A big-play Saints defense must avoid a slow start and capitalize on matchup advantages against a wounded but dangerous Vikings offense.
The 5-4 New Orleans Saints travel to face the 5-4 Minnesota Vikings in a critical Week 10 matchup between NFC playoff hopefuls. New Orleans comes in as winners of two straight and holds first place in the NFC South. Minnesota is riding a four-game winning streak and has won five of six to sit in second place in the NFC North.
New Orleans has come on offensively in recent weeks after huge struggles there through the first six games. The Saints were carried by their defense early on, but it’s a unit that’s shown some vulnerability recently. New Orleans still ranks seventh in total defense, allowing 19 points and 304 total yards per contest. They’ve also forced the most turnovers in the league (18) while ranking fourth on third downs.
Hosting the Saints is a battered Minnesota offense that’s missing three top-tier starters and could be without as many as three more on Sunday. On the year, the Vikings average 355 yards of total offense (ranking = 13th) and 22.9 points (15th) per game. However, QB Kirk Cousins (Achilles) and RB Cam Akers (knee) are out for the year, with star WR Justin Jefferson (hamstring) likely still sidelined. Additionally, TE T.J. Hockenson, LT Christian Darrisaw, and WR K.J. Osborn may also be out on Sunday with injuries.
Here’s a look at how these two units match up against each other when these teams square off on Sunday.
Just five days after joining the Vikings in a trade, QB Joshua Dobbs came off the bench and led his new team to a win at Atlanta. Dobbs completed 20 of 30 throws for 158 yards and two scores in the victory while adding another 66 yards on the ground.
Dobbs, 28, has been with seven different franchises over his seven-year career. He’s just 1-9 as a starter, appearing in 17 games while completing 62% of his throws for 2,183 yards with 12 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and 399 yards rushing.
Minnesota hasn’t given either Cousins or Dobbs much of a supportive running attack. Even while coming off a season-high 146 yards rushing, the Vikings have been held under 75 yards on the ground in six of their nine contests.
Alexander Mattison is Minnesota’s leading rusher and will carry even more of the load with Cam Akers gone for the year. Mattison has 434 yards on the ground, but no rushing touchdowns and just 3.6 per carry. He’s rushed for over 90 yards twice this year, but produced under 50 yards on the ground in the other seven games. Second-year RB Ty Chandler backs him up. Chandler has just eight carries for 42 yards.
Mattison runs angry, but is also most effective off-tackle and in space. He’s an accomplished receiver as well, catching 23 passes for 158 yards and three scores. With a banged-up receiving corps, Mattison may get even more looks in the passing game.
All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson is listed as questionable after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury. He had 36 receptions for 571 yards in just five games before being hurt. It seems unlikely that Jefferson plays, but is perhaps the NFL’s most complete wideout and will be a huge challenge if he does.
Without Jefferson, 2023 first-round choice Jordan Addison has stepped up in a big way. Addison has 41 receptions, 534 yards, and a team-high seven touchdowns. He’s had 19 catches for 285 and three scores while Jefferson has been out. Addison can be overwhelmed by physical man coverage, but is a slick route runner with excellent athletic ability.
K.J. Osborn has been the Number 2 wideout in Jefferson’s absence. More suited as a Number 3, Osborn is a fine complement to the passing attack. He has 32 receptions for 377 yards so far and looks like he’ll play after clearing concussion protocols on Friday. Fifth-year journeyman Brandon Powell provides speedy depth in the slot.
Fifth-year TE T.J. Hockenson is one of the league’s best at his position and a mismatch for most defenses. Hockenson has 547 yards with three scores on a team-high 60 receptions and is a threat at every level. He’s also dealing with a rib injury that limited him in practice this week. Backup Josh Oliver is a fantastic backup, but has just 12 catches for 71 yards.
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