Post by Danchat on Jan 3, 2020 22:52:19 GMT -6
The Vikings and Saints will face off in their 3rd playoff game in the past 10 years! The Saints will try to avenge the Minneapolis Miracle while the Vikings will try to forget what happened in early 2010. Will the Vikings be able to pull an upset, or will the Saints finally get to go on their Super Bowl run that has been derailed at the last moment in two straight seasons?
* My Thoughts *
Yikes... this Saints team is simply loaded with talent. Going by my depth charts, this is the most talented team the Vikings have faced so far - they're far better than the Packers IMO, and we must play them in the Superdome. One reason why that's important is because Brees is downright surgical in home games, with his only ever playoff loss at home coming last year in the controversial game against the Rams. Brees may have missed 5 games this year, but in his 11 starts he had a 27/4 TD/int ratio. He can't quite throw the deep ball like he used to, but that's the only nitpick I have for him. Brees has a bevy of talented players surrounding him, and the most important are LT Armstead and RT Ramczyk. These two give Brees plenty of time to throw, and should be able to handle the Vikings' pass rush. Their interior is weaker, especially with Peat being one of the NFL's worst guards, but the Vikes don't have anybody who can get routine interior pressure.
In the passing game, Brees will barrage Michael Thomas with passes. If you haven't already heard, Thomas had an astronomical 149 catches for 1725 yards, a simply unreal season for a WR. Back in 2017, the Vikings were able to put Rhodes on Thomas and hold him to a 53.8% catch rate (and 2 TDs!). The Vikings don't have anyone who can handle them, as Rhodes has regressed into a pumpkin. The Saints' WRs behind him have been total non-factors, so Waynes should be able to handle Ginn & Smith just fine. Jared Cook is a strong speed/size combo who is having a strong season. With Kendricks likely on Kamara duty, Barr may have to handle Cook, and he hasn't played well in coverage this year. Speaking of Kamara, he's caught 81 passes, though at just 6.6 yards a catch. Brees loves to dump the ball to him.
In the running game, Kamara hasn't been a monster, but has looked healthy as of late. Latavius Murray will still get some 1st-2nd down carries in Alvin's stead. Watch out for potential runs with Taysom Hill, the 3rd QB/TE/HB/??.
On defense, the Saints have a top 5 run defense... oh good, more bad news! Well, some good news is that the Saints will be missing 2 starters on the D-line: DE Marcus Davenport and DT Sheldon Rankins, their 2nd and 3rd best pass rushers respectively. Unfortunately, Cam Jordan is operating at an elite level as always, and will prove to be a big challenge for LT Reiff. None of the other DEs scare me. At DT, the Saints have quality run defenders in Brown and Tuttle. Onyemata has struggled since taking on Rankin's duties so far.
Similarly to the Vikings, the Saints will mostly use just Demario Davis and A.J. Klein at linebacker. It just so happens that Davis is having about the same season Kendricks is - he's been near elite in both run stopping and coverage, which is rare for a LB to be so good at both. Klein, meanwhile, has struggled in both regards. MLB Kiko Alonso is a two down LB who has graded well when he's out there.
The Saints' primary weakness on defense is their DBs. Diggs and Thielen will need to go off on these guys, but #1 CB Marshon Lattimore will be shadowing one of them. Marshon may only be graded Above Average, but that's due to having to face #1 WRs every week, and he's capable of shutting WRs down. With the anemic Eli Apple injured, Janoris Jenkins will jump into the starting lineup, but I think this is a good thing for the Vikings. He's been underachieving with the Giants for awhile, and I expect that to continue here. Nickel CB PJ Williams has always stunk, and I don't know why he hasn't been benched yet. FS Marcus Williams may want revenge after screwing up a tackle en route to the Vikings' Minneapolis Miracle, and he's had another phenomenal season in coverage. SS Vonn Bell is a great run stopping safety, but grades very poorly in coverage. Rookie SS Gardner-Johnson outplayed him when Bell was hurt, so it's possible Bell's snaps will be phased out.
Prediction: Saints 31, Vikings 18
I just can't see this Vikings team winning a huge game on the road against a team that is simply loaded. I know I said the same thing against the Cowboys and the Vikings pulled that game out, but this one is different. The Vikings have a playoff-caliber roster, but the Saints look like they're Super Bowl-caliber. Their strengths (passing the ball, stopping the run) match up perfect against the Vikings and I could see a blowout happen. Methinks the only way we find victory is if the Saints underestimate the Vikings and fall asleep at the wheel - like they did in a key game against the Falcons, which ended up costing them the #1 seed.
Well... this is it! Will the Vikings find a way to topple the Saints? Let me know what you think!
Saints
FB Zach Line Out
CB Eli Apple Out
Vikings
(CB Hughes put on IR)
CB Alexander Out
DE Odenigbo Questionable
FB Zach Line Out
CB Eli Apple Out
Vikings
(CB Hughes put on IR)
CB Alexander Out
DE Odenigbo Questionable
* My Thoughts *
Yikes... this Saints team is simply loaded with talent. Going by my depth charts, this is the most talented team the Vikings have faced so far - they're far better than the Packers IMO, and we must play them in the Superdome. One reason why that's important is because Brees is downright surgical in home games, with his only ever playoff loss at home coming last year in the controversial game against the Rams. Brees may have missed 5 games this year, but in his 11 starts he had a 27/4 TD/int ratio. He can't quite throw the deep ball like he used to, but that's the only nitpick I have for him. Brees has a bevy of talented players surrounding him, and the most important are LT Armstead and RT Ramczyk. These two give Brees plenty of time to throw, and should be able to handle the Vikings' pass rush. Their interior is weaker, especially with Peat being one of the NFL's worst guards, but the Vikes don't have anybody who can get routine interior pressure.
In the passing game, Brees will barrage Michael Thomas with passes. If you haven't already heard, Thomas had an astronomical 149 catches for 1725 yards, a simply unreal season for a WR. Back in 2017, the Vikings were able to put Rhodes on Thomas and hold him to a 53.8% catch rate (and 2 TDs!). The Vikings don't have anyone who can handle them, as Rhodes has regressed into a pumpkin. The Saints' WRs behind him have been total non-factors, so Waynes should be able to handle Ginn & Smith just fine. Jared Cook is a strong speed/size combo who is having a strong season. With Kendricks likely on Kamara duty, Barr may have to handle Cook, and he hasn't played well in coverage this year. Speaking of Kamara, he's caught 81 passes, though at just 6.6 yards a catch. Brees loves to dump the ball to him.
In the running game, Kamara hasn't been a monster, but has looked healthy as of late. Latavius Murray will still get some 1st-2nd down carries in Alvin's stead. Watch out for potential runs with Taysom Hill, the 3rd QB/TE/HB/??.
On defense, the Saints have a top 5 run defense... oh good, more bad news! Well, some good news is that the Saints will be missing 2 starters on the D-line: DE Marcus Davenport and DT Sheldon Rankins, their 2nd and 3rd best pass rushers respectively. Unfortunately, Cam Jordan is operating at an elite level as always, and will prove to be a big challenge for LT Reiff. None of the other DEs scare me. At DT, the Saints have quality run defenders in Brown and Tuttle. Onyemata has struggled since taking on Rankin's duties so far.
Similarly to the Vikings, the Saints will mostly use just Demario Davis and A.J. Klein at linebacker. It just so happens that Davis is having about the same season Kendricks is - he's been near elite in both run stopping and coverage, which is rare for a LB to be so good at both. Klein, meanwhile, has struggled in both regards. MLB Kiko Alonso is a two down LB who has graded well when he's out there.
The Saints' primary weakness on defense is their DBs. Diggs and Thielen will need to go off on these guys, but #1 CB Marshon Lattimore will be shadowing one of them. Marshon may only be graded Above Average, but that's due to having to face #1 WRs every week, and he's capable of shutting WRs down. With the anemic Eli Apple injured, Janoris Jenkins will jump into the starting lineup, but I think this is a good thing for the Vikings. He's been underachieving with the Giants for awhile, and I expect that to continue here. Nickel CB PJ Williams has always stunk, and I don't know why he hasn't been benched yet. FS Marcus Williams may want revenge after screwing up a tackle en route to the Vikings' Minneapolis Miracle, and he's had another phenomenal season in coverage. SS Vonn Bell is a great run stopping safety, but grades very poorly in coverage. Rookie SS Gardner-Johnson outplayed him when Bell was hurt, so it's possible Bell's snaps will be phased out.
Prediction: Saints 31, Vikings 18
I just can't see this Vikings team winning a huge game on the road against a team that is simply loaded. I know I said the same thing against the Cowboys and the Vikings pulled that game out, but this one is different. The Vikings have a playoff-caliber roster, but the Saints look like they're Super Bowl-caliber. Their strengths (passing the ball, stopping the run) match up perfect against the Vikings and I could see a blowout happen. Methinks the only way we find victory is if the Saints underestimate the Vikings and fall asleep at the wheel - like they did in a key game against the Falcons, which ended up costing them the #1 seed.
Well... this is it! Will the Vikings find a way to topple the Saints? Let me know what you think!
... and neither is this Chris guy.