Saints–Vikings rivalry
The Saints–Vikings rivalry is a rivalry between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings.[1][2][3][4]
New Orleans Saints
Minnesota Vikings
| |
| First meeting | October 13, 1968 Saints 20, Vikings 17 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | December 25, 2020 Saints 52, Vikings 33 |
| Next meeting | TBD (no later than 2023 regular season) |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 36 |
| All-time series | Vikings 23-13 |
| Postseason results | Vikings, 4–1 |
| Largest victory | Vikings, 45–3 (1988) |
| Longest win streak | Vikings, 6 (1970–76) |
| Current win streak | Saints, 1 (2020-present) |
The Vikings have dominated most of the series. However, the resurgence of the Saints under Sean Payton and Drew Brees made the organization competitive with the Vikings. Games between these two teams have been consequential both in the regular-season and playoffs for the NFC. The rivalry has also spearheaded many league-wide discussions such as overtime rules and bounty programs. Finally, the rivalry has involved an unusual amount of chirpiness specifically out of Saints players and the Vikings fanbase (see below moments) Due to constant playoff matches between the two teams, the rivalry has become very famous recently in the last two decades.
The Vikings lead the all-time series 23-13. The two clubs have met five times in the playoffs, with the Vikings holding a 4-1 record. In the series, the Vikings won 20 of the first 27 games (.741) through 2009. Since 2009, the Saints have won 6 of the last 9 games.
Notable moments and games
- In 2001, the 10–6 Saints traveled to Minnesota for a playoff game against the 11–5 Vikings. Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper threw for 302 yards as the Vikings rolled over the Saints 34–16. Despite a lot of optimism around the Minnesota Vikings entering the playoffs, they would proceed to get blown-out the next week in the NFC Championship Game against the New York Giants. This pattern of being blown out after beating the Saints would repeat itself in 2017 and 2019.
- In 2002, the 4–10 Vikings played the 9–5 Saints in a must-win game for the Saints. The Vikings would score with five seconds remaining on a Culpepper touchdown to Randy Moss and would go for two instead of kicking the extra point for a tie. The Vikings would win 32–31 and the Saints would go on to miss the playoffs in part because of this loss.
- In January 2010, the 12–4 Vikings traveled to New Orleans to play the 13–3 Saints in the NFC Championship Game. Despite dominating the Saints in terms of total yards, time of possession, first downs, and other key stats, the Vikings committed five costly turnovers (including three from quarterback Brett Favre), and the Saints managed to holdon for a 31–28 overtime win. [5] This game was pivotal in the eventual changing of the league overtime rules, as the Vikings did not get a chance to score in overtime after the Saints.[6] Additionally, the Saints organization was criticized for the volume and intensity of hits on Favre in Bountygate. The Saints would go on to win their first Super Bowl over the Indianapolis Colts, the culmination of a dream season for the organization in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
- In 2010, the Vikings traveled to New Orleans for a rematch of the NFC Championship game in one of the most anticipated games of the season. In an ugly game, the Saints once again prevailed over the Vikings, this time by a score of 14–9. The Vikings season would spiral out of control as they fell from 12–4 to 6–10, which included head coach Brad Childress being fired mid-season, the Metrodome collapsing mid-season, and the lackluster play from Brett Favre in what was his final season in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Saints finished 11–5 (second in the division behind the 13–3 Falcons), and went on to lose to the Seahawks in the Beast Quake game.
- In 2017, the Saints visited US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis for the first game of a Monday Night Football double-header, which was also their first game at the new stadium. The Vikings won 29–19 behind big performances from quarterback Sam Bradford and wide receiver Stefon Diggs. The game was important because Saints coach Sean Payton had been facing criticism after the Saints posted three straight 7–9 seasons. The Saints went on to turn their season around, going 11–4 the rest of the year and winning the NFC South title for their first playoff berth since 2013. On the roster for the Saints was former Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson, who was seen arguing with Payton during the game over carries. The Vikings went on to win the NFC North with a 13–3 record and secure the second seed in the NFC.
- In the 2017 playoffs, the Saints traveled to Minnesota for an NFC Divisional Round Game. The Vikings jumped out to a 17–0 lead, controlling all key stats. However, the Saints mounted a second-half comeback and eventually took a 24–23 lead with under a minute to play. Saints coach Sean Payton famously mocked the Vikings crowd with the Vikings "Skol Chant," believing the game was over.[7] With ten seconds left, Vikings quarterback Case Keenum completed a pass to Stefon Diggs, who evaded a tackle attempt by Saints safety Marcus Williams and took the ball into the endzone for winning touchdown. This has been considered one of the greatest NFL games of all time and was known as the Minneapolis Miracle. Saints running back Alvin Kamara, frustrated in the outcome of the game, would later say "Fuck Minnesota," a comment that was rare to see in an era of uneventful commentary by players and coaches.[8] Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan, whose father Steve Jordan spent his 12-year career as a tight end for the Vikings, in later years would refer to the game as being "three or four quarterbacks ago," a shot at the carousel that has existed in the Vikings quarterback room for most of the 2000's.
- In 2019, The 10–6 Vikings traveled to New Orleans as heavy underdogs in an NFC Wild Card Game. Although the Saints jumped out to a quick 3–0 lead, the Saints struggled to muster the kind of offense they were known for in 2019. The Vikings at one point led 20–10 before the Saints forced overtime on a last second field-goal. In overtime, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins led the team on a drive that resulted in a touchdown to Kyle Rudolph. After the game, Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs was seen doing a "Choppa Style" dance, the Saints victory song from the year, in front of Saints coach Sean Payton. [9] He later denied mocking the Saints. Many Saints fans, snakebitten by three-straight heartbreaking playoff losses, considered the game-winning touchdown to be the result of offensive pass-interference. Vikings fans hit up social-media to gloat in the victory leading Saints players Cameron Jordan and Michael Thomas to respond to the Vikings fanbase and team after their loss in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers. This represented the second time in a two-year span that Saints players were publicly engaging with the Vikings [10]
- In 2020, the Vikings played in New Orleans for a Christmas Day match-up. With the score 31–27 after three quarters, the Saints scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to pull away 52–33. This game represented the worst Vikings' defensive performance in franchise history as they gave up 583 yards of offense to the Saints and allowed Alvin Kamara to tie the NFL record for touchdowns in one game (6). Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer later told NBC's Peter King that he believed the Saints ran up the score given the Saints were still throwing deep passes up double-digits with under three minutes to play. Some argued that the Saints were simply trying to get Kamara his sixth touchdown of the game. This game eliminated the Vikings from playoff contention.[11] After the game, Saints coach Sean Payton was seen doing the Griddy dance in the Saints lockerroom. Although the dance originated in Louisiana, his air punch towards a camera after his dance led some to believe he was punching the Vikings season good-bye, a team who had adopted the dance team-wide when star rookie receiver Justin Jefferson started using it.
Game results
| New Orleans Saints vs. Minnesota Vikings Season-by-Season Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1960s (Saints, 1–0)
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1970s (Vikings, 6–1)
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1980s (Vikings, 5–2)
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1990s (Vikings, 4–2)
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2000s (Vikings, 5–2)
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2010s (Saints, 4–3)
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2020s (Saints, 1–0)
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Summary of Results
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References
- Kistner, Kade (December 25, 2020). "A brief history of the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings series". Canal Street Chronicles.
- Mickle, Shane (May 15, 2020). "The Vikings' Biggest NFL Rivals Of All Time". ClutchPoints.
- "Vikings and Saints develop one of NFL's best playoff rivalries". Star Tribune.
- Antoine, Carla (December 25, 2020). "Saints-Vikings Trivia on Christmas Day in Week 16". Sports Illustrated New Orleans Saints News, Analysis and More.
- "Vikings vs. Saints - Game Summary - January 24, 2010 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
- "NFL overtime rules 2021: Explaining how the OT format works in football for regular season, playoffs". Sporting News.
- "Sean Payton admits mocking Vikings fans with Skol clap, calls it 'good playoff fun'". CBSSports.com.
- Tesfatsion, Master. "Chasing Alvin Kamara: The NFL's Reluctant Star". Bleacher Report.
- "No, Stefon Diggs didn't actually snub Sean Payton's handshake in viral postgame photo". 6 January 2020.
- "Saints players tweet Vikings loss, upset some fans". wwltv.com. January 11, 2020.
- "Mike Zimmer gives Vikings fans another reason to hate the Saints". 23 August 2021.
Further reading
- Glennon, John (November 19, 1995). "Cold war revived". Sun Herald – via Newspapers.com.
- Foote, Kevin (January 11, 2018). "Vikings are always there". The Daily Advertiser. Lafayette, Louisiana – via Newspapers.com.
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