Scoring Plays:
1Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 40 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 0, NO 7
1Q - MIN - Dalvin Cook 15 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 7, NO 7
1Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 1 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 7, NO 14
End of Quarter Score - Minnesota Vikings 7, New Orleans Saints 14
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2Q - NO - Wil Lutz 30 yd FG GOOD | MIN 7, NO 17
2Q - MIN - Mike Boone 4 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 14, NO 17
2Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 5 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 14, NO 24
End of Quarter Score - Minnesota Vikings 14, New Orleans Saints 24
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3Q - MIN - Kirk Cousins to Irv Smith, Jr. 2 yd TD pass (PAT No Good - Wide Left) | MIN 20, NO 24
3Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 6 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 20, NO 31
3Q - MIN - Kirk Cousins to Irv Smith, Jr. 4 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | MIN 27, NO 31
End of Quarter Score - Minnesota Vikings 27, New Orleans Saints 31
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4Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 7 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 27, NO 38
4Q - NO - Taysom Hill 1 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 27, NO 45
4Q - MIN - Kirk Cousins to Adam Thielen 1 yd TD pass (2PC Fails - Kirk Cousins pass incomplete) | MIN 33, NO 45
4Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 3 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | MIN 33, NO 52
Final Score - Minnesota Vikings 33, New Orleans Saints 52
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Hello Who Dats & Who Datettes. Merry Christmas & welcome to the New Orleans Saints Week 16, Game 15 Thread.

Hopefully the third time is the charm for the Saints, as the team tries once again to clinch its unprecedented 4th straight NFC South Division Championship (unprecedented for both the Saints franchise and the NFC South Division).

But to end this pesky 2-game skid, the Saints will essentially have to end the season of the team that has ended theirs two out of the last three years in the Minnesota Vikings as a Saints win officially eliminates the Vikings from playoff contention. And making sure the Vikings don't see the postseason is always a plus for the Saints as New Orleans is 1-4 against Minnesota in the postseason with the Vikings being the only team to come to the Crescent City twice in the NFC playoff bracket and win, our franchise's first playoff game ever in 1987 & its most recent this past January.

The Saints hope Drew Brees got the yips out of his system during a sluggish 1st half back to action last week and the return of Marquez Callaway can provide a new pair of steady hands for Drew to throw to as well as a viable threat in the kick & punt return game. The offense has to be much better than to strand the defense out for 2/3 of a game. Drew & the Saints O must take advantage of a bad & beat up Viking D, esp. at linebacker. The Vikings D is 23rd in yards allowed (378.0), 25th against the pass (252.4), 23rd against the run (125.6), & 25th in points allowed (27.7)

For its part, the defense gets to see if it is truly all its cracked up to be as the league's 4th best rush D (95.6 yds/game) as Dalvin Cook will challenge the Saints front immensely. The Vikings are 5th in the league in rushing, averaging 147.7 rush yards per game with Cook averaging 114 of those. Cook is 2nd in the NFL in total rushing yards coming into the week at 1,484 yards, 195 yards behind Derrick Henry for the league rushing title. And the Saints don't need to be reminded that Kirk Cousins is good enough to beat them if given the chance.

With the playoffs looming, the task is simple. Win. Get back to feeling like the dominant Saints team we saw in Tampa six weeks ago and get that mojo rolling towards the playoffs.

I already brought it up, but the last time these 2 teams played was in the Wild Card Round of last season's playoffs where the Vikings came to the Superdome, took a 20-10 lead to the 4th quarter, saw the Saints rally to force OT, only for an unfortunate injury and a missed push off to do the Saints in as the Vikings advanced 26-20.

LET'S CRUSH THESE NORDIC BEASTS AND SEND THEM BACK TO SCANDANAVIA WHILE TAKING OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE ON THE THRONE IN THE SOUTH!!!

Injury Report: (Players only currently on the 53-man roster who have a game designation from the Friday injury report listed here)
MIN-
Eric Kendricks (Calf) OUT
Kyle Rudolph (Foot) OUT
Troy Dye (Concussion & Hamstring) OUT
Jayln Holmes (Groin) OUT
Alexander Mattison (Concussion) OUT
Todd Davis (Ribs) DOUBTFUL
Armon Watts (Ankle) QUESTIONABLE
CJ Ham (Quadriceps) QUESTIONABLE

NO- (Neither Michael Thomas, Tre'Quan Smith, nor Deonte Harris [on Injured Reserve] will appear here)
Nick Easton (Concussion) OUT
Marcus Williams (Ankle) OUT
Andrus Peat (Ankle) QUESTIONABLE
Malcom Brown (Calf) QUESTIONABLE
Trey Hendrickson (Neck) QUESTIONABLE

Weather: The thundering roar of 3,000 Who Dats inebriated on holiday cheer inside the Superdome will be the only concern on this Christmas Day.

Uniforms: It's a holiday and our typical Thursday night game? That can only mean 1 thing... Color Rush

Saints Playoff Clinching Scenarios:
The New Orleans Saints have clinched a playoff berth.

The New Orleans Saints can clinch the NFC South Division Championship this week with:
1) Saints Win | Saints Win NFC South Division Championship
2) Buccaneers Loss
3) Saints Tie + Buccaneers Tie

Relevant Games:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 47 @ Detroit Lions 7 | Final

Current Standings:
NFC North:
Packers 11-3
Bears 7-7
Vikings 6-8
Lions 5-9

NFC South:
Saints 10-4
Buccaneers 9-5
Falcons 4-10
Panthers 4-10

Betting Line: Saints (-7) O/U 51

Want to listen to Zach Strief, Deuce McAllister, & Steve Geller instead of Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Kristina Pink, & Erin Andrews?
Find your local Saints Radio Network affiliate at this link

Today's Officials: (all officiating crews are subject to change)
Referee: #29 Adrian Hill

Umpire: #121 Paul King
Down Judge: #134 Ed Camp
Line Judge: #16 Kevin Codey
Field Judge: #5 Jim Quirk
Side Judge: #7 Keith Washington
Back Judge: #12 Greg Steed
Replay Official: TBA
Replay Assistant: TBA
**This is our 2nd time having Adrian Hill & his crew this season. The previous time was our most recent victory, in Atlanta against the Falcons.**

Inactive Lists:
MIN-
RB Alexander Mattison
FB CJ Ham
LB Todd Davis
LB Troy Dye
LC Eric Kendricks
TE Kyle Rudolph
DE Jalyn Holmes

NO-
S Marcus Williams
DE Trey Hendrickson
LB Kaden Elliss
OL Nick Easton
OL Andrus Peat
DT Malcom Brown

This post was edited on 12/27/20 at 10:26 pm