Five extra points: Two Jared Allen tributes, a rare TD and missing kicks doesn't matter

1. Allen: 'Thanks, Za'Darius. He had a great game'

Jared Allen, who joined the Vikings Ring of Honor at halftime of the team's 34-26 victory over Arizona on Sunday, didn't have to wait that long for the tribute that Za'Darius Smith promised him when they spoke Tuesday. After the first of his three sacks ended the first quarter, Smith dropped to one knee in the backfield and executed his version of Allen's famous calf-roping celebration. "I showed him how to do it on Tuesday because he said he was going to do it," Allen said. "What a great game he had." Smith, who has 8½ sacks on the season, left the game briefly late in the second quarter because of a left leg injury he first hurt against the Lions, but returned with an Allen-like force while also notching seven solo tackles, four tackles for loss and a pass defense. "Glad I was able to hit the celebration for him," Smith said.

2. G-Money losing nickname amid Purple win streak

The strangest part of the Vikings' 6-1 start? Easy. The kicker-tortured franchise keeps missing kicks, and it doesn't matter. Greg Joseph, "G-Money" as they call him, has become anything but. He missed twice more against the Cardinals. "They felt good coming off the foot," Joseph said of a 56-yarder that was blocked as the first half ended and yet another late PAT doink off the upright to keep it a one-score game. Joseph has made one of four field goals with two blocks the past three games. He's also missed three PATs in four games. "I'm extremely happy with the team win," Joseph said, "but ticked off at myself for not being as good as I know I can be." A Vikings kicker making 64.3% of his field goals (nine of 14) lamenting two more misses, and only one reporter was at his locker. Weird, indeed.

3. Mundt sells the run, buys his first TD in six seasons

Johnny Mundt, the noted blocking tight end making his sixth start of the season, didn't have a hard time selling run before catching the first touchdown of his six-year, 54-game career. "That's the marriage of the run and pass right there," said Mundt, whose only catch was a 1-yard score to give the Vikings a 14-3 lead. The nine-play, 83-yard drive featured five runs for 50 yards by running backs Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison. In other words, the Cardinals certainly weren't keying on Mundt at the goal line. "It's a matter of coming off hard, letting the defensive end feel my presence for the run and then just a little slip out the back," Mundt said. "Kirk [Cousins] did a great job placing it away from any of the interior secondary coverage." Mundt has 12 catches for 76 yards, already career highs by eight catches and 23 yards.

4. Mattison will run through anybody, and did

Mattison weighs 215 pounds. He plays much bigger when defenders get in his way, especially near the goal line, which he showed on a go-ahead 7-yard run in the third quarter. "Honestly, it doesn't matter who it was in front of me because they weren't going to tackle me," Mattison said. Ben Neimann, a 235-pound linebacker was the first to try. "As soon as I saw him step out in front of me, I knew I was going to go right through him," Mattison said. Jalen Thompson, a safety, threw another 190 pounds at Mattison. "I saw him, too, but at that point, you smell blood, and you see the end zone," Mattison said. "You see the purple paint of the end zone and it's my will against their will. My will wins." Mattison averaged 8.0 yards on five carries, including a bruising 15-yarder into the red zone.

5. Flagfest features taunting by Bradbury on weird drive

It was obvious early on the Vikings running attack couldn't be stopped. At least not by the Cardinals. A 30-yard run by Dalvin Cook that could have been a 66-yard touchdown with one outside cut became only a 15-yard gain when center Garrett Bradbury was flagged for taunting as he stood over safety Budda Baker. That drive ended on downs when coach Kevin O'Connell got pass-happy and Cousins threw deep instead of taking an open running lane on fourth-and-2. The Vikings had season highs in penalties (10) and penalty yards (86). They had two more penalties for 20 yards declined and one unnecessary roughness penalty that was offsetting. Patrick Peterson had two penalties for 27 yards. Both were questionable calls for horse-collar tackle for no gain on the first snap and pass interference late in the game.