Sam Darnold felt the pressure from behind with Minnesota trailing by four points late in the fourth quarter in Seattle, so he moved to a safe spot in the pocket and did exactly what the Vikings wanted him to do in the game would expect on the line.

He threw the ball across the field to Justin Jefferson.

The perfectly placed throw near the sideline beat double coverage for a 39-yard touchdown that put the Vikings back in the lead with 3:51 left in a 27-24 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday.

“It was a great decision,” said Jefferson, who caught 10 balls for 144 yards and two scores, a season high. “I won’t say too much about that play, but something happened that me and Sam agreed on and he found me and we went up.”

The Vikings were understandably cautious about the context surrounding the go-ahead touchdown, when Darnold made a difficult running pass just over cornerback Tariq Woolen, which Jefferson deftly turned to catch near his back hip to shield the ball late could-break safety Julian Love.

Darnold saw Love’s shoulders initially shade inward just enough to believe he couldn’t retreat quickly enough to prevent Jefferson from getting the ball. Jefferson also used some improvisation in his route, which Darnold was able to interpret clearly and correctly throughout the piece.

“I want these guys to have some freedom in these moments,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We do a lot of things with Justin and Sam, looking at coverage and then providing some route options to get to the line of scrimmage, and I think those guys have just gotten so comfortable with those things.”

Darnold’s long-delayed breakout performance under O’Connell was one of the NFL’s stories this season, one that wouldn’t have unfolded as well without such synergy between him and its superstar wide receiver for the third overall pick in the 2018 draft.

If the Vikings (13-2) win their final two games, they will not only become NFC North champions for the second time in three years, but they will also receive the No. 1 seed and the NFC’s only first-round bye to the playoffs.

“Every single game we find new ways to overcome adversity and overcome the different things the defense has thrown at us,” Jefferson said. “Sam has done a great job as a leader.”

What works

The pass rush was strong, with Andrew Van Ginkel recording two sacks and the pressure led to both interceptions by Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. The Vikings were credited with eight hits on Smith.

What needs help

The Vikings converted just three of 12 third downs, their second-worst rate of the season.

Stock up

Theo Jackson, who spent significant playing time at safety during Harrison Smith’s exit, made the game-winning interception with 49 seconds left.

Inventory reduced

Tight end Josh Oliver has played 47% of snaps in the last two games, his two lowest usage rates of the season. He dropped the only pass thrown his way on Sunday.

Injury report

The defense should get a big boost this week with the expected return of 13-year veteran Smith after his first absence in two years, when he was sidelined by a foot injury in Seattle. Linebacker Ivan Pace, who missed four games on injured reserve with a hamstring strain, is also on track to return to practice.

Backup defensive lineman Jalen Redmond, who did not play against the Seahawks because of a concussion, has made progress in implementing the protocol, O’Connell said. Backup cornerback Fabian Moreau, who was inactive in Seattle with a hip injury, will continue to be evaluated throughout the week.

Key number

13.6% – This is the Vikings’ third-down conversion rate over the last two games, with Chicago and Seattle combining to go just 3-for-22. The Vikings rank second in the NFL in third-down defense at 33.7% this season and are also tied for second at 36.7%.

Next

The Vikings host Green Bay on Sunday, with kickoff moved to the late afternoon showcase spot on Fox. If Minnesota loses to the Packers, the Lions will win the NFC North and the Vikings would open the playoffs on the road as a No. 5 seed at best. Even if the Lions lost in San Francisco on Monday night, the Vikings would have to win in Detroit on January 5 to clinch the division title.