We get not one, but two Monday Night Football games tonight with the first contest featuring one of the most prolific offenses in league history, the New Orleans Saints, and one of the most boring teams of the last few seasons, the Minnesota Vikings.
The Game: New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings (-3)
The History
Since the Saints joined the NFL in 1967, they’ve met up with the Vikings 31 times with Minnesota holding a 20-11 edge in the all-time record.
New Orleans has won the last four consecutive meetings between the two teams with the last one being a 20-9 victory at the Superdome in September, 2014.
They’ve met three times in the playoffs with the Vikings having the edge there, 2-1. The Saints won their last postseason meeting 31-28 in overtime in 2010.
New Orleans won the first ever meet up with the Vikings, 20-17, in October, 1968. Minnesota would go on to win the next six contests between the two teams, the longest streak in the series.
The Vikings have won four games in a row since that original streak three times, with the last four coming from December, 2002 to October, 2008.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
It wouldn’t surprise me if this wasn’t the beginning of Drew Brees’ farewell tour with the Saints. He’s a free agent at the end of the season and has a provision in his contract where the team can’t use the franchise tag on him. Brees could, even at his age, command $26 million or more a season for at least a three year deal and New Orleans is in such shoddy shape across the depth chart, they really need the money to rebuild the team. Brees is a first ballot Hall of Famer and a reason to tune into the Saints on any given week, but even with his skills, the team has been .500 or worse for the last few years and I don’t see that changing this season.
Still, this is Brees’ team for now and he’s the master of this offense. Last season he completed a ridiculous 70 percent of his passes for 5,208 yards, 37 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. It was Brees’ fifth 5,000 yard plus season and his third straight season (and five out of seven) where he led the league in passing yards. I see no reason to bet against him doing the same in 2017.
If anything, New Orleans has too many weapons in the backfield. Mark Ingram is the incumbent starter who just came off a 1,043 yard and six touchdown season. Adrian Peterson is pushing him for time and rookie Alvin Kamara is probably the most explosive back of the three. At wide receiver the team will be without Willie Snead for a while, but they still have Michael Thomas and free agent acquisition Ted Ginn Jr. Brandon Coleman will step in for Snead while he nestles in a hole in his couch.
New Orleans has upgraded pieces of their defense through the draft every year, but they have a long way to go to get respectable. Last season they were No. 31 in points allowed and No. 27 in yards allowed. The addition of Alex Ansalone at linebacker and Marshon Lattimore at corner will help, but it’s a long road ahead. Don’t be surprised to see Lattimore put himself on the map tonight in prime time, showing off his speed and ball skills. He was my top rated cornerback in the draft this year.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
While Brees led the league in passing yardage, it was the Vikings’ Sam Bradford that led the NFL in completion percentage, setting an all-time record with 71.6 percent. He did it with shorter passes since he was constantly besieged behind a lackluster offensive line. Though Minnesota spent money and brought in new players this season, the results have not yet shown up on the field. At least not in the preseason.
If the offense is going to have any explosion, not only will the line need to coalesce, but so will the wide receiver corps. First round pick Laquon Treadwell had a lost rookie season and without him, the team only has slot and possession guys taking the field in Sefon Diggs and Adam Theilan. Kyle Rudolph is one of the league’s better tight ends, but he’s not a big play guy either. If Treadwell can’t show why he was drafted so high this year, the only guy with any pop is rookie running back Dalvin Cook.
The Vikings hang their hat on their defense and there’s good reason for that. They’re a loaded unit across the board with elite pass rushers like Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen on the line, Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks at linebacker and Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes in the defensive backfield. Minnesota was the No. 6 defense in the league in points allowed and the No. 3 defense in yards allowed. The only new piece they added this season is rookie linebacker Ben Gedeon, a fourth round pick out of Michigan who looks like he’ll start at outside linebacker. With the Wolverines, Gedeon had 94 tackles last season, 15 for a loss, 4.5 sacks and two passes defended.
The biggest weakness for Minnesota could be their head coach. After a strong start, Mike Zimmer stumbled last season and there was a reason that Norv Turner quit as offensive coordinator with the team at 4-2. If Zimmer really has the goods, this is the season to show it or he could be out of a job. The team has spent too much money on that facility and the fan base is too loyal to keep going with a loser at the helm.
The Pick
Speaking of losers, I don’t like either of these teams’ chances to make the postseason, but that doesn’t mean this shouldn’t be an exciting game. The Saints’ defensive shortcomings should open up the offense for Minnesota, while New Orleans’ offense will have a challenge on their hands facing off against one of the NFL’s best defensive squads. If this one comes down to the coaching chess game, then my money is squarely on Sean Payton. Saints 27, Vikings 26
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