New Orleans Saints: Complete roster breakdown vs. Minnesota Vikings
By Jason Reed
The New Orleans Saints look to get their vengeance from the Minneapolis Miracle in the NFC Wild Card round while hosting the Minnesota Vikings.
The last time that the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings met in the playoffs the Vikings delivered one of the most iconic game-winning touchdown passes in NFL history. Then-quarterback Case Keenum hit Stefon Diggs on a corner route, the Saints’ coverage broke down and Diggs carried the ball in for the walk-off touchdown.
The Vikings went on to get mauled in the NFC Championship Game and failed to make the playoffs last season. The Saints went on to be the first seed in the NFC last season and lost in the NFC Championship Game in even more heartbreaking of a fashion against the Los Angeles Rams.
Now, the Saints are the third seed with a 13-3 record and the Vikings are the sixth seed with a 10-6 record, which likely would have been 11-5 if the team did not rest its starters in Week 17.
The Vikings are one of the better sixth seeds in recent memory but the Saints are one of the best third seeds, perhaps ever. Here is how the two teams compare in every area of the roster.
Special Teams: Advantage, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints arguably have the best kicker and punter duo in the NFL. Wil Lutz made the Pro Bowl after making 32 of his 36 field-goal attempts and 48 of his 49 extra-point attempts.
Thomas Morstead may not have gotten the honors of being named to the Pro Bowl but he absolutely should have been. Morstead averaged 46 yards per punt, but more importantly, pinned opponents inside the 20 in 29 of his 60 punts (48.3 percent).
Britton Colquitt nailed 24 of his 62 punts inside the 20 (38.7 percent) while Dan Bailey made 27 of 29 field goals and 40 of 44 extra points.
If that was not enough, the Saints had one of the best kickoff and punt return men in Deonte Harris this season, pushing the needle undoubtedly in their favor.