The Vikings head to New Orleans on Sunday with a chance to stay perfect, and the matchup looks tailor-made for Minnesota to keep building momentum before the bye.
The Saints come in at 1-3, but their offense has at least produced enough to stay in games. New Orleans is averaging 367 yards and 26.3 points per contest, numbers that rank ninth and 10th in the NFL.
The problem has been everything behind that. The defense has been a mess, and the Saints are allowing 32 points per game, worst in the league.
The Lions sit just behind them at 31.8.
That kind of imbalance has a way of shaping the whole afternoon. After giving up 45 points to the Falcons last week, New Orleans could show up flat after an ugly divisional loss on national television, or it could come out desperate to avoid falling to 1-4. Either way, the setup points toward a game where Minnesota’s offense should find a rhythm and carry some confidence into the bye.
There’s also the bigger picture for the Vikings. A 5-0 start would be the 10th in the modern NFL era for the franchise.
Of the nine previous times Minnesota opened 5-0, it made the playoffs in seven of them. The numbers are even cleaner if the Vikings get to 4-1; in seasons that started that way, they reached the playoffs every time.
Still, this matchup clearly carries more than just standings value for some in Minnesota. The Saints remain a team plenty of Vikings fans have never quite forgiven, and that old frustration still hangs over games like this one.
The source of that grudge doesn’t matter much at this point to those who are holding it. What matters is seeing Minnesota pour it on.
On the field, the expectation is that the Vikings’ offense finally takes a real step forward. Justin Jefferson was potentially set to suit up as of Friday morning, and that opens the door for a bigger passing day.
The expectation here is for a pass-heavy approach, even if the running game has a chance to look sharper too. Aaron Jones is coming off a week where Atlanta ran roughshod over New Orleans and scored five rushing touchdowns, so there’s reason to think he can make an impact as well.
But the bigger edge for Minnesota may be on defense. The Saints have spent the season in negative game scripts and high-scoring games, which can leave them with a chance if things turn into a shootout.
Even so, they haven’t faced a unit like Brian Flores’ group, a defense built on veteran savvy and chaos. Dallas Turner, Jalen Redmond, Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, Andrew Van Ginkel, Levi-Drake Rodriguez, Caleb Banks, and Big Citrus are all part of that pressure package, and the idea is for that front to make life miserable for Tyler Shough.
There’s also a special-teams angle to keep in mind. The Vikings have scored touchdowns in only two of their four games so far, and the frustration with settling for field goals is still there.
Will Reichard has a chance to become the best kicker in Vikings history, but the bigger goal is postseason success. That means saving the truly memorable kicks for games that matter most.
For now, though, the focus is on Sunday in New Orleans, and on a chance for Minnesota to head into the bye week undefeated.
In Other News...
JaMarr Chase Still Has One Big Week 5 Hurdle
Justin Jeffersons week took a positive turn at practice, with the Vikings receiver moving from no participation last week to limited work across all three sessions as Minnesota gets ready for Week 5. He remains listed as questionable, but the trend line is better than it was a few days ago, and that alone is a meaningful step for a team that leans heavily on his availability whenever hes close to full strength.
The larger picture around the league only sharpens the attention on Jeffersons status, with other notable receivers such as DeVonta Smith, Stefon Diggs and Quentin Johnston ruled out while Malik Nabers and Mike Evans have been cleared to play. JaMarr Chase is also trending toward returning, but Jeffersons situation still carries extra weight for the Vikings as they wait to see whether progress in practice is enough to get him on the field when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Suddenly Face A Receiver Decision Fans Never Expected
The Vikings are in an uneasy spot at receiver as they head toward their game against the Saints, and the uncertainty around Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison has pushed the roster into a more flexible place than anyone expected. Odell Beckham Jr., who recently joined Minnesota and reunited with coach Kevin O'Connell, is now in the mix after spending time with the Dolphins and Ravens, giving the team another experienced option in a room suddenly shaped by injuries.
For a club that has leaned on Jefferson as its centerpiece and Addison as a growing complement, the timing of Beckhams arrival adds intrigue to an already tricky week. Minnesota needed extra depth at the position, and Beckhams presence gives the Vikings a familiar name and a proven veteran to consider as they wait to see how the rest of the receiver group holds up. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Fans Still Have One Uneasy Debate Despite The Perfect Start
Through four weeks, the Vikings have given their fan base the kind of start that usually settles nerves: theyre still unbeaten and firmly in the mix as one of the NFLs last perfect teams. But a new SB Nation Reacts poll suggests the mood in Minnesota is more complicated than the record alone would indicate, with just 53% of surveyed fans saying they feel confident in the direction of the team.
The hesitation makes sense given how uneven the offense has looked lately, including a stretch in which it has managed only one offensive touchdown over the last three games. Even a late-game decision by T.J. Hockenson became part of the broader conversation, with most respondents backing his choice to slide at the 1-yard line rather than cross the goal line, a reminder that for all the wins, Vikings fans are still weighing process against patience. [Read more 🡒]