A Christmas Story: An Alvin Kamara Masterclass

By: H. Janér

It was a cosy and cloudy Friday in New Orleans. The Minnesota Vikings took on the New Orleans Saints in one of the yearly NFL Christmas games, a feisty matchup as the Vikings had eliminated the Saints 2 years earlier in the playoffs, on one of the greatest playoff endings in history called the Minneapolis Miracle.  
Alvin Kamara, the Saints’ star and NFC’s Pro Bowl started running back, was feeling the festivity, as he showed up to the game wearing two custom Christmas cleats, a sign of what was to come.  
Two minutes into the game, Kamara breaks a 40-yard run to put the Saints up a touchdown. He scores once again 7 minutes later, breaking the tie at 14-7 Saints. In the blink of an eye, Kamara had 4 touchdowns heading into the fourth quarter, and the Saints let 31-27. Kamara went on to score two more touchdowns, including one with 1:50 remaining in the game, to total 6 touchdowns. Coming into the game, Kamara had never rushed for over 135 yards, and he easily broke this mark, reaching 155 yards in the game. 
Kamara equalled Ernie Nevers’ 1929 rushing touchdowns record, reaching 6 in a game and setting a mark in history. This was also the Saints’ greatest rushing performance ever, and one of their highest scoring games. 
It is fair to say Alvin Kamara ruined Minnesota’s Christmas.