MINNEAPOLIS — Sam Darnold threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, and the Minnesota Vikings pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 on Sunday for their sixth straight victory.

Darnold added another highlight to his brilliant first season in Minnesota following the departure of Cousins in free agency to Atlanta with a 22-for-28 performance and no turnover-worthy plays.

Darnold passed for 250 yards after halftime to help the Vikings (11-2) break a 21-all tie early in the fourth quarter and stay one game behind NFC North-leading Detroit. Jordan Addison had eight catches for 133 yards and three scores and Justin Jefferson racked up seven receptions for 132 yards and two TDs after going the past six games without scoring.

Cousins threw two more interceptions without a touchdown in his return to Minnesota, where he was greeted by loud boos and left with Atlanta’s fourth consecutive loss to tumble out of first place in the NFC South.

Cousins has eight interceptions and no passing scores for the Falcons (6-7) over their four-game losing streak.

Cousins went 23 for 37 for 344 yards for the Falcons, who crossed midfield on all nine of their possessions. He overthrew Ray-Ray McCloud III on fourth down in the first quarter, and the Falcons settled for short field goals just before and right after halftime to negate their 496 yards of total offense.

Their fate was sealed when McCloud fumbled the kickoff after the Vikings went 70 yards in six plays for the go-ahead touchdown pass to Addison, giving Darnold the ball at the 32 to go get another score to Addison.