NEW ORLEANS (5-4) at MINNESOTA (5-4)
1 p.m. EST, Fox.
OPENING LINE: Vikings by 2½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Saints 3-5-1, Vikings 5-4.
SERIES RECORD: Vikings lead 24-13.
LAST WEEK: Saints beat Bears 24-17; Vikings beat Falcons 31-28.
SAINTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (14), RUSH (19), PASS (11), SCORING (15).
SAINTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (7), RUSH (17), PASS (7), SCORING (7).
VIKINGS OFFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (29), PASS (2), SCORING (13).
VIKINGS DEFENSE: OVERALL (14), RUSH (12), PASS (18), SCORING (17).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Saints plus-8; Vikings minus-5.
SAINTS PLAYER TO WATCH: CB Paulson Adebo has three interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in his past two games. His career-high four interceptions this season has him tied for second most in the NFL. His career-high 11 passes defensed ranks third in the league.
VIKINGS PLAYER TO WATCH: OLB Danielle Hunter. The NFL’s leader with 10 sacks, Hunter is having the finest season of his eight-year career. With three forced fumbles and 46 tackles, Hunter has been just as much of a force as a run-stopper in a revived defense in its first year under the redirection of Brian Flores.
KEY MATCHUP: Saints defensive front vs. Vikings QB Joshua Dobbs. The Saints are the fifth worst in the league in sacks per pass attempt, and they’ve struggled to contain scrambling quarterbacks. Dobbs will make his first start for the Vikings after arriving last week in a trade following the season-ending injury to Kirk Cousins and replacing the injured Jaren Hall against the Falcons. Dobbs has 324 rushing yards, including his eight games with the Cardinals, for the second most among NFL QBs behind Lamar Jackson (440).
KEY INJURIES: Saints backup LB Ty Summers (hamstring) missed the previous game, but was a full participant in practice Wednesday. … Rookie backups DE Isaiah Foskey (thigh) and RB Kendre Miller (ankle) did not practice Wednesday for the Saints. … The Vikings designated WR Justin Jefferson (hamstring) for return from IR this week, but he’s unlikely to play. … Vikings LT Christian Darrisaw (groin) missed the most recent game. He was limited in practice Wednesday. TE T.J. Hockenson (ribs) was also limited with an injury he suffered and played through against the Falcons. … The Vikings are without Cousins and RB Cam Akers for the rest of the season because of Achilles tendon tears. … Hall and WR K.J. Osborn began the week in the concussion protocol to put their availability for the Vikings this week in doubt. … Vikings OLB Marcus Davenport (ankle) remains on IR and won’t play against his former team. … Vikings DL Dean Lowry (groin) missed the previous game and didn’t participate in practice Wednesday.
SERIES NOTES: They’ve met in the playoffs five times, with four wins by the Vikings. The Saints won the 2009-10 NFC title game at the Superdome on the way to the franchise’s only Super Bowl appearance and championship. … This is the fourth visit to U.S. Bank Stadium for the Saints. They won on Oct. 30, 2018, after losing twice the season before — including the “Minneapolis Miracle” divisional playoff game when the Vikings won on the final play.
STATS AND STUFF: Saints QB Derek Carr completed a season-high 73.5% of his passes last week for 211 yards and two TDs without an interception. … Alvin Kamara leads all NFL RBs in receptions (43). He has at least 80 scrimmage yards in five straight games for the Saints. Kamara had 155 rushing yards and a league-record-tying six rushing TDs the previous time he played against the Vikings on Dec. 25, 2020. Kamara missed the matchup last season with an injury. … WR Chris Olave has at least five receptions in four straight games. He had 67 yards and a TD catch in last year’s meeting. … Saints reserve QB and prominent utility player Taysom Hill became the second player in NFL history after Hall of Famer Frank Gifford with at least 25 career rushing TDs, 10 TD passes and 10 TD receptions. … DE Cameron Jordan had his second sack of the season last week for the Saints, increasing his franchise-record career total to 117½. Jordan’s father, Steve, was a six-time Pro Bowl tight end for the Vikings between 1982 and 1994. … Saints DE Carl Granderson has a career-high 10 tackles for loss this season. … The Vikings have won four straight games, all without Jefferson. That’s currently the longest streak in the NFC. Only the Eagles (6-0) and Chiefs (5-1) have better records in conference play than the Vikings (5-2). … Dobbs became the first QB in NFL history with three or more total TDs in consecutive weeks with different teams. … Vikings WR Jordan Addison leads all NFL rookies with seven receiving TDs, tying him for second overall in the league. … Hockenson leads all NFL TEs with 60 catches and is second with 547 receiving yards. … The Vikings lead the league in conversions (93.8%) on third-and-1 or fourth-and-1 situations. … Cam Bynum leads all NFL DBs with 80 tackles. He has a career-high seven passes defensed for the Vikings.
FANTASY TIP: Hill has scored four TDs in his past three games (three rushing, one receiving) and also threw a touchdown pass last week. He’s eligible at TE in most fantasy leagues.
