Vikings (10-6) at Saints (13-3)
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. ET, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
TV: Fox
Danny Sheridan’s line: Saints by 8
Vikings’ keys to victory: Keeping QB Kirk Cousins clean and giving him opportunities to target WRs Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs is paramount, but expect the Vikings to stubbornly try to establish the run even though the Saints haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in the last 41 games. Cousins has folded against the league’s better defenses, and the Saints have the talent up front to get after him. CB Xavier Rhodes must win his matchup with Saints WR Michael Thomas.
Saints’ keys to victory: The offensive line will determine to what degree the Saints can control the flow of the game and give QB Drew Brees time to carve up a vulnerable Minnesota secondary. Considering the success TE Jared Cook and do-it-all QB Taysom Hill have had this year (16 touchdowns between them), that might be too much for the Vikings to handle. On defense, the Saints must win their own battles up front and force the Vikings to attack through the air.
Matchup to watch: Vikings RB Dalvin Cook vs. Saints LB Demario Davis. Cook is one of the most talented young runners in the NFL, but Davis is one of the league’s best and most experienced linebackers. He has proved capable of covering pass catchers deep downfield and also can crash down at the line of scrimmage.
Who wins? The Saints are a complete team; the Vikings have struggled against good opponents. Minnesota’s shaky pass defense won’t hold up against Brees and the Saints, and its Cook-centric run game figures to struggle.
Saints, 28-20