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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- In most cases, the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings would take a strong look at their Week 1 matchup as they prepare for Sunday's NFC playoff game.

 

In this case, what happened in that Sept. 11 opener is indicative of the teams meeting in Minnesota for the second time this year.

 

Both teams underwent significant changes since the Vikings' 29-19 victory.

 

Minnesota quarterback Sam Bradford completed 27-of-32 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the first meeting, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Bradford played only a single half the rest of the season as Case Keenum replaced the injured Bradford and put himself in MVP consideration.

 

New Orleans jettisoned former Vikings running back Adrian Peterson after a miserable four-game run and thrived with Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara, becoming one of the league's most dangerous running back duos. The Saints' defense also started to find its way.

 

"They're a different team than they were Week 1, but so are we," said Minnesota tight end Kyle Rudolph, who scored a touchdown in the first game. "Everyone in the NFL is trying to find their identity early on. They're different from a personnel standpoint and they're also different from a team, like us, who has found their identity."

 

The teams found their identity but had plenty of personnel changes along the way. The Vikings' defense is healthy, but Keenum has taken hold of the starting quarterback spot and rookie running back Dalvin Cook, who ran for 127 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting, has been out since Week 4 because of a torn ACL.

 

"There are some similarities in regards to scheme, but I think when you go through a course of an NFL season and you look at the attrition that takes place, there are eight or nine of our starters that are playing in that game that aren't playing in this game, and I'm sure the same exists for Minnesota," New Orleans coach Sean Payton told reporters this week, according to the team's website. "And you begin to take shape as the season progresses to who you become and I think both teams have done that."

 

In the Saints' case, they altered their offensive identity to rely on Ingram and Kamara. New Orleans ranked fifth in the league in rushing this season as Ingram ran for a career-high 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. Kamara led the league with 6.1 yards per carry as the Saints had an NFC-best 4.7 yards per carry as a team.

 

Peterson had six carries for 18 yards in the first meeting in Minnesota. With the carries being split three ways, Ingram had six carries and Kamara touched the ball 11 times on offense.

 

"They got a little bit of everything," Vikings defensive end Brian Robison said. "Ingram's more of a downhill runner. Kamara is definitely a guy that can bounce to the outside. He's got speed to hit the edge and they're both really good in the screen game."

 

The Vikings were second in the league in run defense, allowing 83.6 yards per game. They've held two of their past three opponents to fewer than 46 yards.

 

Selling out to stop the run isn't a solid strategy either. In last week's win against Carolina, the Saints ran 22 times for 41 yards as the Panthers dared New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees to beat them.

 

Brees had 376 passing yards and two touchdowns, and receivers Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn each had more than 100 yards receiving against the Panthers.

 

"We've been telling y'all all year, man, don't sleep on Drew," Ingram told the New Orleans Times Picayune. "And if you're going to stack the box and try and stop the run and take us out the game, he's going to hurt you. We've been telling you he's the best quarterback in the league and he's still Drew Brees. He proved that (Sunday)."

 

Perhaps the biggest change for the Saints has been the development of the defense. After allowing 470 total yards to Minnesota in Week 1, New Orleans gave up 555 to New England the following week. Slowly, communication improved on the back end combined with the play of rookie Marcus Lattimore and Ken Crawley at cornerback.

 

The Saints were third in the NFL and first in the NFC with 20 interceptions in the regular season. Lattimore led the team with five.

 

"He's a good player," Vikings Pro Bowl receiver Adam Thielen said of Lattimore. "He's physical. He can run with anybody. He's playing with a lot of confidence right now. He's got great ball skills. He's pretty much got everything you need to be a really good corner in this league."

 

New Orleans also pressures the passer. Cameron Jordan tied Minnesota's Everson Griffen for fourth in the league with 13 sacks. As a team, the Saints' 42 sacks were tied for seventh in the NFL.

 

Like Brees, Keenum didn't make mistakes once replacing Bradford. He threw seven interceptions, one fewer than Brees, and the Vikings allowed the seventh-fewest sacks in the league behind a patchwork offensive line.

 

"He is playing well," Payton told the team's website of Keenum. "You can see him getting the ball to a lot of different guys. These guys, I think, have done a great job on offense. I think they are playing a game really that suits both sides of the ball."

 

Minnesota should head into Sunday healthy, including the return of rookie center Pat Elflein from a shoulder injury.

 

New Orleans is battered. Left guard Andrus Peat and defensive tackle Tony McDaniel were placed on injured reserve this week. Receiver Brandon Coleman also missed Wednesday's practice with a neck injury. Tight end Michael Hoomanawanui (back), left tackle Terron Armstead (thigh), defensive end Trey Hendrickson (ankle), defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (ankle) cornerback P.J. Williams (ankle), Jordan (knee) and defensive tackle David Onyemata (thumb) were limited in the week's first practice.

 

 

 

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Can't believe we're getting the super bowl this early in january. I'm still waiting for Case to choke like he was supposed to, but if he doesn't, I think the Vikings have the edge.

 

:Saints: 24

:Vikings: 20

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Vikings are the better team just like the last time these two met in the playoffs. Doesn't mean the Saints can't win like they did last time. But I am hoping to see some killer instinct in the Vikings.

Vikings - 34

Saints - 31

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The Vikings literally have to fuck up to lose. They cannot bring their A game and lose. It will not happen if they show up to play.

The Vikings A game:

-contains Ingram and Kamara

-makes Michael Thomas all but disappear

-doesn't run all over the opponent, but eclipses 100 yards and picks up important yardage

-involves Adam Thielen eviscerating the opposing secondary

-great special teams

 

=a Vikings win.

 

That being said, I know better than to assume such things, and of course I'm a pessimist thinking the Vikings will find a way to lose.

 

:Saints: 20

:Vikings: 16

Edited by BwareDWare94

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Vikings have the better defense but the Saints have the better QB and running game and their defense is capable of stopping the Vikings offense. Not sure why you guys are so convinced the Vikings are the better team. This should be a good game but I just trust Drew Brees a lot more than I do Keenum.

 

:Saints: 23

:Vikings: 16

 

Saints pull away in the 4th

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The Saints pass coverage struggled against relative no names against Carolina in New Orleans. What are they going to make of Thielen, Diggs, Rudolph, and McKinnon in Minnesota? Hell, Michael Floyd could have a good game if he was forced into snaps.

 

The Saints two best secondary pieces are rookies. Their LBs are not anything to write home about, especially with Klein out. Cam Jordan is a monster but nobody else on that DL strikes fear into competent offensive linemen, and he'll be dealing with Riley Rieff as it is.

The Vikings have a better front 7 than Carolina, who took Ingram and Kamara out of the game. The Saints passed the ball well but the Vikings secondary is light years beyond Carolina's.

Offensively, Minnesota does not have Matt Kalil at left tackle anymore. Hopefully Elflien will be back at center. Murray is every bit as good as JStewart. McKinnon isn't McCaffrey but he's similar and could make big plays in the passing game.

Minnesota is a much more difficult match up for New Orleans. We have better players at a majority of the first string positions, and most certainly have better coaching. And we have home field. Minnesota should not lose this game. There are no excuses to lose this game. If the Vikings lose, it will be their own fuck up.

Edited by BwareDWare94

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The Saints pass coverage struggled against relative no names against Carolina in New Orleans. What are they going to make of Thielen, Diggs, Rudolph, and McKinnon in Minnesota? Hell, Michael Floyd could have a good game if he was forced into snaps.

 

The Saints two best secondary pieces are rookies. Their LBs are not anything to write home about, especially with Klein out. Cam Jordan is a monster but nobody else on that DL strikes fear into competent offensive linemen, and he'll be dealing with Riley Rieff as it is.

 

The Vikings have a better front 7 than Carolina, who took Ingram and Kamara out of the game. The Saints passed the ball well but the Vikings secondary is light years beyond Carolina's.

 

Offensively, Minnesota does not have Matt Kalil at left tackle anymore. Hopefully Elflien will be back at center. Murray is every bit as good as JStewart. McKinnon isn't McCaffrey but he's similar and could make big plays in the passing game.

Minnesota is a much more difficult match up for New Orleans. We have better players at a majority of the first string positions, and most certainly have better coaching. And we have home field. Minnesota should not lose this game. There are no excuses to lose this game. If the Vikings lose, it will be their own fuck up.

 

Your bias is fucking ridiculous. They struggled against a bunch of no names last week? Olsen and McCaffrey had the majority of the receiving yards and they are both better than the Vikings' players at their respective positions. Unless Funchess having 4 catches for 79 yards is considered struggling.

 

Nobody on the Vikings' o-line can handle Jordan by themselves and if they try leaving Rieff out there, Jordan is gonna go off.

 

This probably the best offense that the Vikings have faced all season, we'll see if they can stop the run and passing game. You act like the Saints can't force mistakes and play a better game, which is fucking absurd. Better coaching? You mean that head coach that doesn't have a single win in the playoffs over a Super Bowl champion coach? Ya, I'm taking Payton.

 

I'll take experience in this matchup,

 

:Saints: 23

:Vikings: 20

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Your bias is fucking ridiculous. They struggled against a bunch of no names last week? Olsen and McCaffrey had the majority of the receiving yards and they are both better than the Vikings' players at their respective positions. Unless Funchess having 4 catches for 79 yards is considered struggling.

 

Nobody on the Vikings' o-line can handle Jordan by themselves and if they try leaving Rieff out there, Jordan is gonna go off.

 

This probably the best offense that the Vikings have faced all season, we'll see if they can stop the run and passing game. You act like the Saints can't force mistakes and play a better game, which is fucking absurd. Better coaching? You mean that head coach that doesn't have a single win in the playoffs over a Super Bowl champion coach? Ya, I'm taking Payton.

 

I'll take experience in this matchup,

 

:Saints: 23

:Vikings: 20

 

I mean Bware picked the Saints to win so hes not being that biased.

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In case you forgot, The Panthers beat the Vikings, Bware. They did go 11-5. You know it's pretty hard to beat a team 3 times in one year right? Especially an 11-5 team with an elite defense.

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Bware's insistence that the Vikings have to "play down" to the Saints to lose is the kiss of death.

 

:Saints: 31

:Vikings: 17

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Your bias is fucking ridiculous. They struggled against a bunch of no names last week? Olsen and McCaffrey had the majority of the receiving yards and they are both better than the Vikings' players at their respective positions. Unless Funchess having 4 catches for 79 yards is considered struggling.

 

Nobody on the Vikings' o-line can handle Jordan by themselves and if they try leaving Rieff out there, Jordan is gonna go off.

 

This probably the best offense that the Vikings have faced all season, we'll see if they can stop the run and passing game. You act like the Saints can't force mistakes and play a better game, which is fucking absurd. Better coaching? You mean that head coach that doesn't have a single win in the playoffs over a Super Bowl champion coach? Ya, I'm taking Payton.

 

I'll take experience in this matchup,

 

:Saints: 23

:Vikings: 20

I said that Zimmer and his staff are better than Rivera and his staff, but yes, Mike Zimmer is also a better coach than Sean Payton, who is hands down the most overrated coach in the league.

 

Also, Olsen at 80-85% vs. a healthy a Rudolph is a wash, and Jerick McKinnon is pretty much 85% Christian McCaffrey, who can't run between the tackles at all.

Edited by BwareDWare94

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In case you forgot, The Panthers beat the Vikings, Bware. They did go 11-5. You know it's pretty hard to beat a team 3 times in one year right? Especially an 11-5 team with an elite defense.

Carolina doesn't have an elite defense at all. Not with that secondary

 

Bware's insistence that the Vikings have to "play down" to the Saints to lose is the kiss of death.

 

:Saints: 31

:Vikings: 17

Well they do, and I expect they will, which is why I picked them to lose. Minnesota is the best overall team in the NFC from 1-53 on the roster and has the best remaining coaching staff.

 

Anything less than a Super Bowl appearance is a complete waste of this elite roster and its potential

Edited by BwareDWare94

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People casually forget the Vikings dominated the best offense in the league (Rams) at home. Different game, different context, different teams... But still.

 

If the Oline doesn't shit the bed, I think we win 20-14.

Edited by OSUViking

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Control the run, control the game. The Saints lost a good interior lineman last week so Linval and Tom have no excuses not to be dominant

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Vikings secondary is better than Carolinas for sure but I wouldn't be so sure if you stop that run game that Brees wouldn't be able to do enough to pull out a win.

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I could really see this game going either way.

  • Upvote 1

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Easily the best game of the week. It's a shame that this couldn't be the NFCCG because I feel that these are the best two teams left on the NFC Side.

 

Hard to go against Drew Brees...

 

Hard to go against the Vikings defense and possession offense with Thielen and Diggs...

 

I see OT.

 

I see Breesus coming out victorious.

 

:Saints: 14

 

:Vikings: 10

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How is Adam Thielen going to eviscerate that secondary when Lattimore is going to shut him down?

 

Saints are the better team overall and have the way better QB. A big part in Carolina's receiving corps doing good against the Saints is because Cam was dropping dimes all night. I don't trust Keenum to be able to do the same.

 

:Saints: 24

:Vikings: 16

Edited by Thanatos

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If Lattimore shuts down Thielen I will make him my avatar until opening day 2018

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If Lattimore shuts down Thielen I will make him my avatar until opening day 2018

 

You think that it's not possible?

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Lattimore has shut down far better WRs than Thielen.

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You think that it's not possible?

Of course it's possible but Thielen isn't the kind of WR that is easy to shut down. Full speed routes, great feel, 4.5 speed. He's legimately tougher to shut down than some guys who are better than he is.

 

If I was the Saints, I'd let Lattimore shadow Diggs and double Thielen. Either way, no rookie is taking either WR out of the game unless Keenum sucks.

 

I expect Lattimore to match up with Diggs.

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