NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Alvin Kamara expects to be fined for wearing a pair of Christmas-themed boots that, in the end, would also be worthy of a display in the Hall of Fame.
With a red shoe on his right foot and a green shoe on his left, Kamara tied an NFL record set in 1929 by running for six touchdowns in one game. He finished 155 yards, his career record, to help the New Orleans Saints win the Minnesota Vikings 52-33 on Friday and win their fourth consecutive NFC South title.
“It’s good to have one of those days, just for the team,” said Kamara, giving credit to the Saints offensive line.
“I’m not focused on personal goals, yards and the like,” continued Kamara. “As long as the team is successful, personal success will come.”
That personal success came throughout the season for Kamara, who during the training camp signed a five-year contract worth up to $ 75 million. He has since set franchise records for rushed touchdowns in a season with 16 and total touchdowns with 21.
A possible fine would come for wearing shoes that did not comply with uniform NFL codes.
“If they fine me, whatever it is, I will just match and donate to charities,” he said. “You know, Grinch always tries to steal Christmas.”
Kamara slipped in some tackle attempts and then ran into the open area for a 40-yard touchdown on the first stroke of the game. He added scoring runs of 1, 5, 6, 7 and 3 yards against a defensive Minnesota front, hard hit by injuries, and matched the achievement of defender Ernie Nevers in the Hall of Fame.
“It was incredible,” said Saints quarterback Drew Brees. “Six touchdowns for a running back are just amazing.”
Minnesota (6-9) was eliminated from the playoff contest, allowing most points for any Vikings team since 1963, the third season of the NFL franchise. The Vikings also allowed the most yards in a game, with 583. The Saints (11-4) never punted.
“They just crushed us up front,” said Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, calling his defense “the worst I’ve ever had” as a coach. “We couldn’t slow them down. It would be an 8 yard gain, 7 yard gain. “
Saints coach Sean Payton said it looked like a Canadian Football League game, with many first-fall conversions before New Orleans came in third. Santos could have won by a larger margin had it not been for two interceptions by Drew Brees, one in a pass that deflected the hands of receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
Brees completed 19 of 26 shots from 311 yards in his second game after injuries to his ribs and lungs that kept him off the pitch for four games.
Sanders had four receptions for 83 yards, while tight end Jared Cook took three passes for 82 yards. New Orleans’ 264 race yards were the most scored by a Vikings opponent in Zimmer’s seven seasons.
New Orleans native Irv Smith Jr. had two touchdown passes in the third quarter for the Vikings, with the second placing Minnesota at 31-27. But the Saints responded with two short Kamara touchdowns and one from the versatile Taysom Hill in the fourth period to put the game out of reach.
Kirk Cousins passed 283 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings, who never led and lost forever after Kamara’s second touchdown in the first quarter.
The Saints players celebrated Kamara’s last touchdown by pretending to make snow angels on the lawn of the Superdome, which pivot Erik McCoy planned during the final race as something to do with the Christmas theme.
Payton, who spent part of his youth in the Chicago area, was thinking about Gale Sayers’ six touchdown game (four races, two receiving) against San Francisco in 1965, when he called the move that led to Kamara’s final score with little less than two minutes to go.
“I would say that most of these players have no idea how good Gale Sayers was,” said Payton, adding that Kamara’s total touchdowns “were big business. He played fantastically. “
The Saints will visit the Carolina Panthers on January 3, the last Sunday of the regular season, while Minnesota will visit the Detroit Lions.