GAME OF THE YEAR!
I LOVE this game.
The Vikings are fully rested and healthy, including their receivers at 100%, including their No 2 WR Diggs. No 1 WR Thielen is having a MONSTER year, and improving each week. With these weapons the Vikings have an offense every bit as good as the Saints.
The Vikings D is elite, and is clearly better than the New Orleans D. The Saints have been using far too much energy, playing hard each week for the Division Title. We saw that D leaking Oil the last 2 weeks, unable to stop the Bucs Week 17, and then getting torched by Carolina in the 2nd half last week.
Minny will have a 4 point HFA here with an enormous crowd noise HFA. LAST week the Saints had that HFA, NOW they will be facing a hostile crowd.
We get 4 extra points of HFA, the better team, in a much more rested situation, with an elite D. The Vikings are VERY likely to win this game, and in fact stay in Minnesota throughout the playoffs, where they should be hosting the SBowl.
Note, that Vikings D has held EVERY opponent to under 40% 3rd down conversions.....No team in NFL history since they started tracking this in 1991 has done this.......
Contrast that with the Saints, who have given up 21 of their last 35 3rd down conversions to opponents. 60%!
The Saints last had a bye 10/8, and EVERY game was critical. Their D is leaking Oil, and is tired. By Contrast, the Vikings had a bye early in November, an easy walk through Week 17, and a bye last week.
The Saints Defense has a long list of guys who are out on the injury list on D. Further, they just lost OT Peat to a leg injury.
WE FIRE!