The New Orleans Saints face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday and look to extend their winning streak to three games. New Orleans isn’t the only team on a winning streak. The Vikings have won their last four games after a 1-4 start to the season. That streak didn’t end despite having to lean on a quarterback who was so new he didn’t know his teammates’ names.
With each teams looking to extend a winning streak, there are certain matchups that will define this game. The Vikings have certain tendencies the Saints have previously struggled with. There is also a standout battle in the trenches that highlights the matchups in this game.
1
Danielle Hunter vs. Ryan Ramczyk
Danielle Hunter has been great this season. There’s a reason many Saints fans wanted to trade for him before the season. He is the only player with double digit sacks this year. Hunter lines up nearly exclusively on the offense’s right side. We’ll be treated to a Hunter versus Ryan Ramczyk matchup all game long.
This will truly be a treat for football lovers. ESPN’s pass block win rate has Ryan Ramczyk winning 89% of his reps on passing plays. Hunter isn’t just a pass rusher, so it’ll be important to watch this matchup on running plays as well. This is the most important matchup of the day.
2
Joshua Dobbs' legs vs. Dennis Allen's defense
Joshua Dobbs surprisingly led the Vikings to a game winning drive in his first game as a Viking. He entered the game as a backup quarterback and was only on the team for less than a week. In that game, he made pivotal plays with his legs. He ended the game with 7 carries for 66 yards.
Quarterbacks scrambling have been an issue for the Saints. Trevor Lawrence made plays with his legs and so did Tyler Bagent last week. This has been a recurring problem for New Orleans’ defense. The Saints defenders typically have their back turned in man coverage. That’s made them susceptible to quarterback scrambles. Scrambles have been too damaging to the defense and too likely to be a threat this week for Allen to not prepare for it.
3
Derek Carr vs. Vikings pressure
Minnesota blitzes on 51.3% of passing plays, the most in the league by far. The Saints offense struggled mightily against the pressure early in the season. The offensive line wasn’t struggled to keep defensive linemen and blitzers out of the backfield and Derek Carr didn’t navigate the pressure well. That combination resulted in a stunted passing offense.
The offensive line has looked improved, as of recent, but this will be a true test. Because Minnesota blitzes at such a high frequency, there will be times they will send more players than the Saints can block. Carr has to adjust accordingly. He also has to identify the blitz before the snap to limit the pressure.
4
Jordan Addison vs. Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo
With Justin Jefferson likely to miss another game, Jordan Addison will continue to be the lead wide receiver for the Vikings. It’s doubtful the Saints use Marshon Lattimore to shadow the rookie, so Addison will see both Lattimore and Paulson Adebo. Lattimore has been consistent this year, and Adebo has taken his game to a new level over the past two weeks.
The Saints secondary specializes in forcing turnovers, and Adebo is the leader in interceptions on the team. He has four of the 12 interceptions on the season. Even without the turnovers, pass defense has been the strength of the Saints defense.
5
T.J. Hockenson vs. Demario Davis
Consistent is the best word to describe Hockenson. In the last five games, he has had 50 or more receiving yards. The Vikings have needed that even more since Justin Jefferson’s injury. He has been the leading receiver in two of the four games Jefferson has missed. The question will be how is he defended by New Orleans.
It will likely be a mixture of Tyrann Mathieu and Demario Davis. We’ve seen Davis repeatedly running down the middle of the field with opposing receiving options, and well at that. He will likely see a lot of the action when Hockenson is lined up on the line of scrimmage as a traditional tight end.
