Just last season, Minnesota Vikings coaches gave Xavier Rhodes boxing gloves to wear during drills in practice.

The idea was having Rhodes better learn how to effectively play cornerback without risking penalties for grabbing at the receiver.

Opponents aren’t winning many rounds with Rhodes these days.

Rhodes picked off Carson Palmer twice, including a 100-yard touchdown return that was the longest in team history, and helped lead the Vikings to a 30-24 victory over Arizona on Sunday that stopped their four-game losing streak. The fourth-year player, drafted by the Vikings in the first round out of Florida State with the selection they received from Seattle in the trade for wide receiver Percy Harvin, is tied for fourth in the NFL with four interceptions.

“Those are huge splash plays that everybody notices, but he’s tackling, doing everything right,” free safety Harrison Smith said. “He’s playing lights out.”

The performance was prolific enough to trigger an NFL Network interview with Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Fame member and most famous of the many cornerbacks Florida State has produced. Sanders, who became well known for his flamboyance, teased Rhodes for not adding any flair to the end of his return.

Though he plays with plenty of fire, Rhodes isn’t much for show. He was too exhausted for a celebration by the time he reached the end zone for the first time since high school, so much so that he requested an oxygen mask on the sideline to help recover.