearing different colored shoes – one red and one green on Christmas Day – Kamara sprinted for a 40-yard touchdown on the game’s opening drive. He added scoring runs of 1, 5, 6, 7 and 3 yards against a Minnesota defensive front hit hard by injuries.

Kamara equaled a record set by Hall of Fame fullback Ernie Nevers in 1929 for the Chicago Cardinals.

Minnesota (6-9) was eliminated from playoff contention while allowing the most points by any Vikings team since 1963.

The Saints (11-4) never punted, and set a record of yards gained in a game by a Vikings opponent with 583. They might have won by a greater margin if not for a pair interceptions of Drew Brees, one of them on a pass that deflected off receiver Emmanuel Sanders’ hands.

Brees completed 19 of 26 throws for 311 yards in his second game back from rib and lung injuries that had sidelined him for four games.

Sanders had four catches for 83 yards, while tight end Jared Cook caught three passes for 82 yards. New Orleans’ 264 yards rushing were the most by a Vikings opponent in head coach Mike Zimmer’s seven seasons.

New Orleans native Irv Smith Jr. caught a pair of touchdown passes in the third quarter for the Vikings, the second pulling Minnesota to 31-27. But the Saints responded with two short touchdown runs by Kamara and one by reserve QB Taysom Hill in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

AP Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) hugs quarterback Drew Brees (9) after scoring his sixth touchdown of the game, tying the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns in a game, against the Vikings in New Orleans on Friday. Brees also set an NFL record as the first player to ever reach 80,000 yards passing.