Saints beat Vikings, 30-20
MINNEAPOLIS—P.J. Williams was having a hard time keeping up with Minnesota’s dominant wide receiver duo, with frequent attacks by the Vikings on the third-year nickel cornerback for New Orleans during long touchdown drives each of their first two possessions.
Williams and the Saints sure enjoyed their revenge. With assistance on a forced fumble that set up a touchdown late in the second quarter and an interception he returned for a score midway through the third quarter, Williams had quite the eventful night for the Saints in their 30-20 victory over the Vikings on Sunday.
“Part of being a cornerback in the NFL is to be able to bounce back,” Williams said, adding: “It was a little relief, definitely, after giving up a few plays.”
The Saints (6-1) were tied for the second-fewest takeaways in the league entering this rematch of the divisional round playoff game last season that Stefon Diggs won for the Vikings with that stunning lastsnap 61-yard catch and run for a touchdown. Though the action was packed with plenty of highlight-reel plays, this one lacked the down-the-stretch tension and that where-were-you moment that immediately went viral like the “Minneapolis Miracle.”
“We felt as if we were in a shootout until the third quarter, and then you felt them break,” Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan said. “At some point, they didn’t want it anymore.”
Adam Thielen was putting together yet another stellar performance for the Vikings (4-3-1), who were on the verge of extending a 13-10 lead when Thielen plunged forward for extra yardage after a short firstdown catch. Williams and Alex Anzalone converged and pried the ball loose at the 14, and Marshon Lattimore scooped up the fumble to start a 54-yard return . Two plays later, the Saints were in the end zone to complete the sharp momentum shift.
“You can’t make mistakes against a really good football team,” said Thielen, who had seven receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Diggs, who had his own standout game with 10 catches for 119 yards and a score, was largely responsible for the other crucial gaffe by the Vikings. Though the stat sheet will forever show that Cousins was picked off by Williams, Diggs stopped his drag route too soon while his under-pressure quarterback tried to dump the ball off to where he was counting on Diggs to be. Williams grabbed it instead and raced the other way for a 27-13 lead .
“He just did what he was supposed to do, threw it to the spot,” Diggs said. “Miscommunication, and I take full responsibility.”
THIELEN IT
Thielen tied Calvin Johnson’s NFL record of eight straight 100-yard receiving games, set in 2012 with Detroit. He also matched Patrick Jeffers with a fifth consecutive game with 100-plus yards and at least one touchdown, a mark set in 1999 for Carolina.
“I think I’ve said this eight weeks in a row: 100 yards doesn’t mean anything unless you’re winning games,” Thielen said.