MINNEAPOLIS — After his first game in Purple, kicker Kai Forbath liked what he saw.
Forbath, who was signed Wednesday, said he was impressed with his new team after the Vikings earned a 30-24 win over Arizona on Sunday.
"I'm thankful for the opportunity (to be here)," Forbath said. "This team has the potential to do great things, and clearly we saw it today."
Forbath and fellow special teamer Jeff Locke each played key roles in helping the Vikings win for the first time since Oct. 9.
Forbath drilled a 27-yard field goal and converted on three of four extra points, accounting for the difference in the game with his leg.
The 29-year-old joined Washington as a free agent in Week 6 of the 2012 season and promptly made the first 17 field goals of his career.
Forbath said his nerves calmed down once he made his first extra point, which came less than five minutes into the game after Adam Thielen hauled in a 16-yard touchdown catch.
"You do what you've been doing," Forbath said. "It's the same kick no matter what the situation is. You just try to do everything the same.
"After the first one," he added, "you get your feet wet out there, and you can relax after that."
Locke, who was teammates with Forbath at UCLA from 2008-2010, said Forbath displayed the same demeanor he usually does.
"I thought Kai had a really good game," Locke said. "Luckily, Kai has done this before, he's come in and replaced people in the past. It was just little things like showing him where things are in the facility and odds and ends of what we do on special teams. But other than that, he was rolling like he always does.
"Kai is kind of a guy who takes it real easy and laidback," he added. "That's how he kicks his best, so he seemed really comfortable back there. When I looked back when I was holding for him, I saw he was relaxed, and that told me he was ready."
Locke didn't help Minnesota get on the scoreboard Sunday, but he played a crucial role in helping keep the Cardinals off it.
The fourth-year punter had four punts with an average of 56.3 yards, and a net average of 47.3 yards. He had two punts that landed inside the 20-yard line, boosting his 2016 total to a career-high 25.
Locke's biggest moment came with a little over two minutes left as he uncorked a career-long, 72-yard punt that pinned Arizona deep it its own territory.
With the Vikings clinging to a six-point lead and facing fourth-down at their own 15-yard line, Locke booted a ball roughly 50 yards in the air that took a big bounce and rolled 20-plus yards.
"I kind of equate it to golf," Locke said. "You hit it so flush, and it kind of flies. It was one of those right on the sweet spot.
"I wanted to try and hit it my direction I'm going and try to go hang time first," he added. "Even though it went 72 (yards), the hang time was there to let my guys get down in his face. That's always the key."
Locke's teammates had a laugh at the punter's reaction as he sprinted down the field and delivered a monstrous celebratory fist pump.
"I was jacked," Locke said. "I'll credit Tiger (Woods) on that one."
Added Forbath: "I gave him a big high-five and was laughing with him about his fist pump."
Professional teammates for only a few days, the former college teammates each played a key role in helping the Vikings improve to 6-4.
"The stadium was amazing, teammates have been great so far," Forbath said. "But we got a win today and that's the best way to come in."
