Moon Celebrates Birthday With Four Scores

Still awesome after all these years.

Warren Moon turned 39 on Saturday, and then turned in one of the best performances of his 12-year NFL career on Sunday. He threw for 338 yards and four touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints, 43-24, for their third victory in a row.

Throwing with pinpoint accuracy and dodging pressure like a man 10 years younger, Moon completed 25 of 32 passes before leaving midway through the third quarter.

He led the Vikings (6-5) on scoring drives all seven times he got the ball against a defense that had given up fewer than 20 points in each of the last four games.

The Vikings also scored on their first possession without Moon before finally turning the ball over on downs with 2:39 left at the New Orleans 34. The victory moved Minnesota into a three-way tie for second in the NFC Central, one game behind Green Bay.

New Orleans (4-7) had won three in a row and four of five before Sunday, but the Saints were no match for Moon, who extended his career-best string of passes without an interception to 167.

Minnesota led, 43-10, before Jim Everett threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. Everett, who became the 18th NFL quarterback to throw for more than 30,000 yards, finished 25 for 37 for 335 yards.

His favorite target was Quinn Early, who set career highs with nine catches and 150 yards.

Moon threw two touchdown passes of 15 and 20 yards to Chris Carter, who finished with 12 catches for 137 yards. Moon also completed a 77-yard touchdown pass to Qadry Ismail, who finished with five catches for 142 yards.

Moon, who threw for four touchdowns at Arizona last week, never had thrown for four scores in consecutive games.