| New Orleans to win this game in Minnesota http://www.thevikingslockerroom.com/authentic-randy-moss-jersey , no where-were-you moment that instantly went viral.More Vikings coveragePreview: Cook, Vikings look to keep rolling vs. PackersTop Tweets: Vikings prepare for Packers with TMNT hype videoBarr, seasoned Vikings defense off to strong startNew offense, same Rodgers: Vikings prep for LaFleur’s PackersVikings re-sign center Jones, waive rookie TE DillonDrew Brees and the Saints simply scored some revenge for their last-second loss in the playoffs last season by taking advantage of two key turnovers, including a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown by P.J. Williams, in a 30-20 victory over the Vikings on Sunday night.“This one had a little extra special meaning,” Brees said, flashing a slight smile after he went 18 for 23 to maintain his league-leading 77.4 completion percentage.Alvin Kamara scored twice, Wil Lutz made three field goals and Sheldon Rankins had two of the four sacks by the Saints (6-1) Womens Ameer Abdullah Jersey , who needed only 120 passing yards by Brees to beat the Vikings (4-3-1) this time with far less tension down the final stretch and stay undefeated in four road games this year.“It’s everything we wanted it to be,” Rankins said.Stefon Diggs had 119 receiving yards and a score in his curtain call after the “Minneapolis Miracle” catch in the NFC divisional round here in January, but he stopped his drag route in a miscommunication with quarterback Kirk Cousins right before Williams picked the ball off for the pivotal third-quarter touchdown.Adam Thielen had another record-setting performance for the Vikings with 103 yards and a score, but he lost a fumble that was returned 54 yards by Marshon Lattimore to set up the go-ahead touchdown for the Saints.“We’re a really good football team, but you can’t make mistakes in this league and win, especially on critical situations when you have the ball in the red zone,” Thielen said. “Obviously I’m going to think about that one for a while, and I’m definitely disappointed in myself.”The Vikings had the edge on both sides of the ball during the first half. Harrison Smith handed Brees his first interception of the season after 231 attempts without one, putting the Vikings in position to stretch a 13-10 lead.Late in the second quarter, Thielen drove forward for extra yards after a short completion and had the ball pried loose by Williams and Alex Anzalone at the 14. Lattimore scooped it up and raced the other way Marcus Epps Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , before Laquon Treadwell took him down. Treadwell then slammed his helmet on the turf in frustration, drawing a devastating 15-yard penalty to give the Saints the ball at the 18 with 57 seconds remaining before halftime. Kamara soared into the end zone two plays later.“I was giving up a few plays,” Williams said, “but a turnover always turns the game around.”The Vikings started the second half with the ball and went for it on fourth-and-1 at their own 45. With an empty backfield, Cousins had Treadwell open over the middle, but Lattimore broke up the pass to change possession and set up Lutz’s second field goal.“I told the team I was going to be aggressive,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “Every fourth down that was close, we were going to go for it.”SIZZLING STARTThe first evening kickoff of the season at U.S. Bank Stadium created an extra-energetic atmosphere, and the pregame hype video montage with replays of the last-snap catch and run by Diggs for the winning touchdown in the playoffs against the Saints only enhanced it.Defensive end Everson Griffen, returning from a five-game absence for mental health treatment Minnesota Vikings Jerseys 2019 , led the sprint out of the replica Vikings ship for introductions. Diggs was saved for last. Then the action came fast and furious.Kamara capped the opening touchdown drive by catching a forward flip on a jet sweep play with both backup quarterbacks, Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill, lined up as wide receivers. Hill had taken a turn at quarterback earlier and threw a 44-yard pass to Michael Thomas, his second highlight-reel reception during that drive.Thielen climbed over the neck of Williams for a tricky third-down catch on the ensuing possession for the Vikings, who kept on attacking the third-year nickel cornerback. Diggs beat him with a back-shoulder grab at the goal line and again four plays later on a toe-tap touchdown at the edge of the end zone on fourth down.Williams had a pass interference penalty on the next drive for the Vikings. That set up a short scoring run by Latavius Murray, who tossed the ball back to Cousins earlier on that possession for a 28-yard flea-flicker throw to Thielen.THIELEN ITThielen tied Calvin Johnson’s all-time NFL record of eight straight 100-yard receiving games, set in 2012 with Detroit. He also matched Patrick Jeffers with a fifth consecutive game with 100-plus yards and at least one touchdown, a mark set in 1999 for Carolina.INJURY REPORTSaints: CB Eli Apple, acquired in a trade with the New York Giants, made his debut in place of Ken Crawley Trae Waynes Jersey , who was inactive but not on the injury report.Vikings: CB Xavier Rhodes (foot) was one of six starters held out with injuries. … Backup RB Roc Thomas left with a hamstring injury.UP NEXTSaints: Return home to host the Los Angeles Rams (8-0) next Sunday.Vikings: Stay home to face the Detroit Lions (3-4) next Sunday. While he isn’t griping about the situation publicly, or dancing around trade rumors, Kyle Rudolph is clearly being forced to adjust this year.The Vikings tight end is like his other teammates, getting used to a different way of doing business this season, with their passing game not quite where it has been in the past (it’s early and we’re feeling generous).Through four games, Rudolph has five catches for 32 yards. For a guy who has averaged 68 catches a year over the last three seasons (and who got a lucrative contract extension this offseason), that’s quite a departure.“I’m focused on whatever my job is, and to this point my job has been blocking — blocking a lot,” Rudolph said, via John Shipley of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “If that’s what they want me to do in this offense Eric Kendricks Jersey , and that’s what’s going to help us win football games, then that’s what I have to do.”It’s at least more polite than the way his wide receiver teammates are handling the situation, after Adam Thielen took some shots at quarterback Kirk Cousins, and then Stefon Diggs refused to deny that he wanted to be traded.But Rudolph is expecting Cousins to bounce back, and become the kind of quarterback they gave all that money to.“He threw for four thousand yards last year and all kinds of touchdowns,” Rudolph said. “He’s done that just about every year of his career.”Until that returns, Rudolph’s happy to contribute in a less fashionable way to the team’s third-ranked rushing game. |
