Minnesota is still perfect after five weeks, punching the Saints in the mouth with a 23-13 victory on Sunday. The Vikings didn’t just win; their defense absolutely shut down New Orleans, proving exactly why they haven’t dropped a game yet this season.
Saints’ Offense Got Absolutely Smoked
Seriously, the Saints offense? They looked completely dazed and confused out there, like they forgot which way was up. Quarterback Tyler Shough had a brutal day, completing just 16 of 25 passes for a pathetic 96 yards and throwing two interceptions. You read that right, 96 yards! They couldn’t even crack double digits in first downs, finishing with a measly nine for the entire game. The offense scraped together a grand total of 142 yards and averaged just 3.3 yards per play. Their third-down conversion rate was an abysmal 2-of-10. It was a complete disaster, and Minnesota’s defense deserves all the credit for making them look that bad.
Kyler Murray Is Making Plays, But Fumbles Are Still A Problem
While the defense was suffocating the Saints, the Vikings’ offense was doing enough to get the job done, led by a solid outing from Kyler Murray. He was sharp, completing 24 of 30 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown. Murray also showed off his wheels, rushing for 51 yards on 10 attempts. But man, those red zone fumbles are a killer! Aaron Jones fumbled inside the 10-yard line in the first half, which could’ve meant more points. Then Myles Price coughed it up again in the third quarter, and the Saints capitalized big time, scooping it up for an 87-yard fumble return touchdown that tied the game up. Lucky for Minnesota, the Saints missed the extra point, preventing a one-point lead for New Orleans. Jones eventually redeemed himself with an 8-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put the Vikings back on top, and Will Reichard sealed the deal with a monstrous 55-yard field goal.
Minnesota is undefeated, standing tall after five weeks, but those fumbles are the kind of mistakes that can cost them against tougher opponents. For the Saints, man, they’ve got to figure out what happened to their offense, because looking that bad isn’t going to cut it in this league.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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