The excitement of waking up and seeing Santa has come...has been renewed after having kids. The unbridled joy of finding a new toy is a feeling that many of us chase as adults, never quite finding the same level of happiness in any singular event. Of course, those moments exist. The birth of your child, moving into a new house or even riding off the lot in that new car, can create the type of adrenalin rush you had as a child seeing a present under the tree.
One of the least expensive (for us anyways) pathways to that kind of joy is a Saints Super Bowl win. That euphoric moment Tracy Porter picked off his second hall of fame quarterback and sprinted 74 yards into our collective memories; the melodic soundtrack of Jim Henderson “It’s picked off! It’s Tracy Porter again! He’s running free! He’s gonna go all the way!” That sound to this day playing in the heads of Saints fans throughout the world is as familiar as the lyrics to “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” A special moment in a lot of our lives...one that the Minnesota Vikings have denied us in two of the last 3 years.
It is hard in the NFL to have a core of players feel the way fans do about a rivalry. This one is felt by the bulk of this Saints roster. In each of those two seasons the Saints had a very real opportunity to return to the game that has evaded them since 2009. Of course, those games are sandwiched around one of the most devasting losses in Saints history. Yes, the Viking’s have been the Grinch to our Christmas a lot lately. Adam Thielan’s streak of three straight games with over 100 yards vs the Saints has officially grown annoying. Dalvin Cook’s success vs a Saints defense has become too common. Kirk Cousin’s ability to look lousy the week before looking like an all-star vs. the Saints… let’s say its frustrating. Yes, there was a Sunday night football game in Minnesota that the Saints won. It was an important victory, like they all are, but not nearly as important as the two playoff games were.
In each of the playoff games, the Saints came in red hot. They can’t say the same this time around. A week after announcing the team would be without Mike Thomas for the final three games, the Saints lost Tre’quan Smith in the third quarter vs. the Chiefs.
Joining him on the injury report were safety Marcus Williams, Andrus Peat, Trey Hendrickson and Carl Granderson. Not ideal for a team heading into a short week. The Vikings are no better. It is that time of the year when no one seems to be healthy. The Saints are also on a two-game losing streak for the second time this year. They are still the superior team.
The Vikings had an offseason that doesn’t appear to have benefitted them all that much this season. They traded Stefon Diggs, who has went on to have a career year in Buffalo. Linval Joseph, who the Saints have long struggled with, went to the Chargers. Everson Griffen was not re-signed after playing a huge role in the Saints playoff win in 2019, then Danielle Hunter spent the season on IR. Finally, Trae Waynes was signed by the Bengals. The moves were not really offset in free agency, though Eric Wilson has had a breakout season.
Bottom line, this is a very different Vikings team, and the results speak for themselves. After starting the season 1-5 the Vikings found their footing long enough to win 5 of their last 6. Yet, over the last couple of weeks, their general lack of playmaking on the defensive side of the ball has become more and more evident. It’s a different look for the Mike Zimmer led Vikings.
Over his last five seasons in Minnesota, the Vikings have finished no lower than 9th in scoring including a number one ranking in 2017. They come to New Orleans ranked 25th in scoring defense. The Saints, while banged up, still have more than enough firepower to move the football on the Vikings. They still have one of the NFL’s top offensive lines and the Vikings have struggled to generate pressure on the quarterback all season long. The Saints are going to need to control the clock in this game as their defense is coming off a 92 play performance against the premier offense in football. Long, time consuming drives need to be the plan today to assure the Black & Gold defense is protected vs. an explosive Vikings offense.
In spite of all the struggles the Vikings defense, Minnesota’s offense has held up their end of the bargin. Dalvin Cook remains one of the premier backs in football and will challenge the Saints both on the ground and through the air. He is led by a good group of run blocking lineman, who have struggled to protect Cousins while blowing open room for Cook. Maybe the biggest change on this offense has been the addition of former Tiger Justin Jefferson. The Saint Rose native exploded onto the scene and leads all rookies with 73 receptions for 1182 yards. He broke Randy Moss’ Vikings record for receptions by a rookie.
Cousins continues to be the facilitator he has long been. Not necessarily winning games with his performance alone, but able to operate the offense and be successful. The biggest concern for the Saints in my opinion is the need to play with the energy necessary to stop an elite running back. After last week’s game, and coming in short on rest during a holiday, the Saints will need to get off the field on third down with consistency. The Saints offense should look to substantially shorten the game and protect the defensive unit they put in the situation they’re in with their 1-11 third down performance vs. the Chiefs.
It’s a special day for many today. Many families are unable to get together this year, forcing them into unusual and at times awkward holiday experiences. Yet, even with all the disappointments 2020 has brought, there is an opportunity to give so many of us across the Gulf South the gift of winning. I hope most of you have been nice this year and that Santa has one last present in his bag. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you.