SAINTS VS. VIKINGS
MONDAY, 7:10 P.M. ET, U.S. BANK STADIUM, MINNEAPOLIS uTV: ESPN
Announcers: Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters
About the Saints: New Orleans is trying to reverse a disturbing losing trend, and the fates of QB and coach could be hanging in the balance. Brees, 38, enters the last year of his contract, and though Payton’s current deal runs through 2020, speculation persists about his growing wanderlust. Payton and general manager
made it an offseason priority to upgrade a historically inept defense. If Brees and the offense remain productive and the defense does its job, the Saints could make noise in the NFC South, which has sent Atlanta and Carolina to the Super Bowl the last two seasons.
About the Vikings: It’s the polar opposite in Minnesota, where coach and GM sought to improve a punchless offense to complement an elite defense. That’s why team officials released pricey future Hall of Fame RB Adrian Peterson, signed free agents RB
and Ts and and drafted RB and C
Those moves were done in response to a season-ending 3-8 free fall after a surprising 5-0 start with veteran QB acquired from Philadelphia eight days before the start of the regular season when
blew out his left knee.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Jordan (461⁄ career sacks) is the Saints’ best pass rusher off the edge and also when he is moved inside to tackle. Remmers, who came over from Carolina, still is trying to shake the stigma of being exposed by Denver OLB Von Miller in Super Bowl 50.
Even though the player known as “All Day” is with a new team after signing a two-year, $7 million contract in late April, it still might feel like a home game for him — his Saints jersey was the leading seller in Minnesota during the offseason. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in seven of his 10 seasons in Minnesota, though only once in the last three (1,485 in 2015).
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
Consecutive games since the Saints’ record eclipsed the .500 mark. They finished 7-9 in each of the last three seasons, and each time after squaring their record at 4-4 in 2014, ’15 and ’16, they lost a minimum of two consecutive games and never recovered.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Quiet the crowd: The Saints will be walking into a hostile environment on a national stage, and it’s critical they seize momentum early. That job falls to Brees and his gaggle of playmakers, most notably Peterson, RBs Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara, and WRs Michael Thomas and Ted Ginn Jr.
2. Unleash the hounds: The Vikings will unveil their new-look offense, which features rookie Cook, free agent Murray, WRs
and and Reiff and Rem-
TE mers.
3. Dennis’ menaces: The Saints’ 4-3 defense remains a work in progress but showed signs of life in the preseason under coordinator Look for Allen to bring pressure from all levels and challenge the Vikings’ rebuilt O-line.
4. Trench warfare: The strength of the Vikings’ defense lies with their front seven. Look for them to attack rookie LT
and third-year LG Saints C is getting back in shape after recovering from offseason Lisfranc (foot) surgery.
Brian Allee-Walsh