Heading into this NFC Divisional Round game, the New Orleans Saints are both 4-4 straight up and against the spread on the road this season. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings are heading into the matchup with a 7-1 SU and 6-1-1 ATS record at home. The Vikings are favored by more than a field goal as they face the Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium this coming Sunday.
After beating the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in the wild-card round, 31-26, the Saints have booked their tickets for a divisional-round meeting with the Vikings this coming Sunday. Saints quarterback Drew Brees played like the sure Hall of Famer that he is against Carolina, completing 23 of 33 passes for 376 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
That’s the kind of Brees the Vikings are hoping would not show up, but its hard to bet against it. For one, Brees has already shredded Minnesota’s defense once this season. Back in Week 1, Brees went 27 of 37 for 291 yards and a touchdown, albeit in a 29-19 road loss. It was very different Saints team than the one Minnesota is going to face next, however. Rookie running back Alvin Kamara has since blossomed into a versatile offensive threat, while the Saints’ defense has gotten a big shot in the arm from the pair of Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams – both rookies have combined for nine of the Saints’ 20 interceptions this season.
It’s time for the playoffs edition of the Case Keenum Show. Keenum has been surprisingly steady as the Vikings’ plug-and-play starting quarterback after Sam Bradford was sidelined for most of the season with a knee injury. With Keenum running the show, the Vikings ranked a decent 11th in passing yards (234.6) and scoring offense (23.9 points) back in the regular season.
The running back tandem of Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray, meanwhile, has greatly mitigated the impact of the loss to injury of rookie Dalvin Cook, who ran for 127 yards in Week 1’s win over New Orleans.
While the Saints’ defense has immensely improved from last season, that does not mean it doesn’t break; The Saints just gave up 455 total yards to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17’s 31-24 defeat. Keenum, McKinnon, and Cook, along with Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are all good enough to damage the Saints’ stop unit.
That said, it’s the Vikings’ defense that has truly stepped up for the team. Minnesota is allowing the fewest points (15.8) and total yards (275.9) per game. The Vikings are not among the leaders in the league in sacks and interceptions but they are excellent in killing their opponents’ possessions with Minnesota tops in the NFL in third-down conversion defense.
Writer’s Prediction
New Orleans gets is revenge and surges past Minnesota with a 25-21 win.
