Saints vs. Vikings: Highlights, game tracker from Divisional Round

The New Orleans Saints faced the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Jan. 14, in the Divisional Round of the 2018 NFL Playoffs. Here are highlights from the game.

Way back in Week 1, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints 29-19. Minnesota’s offense piled up 470 total yards and rookie running back Dalvin Cook rushed for 127 yards in his NFL debut. The Vikings’ held New Orleans to 344 total yards and just 60 yards on the ground. A lot had changed since Week 1.

However, despite how much had changed throughout the season (Case Keenum, Cook’s injury, the Saints defense, and so on), the Vikings weren’t thinking about a change in result. With a raucous home crowd behind them, they were ready to handle their business. They came out of the gate in a big way on defense with a big stop on the opening drive that set the tone.

Meanwhile, Keenum and the offense were moving the ball well, so much so that they were able to put up 10 points in the first quarter. As for the Saints, their defense had little in the way of answers. Even more concerning in the first half, though, was that Drew Brees and the offense were finding little of substance. They didn’t have a real scoring opportunity until late in the second quarter and Will Lutz missed the 58-yard field goal attempt. Minnesota, however, added another touchdown to go into halftime leading, 17-0.

It was more of the same for most of the third quarter in the way of the Vikings defense and Saints offense. With that said, the defense of New Orleans was there in a major way as they came up with big stops time and again. That set up Brees and the offense to make a move, which they finally did late in the third period with a drive that culminated in a touchdown pass to Michael Thomas.

The Saints defense once again stepped up, forcing Keenum into an interception. That eventually led to another score for Thomas, which put them within striking distance of the home team, who had kicked a field goal to leave the score at 20-14. When New Orleans got the ball again, though, they again found large chunks of yards to move down the field. Brees then dropped a dime to rookie Alvin Kamara, who made a great grab in the end zone to give the Saints the 21-20 lead.

With the minutes waning in the game, though, the Vikings offense and Keenum came up big. Including a miraculous catch by Adam Thielen, Minnesota was able to move down the field and ultimately set up a 53-yard field goal for Kai Forbath. Despite the home team’s past woes in the way of field goals, Forbath wasn’t phased and nailed the attempt to take back the lead.

Brees and the Saints had another shot at things, however. But as they reached just about midfield, the Vikings defense seemed to stifle them, forcing them into a fourth-down attempt outside of field goal range. Willie Snead came up big on the left sideline, though, making a catch for the first down inside field goal range.

New Orleans then looked to try and move closer, but Minnesota had their three timeouts left as they were thinking about possibly needing the ball back. The defense came up big given the circumstances, not allowing a first down after that. However, Lutz came up big with the field goal from 43 yards out to take the lead back, 24-23. Yet, the Vikes would have one last shot at it.

The Vikings got the ball back with one timeout and 25 seconds left and began the drive with a strike to Diggs that forced them to use their timeout. However, two incompletions left them at their own 39-yard line with only 10 ticks left on the clock. Then, in a flash of brilliance, Keenum uncorked a deep throw down the sidelines to Diggs. As the defender whiffed on the play, Diggs made the catch, somehow stayed in bounds, and had nothing but daylight to the end zone for the walk-off win.

Highlights

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Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Divisional Round edition

The Philadelphia Eagles, who topped the Falcons, await the winner of this matchup in the City of Brotherly Love. Whether it be the Saints or Vikings, they have to like their chances.