After the first month of NFL football, the New Orleans Saints hold one of the best offenses in the league. Despite their 1-3 record, New Orleans has had a premier offense across the league, but will face the NFL’s best defensive play-caller, Brian Flores.
After four weeks, the Saints are tied with the 10th-best scoring offense, averaging 26.3 points per game. The Vikings defense, on the other hand, has allowed the fewest points, allowing just 12.8 points per game to opposing offenses.
It’s no doubt
this is the week New Orleans tries to establish the run, holding the sixth-worst rushing offense in the league and averaging just 88.5 rushing yards per game. Minnesota’s defense is known for its exotic pass-rushing looks, blitzing the quarterback over 70% of the time. Establishing the run will force the Vikings to ease up on the pass rush, but so far this season, teams haven’t found success in the run game. Minnesota has the seventh-best run defense in the NFL, allowing just 94.5 rushing yards per game.
But it’s likely New Orleans won’t find success in the run game. Running back Travis Etienne Jr. is on the injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury, and Alvin Kamara was a non-participant in Wednesday’s walk-through with a back injury. With these injuries, the Saints are likely to lean on their passing offense, which ranks as one of the best in the NFL. New Orleans is averaging 278.5 passing yards per game, which ranks fourth in the league.
Quarterback Tyler Shough is set to face the most fierce pass rush he has so far this season, even despite the brutal loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Shough is currently third in the NFL in passing yards with 1,203 and tied second in touchdowns. He’ll likely lean on his WR1, Chris Olave, who is second in the NFL in receiving yards with 491.
The Saints are in desperate need of getting back to winning games, but facing this Minnesota defense may be their hardest task so far this season. Over the last three weeks of the season, the Vikings are allowing opposing offenses to score just 9.6 points per game, and aren’t looking to budge against a New Orleans offense that starts slow week in and week out.
But while this is the best defense the Saints will see so far this season, the opposite is true for the Vikings. They haven’t seen an offense as successful as New Orleans this season. While they did face the Chicago Bears in Week 2, it wasn’t without heavy rain and an eventual injury to quarterback Caleb Williams. Will the Saints find a way to get back on track against the 4-0 Vikings and their fierce defense?
