PFF player grades from Vikings comeback win over Cardinals

Thanks to a late rally, the Minnesota Vikings earned a comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, moving the Purple and Gold to 10-2 on the season.

The latest resilient effort keeps Minnesota just a game behind Detroit for the division lead.

Next up, the Vikings will host Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. First, though, let’s look at the best and worst g rades from Sunday’s win over Arizona, courtesy of Pro Football Focus. For reference, a grade of 60.0 is considered average while those in the 30s are very poor and those in the 90s are elite.

Offense

• WR Justin Jefferson — 78.3
• QB Sam Darnold — 77.6
• RB Cam Akers — 76.9
• RG Dalton Risner — 69.9
• LT Cam Robinson — 68.8
• TE Johnny Mundt — 68.0
• WR Jordan Addison — 65.2
• TE T.J. Hockenson — 64.6
• RT Brian O ’Neill — 61.1
• WR Jalen Nailor — 60.8
• C Garrett Bradbury — 60.8

Meanwhile, the lowest-graded players on offense were RB Aaron Jones (41.5), FB C.J. Ham (42.2) and LG Blake Brandel (49.2). Jones fumbled twice, which got him benched a good portion of the game, and Brandel again gave up multiple pressures and had some struggles in the run game.

Darnold was fantastic again late, going 12-of-17 for 156 yards and two touchdowns after Arizona went up 19-6, including 5-of-7 for 57 yards and a touchdown on the final, go-ahead drive. Jefferson bounced back from a quiet day in Chicago with seven catches for a game-high 99 yards and Akers, despite only four carries, was efficient during his time.

Defense

• DT Jalen Redmond — 91.1
• CB Shaquill Griffin — 84.7
• LB Blake Cashman — 80.9
• CB Stephon Gilmore — 79.9
• ED Andrew Van Ginkel — 76.5
• DL Jonathan Bullard — 73.8
• CB Byron Murphy Jr. — 73.3
• DT Harrison Phillips — 70.4
• S Camryn Bynum — 66.0

The lowest-graded Vikings defenders were LB Kamu Grugier-Hill (38.3), CB Fabian Moreau (40.6) and ED Greenard (42.6). Moreau got picked on after Gilmore left due to injury but Greenard's is a little surprising, as he led Minnesota with five pressures and was huge down the stretch, although he did miss two tackles.

Cashman was all over the place, tallying a game-high nine tackles, Murphy and Griffin had key interceptions in the second half, and Redmond was a beast in his 15 snaps, earning himself a game ball.

The unit will now try to flummox old friend Cousins, who threw four interceptions on Sunday.