It's the second weekend of NFL Playoff action and YOUR NFC SOUTH CHAMPION NEW ORLEANS SAINTS are still playing... in Minneapolis, Minnesota... the home of Super Bowl LII... to take on the Minnesota Vikings

This is the 4th time the Saints & Vikings will meet in the playoffs... making Minnesota New Orleans's most common postseason opponent. The Saints are trying to even their playoff record against Minnesota at 2-2

Previous playoff meetings:
Jan. 3, 1988 - Minnesota won Wild Card round game 44-10 in the Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans' first ever playoff game)
Jan. 6, 2001 - Minnesota won Divisional round game 34-16 in the Minneapolis Metrodome (1 week after the Saints' first ever playoff win)
Jan. 24, 2010 - New Orleans won NFC Championship game 31-28 in overtime in Louisiana Superdome

With a win today... the Saints would... for the 1st time ever... bring their overall playoff record back to .500 at 9-9 after losing the team's first 4 playoff games in team history

The Saints are also going for just their 2nd road playoff win in team history in their 8th playoff game outside the friendly confines of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (not counting the neutral site Super Bowl XLIV... only talking "true" road games here)... of course the last time the Saints qualified for the playoffs before this season (2013)... they went on the road and won in sub-freezing Philadelphia before falling on the road to Seattle.

The Saints are also trying to end a 2 game skid in the Divisional round and get their record in the second round of the NFL playoffs back to .500 at 3-3

Should the Saints prove successful today... the Saints would travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game next Sunday at 5:40 PM CT... and would bring the Eagles back into a tie with the Vikings as the Saints most common playoff opponent at 4 games apiece.

Today's Officials: (since playoff crews are "all-star" mix-match crews... an official's usual head referee is listed in parenthesis)
Referee: Gene Steratore

Umpire: Roy Ellison (Gene Steratore)
Down Judge: Tom Symonette (Carl Cheffers)
Line Judge: Mark Steinkerchner (Ron Torbert)
Field Judge: Scott Novak (Walt Coleman)
Side Judge: Boris Cheek (Pete Morelli)
Back Judge: Greg Meyer (Bill Vinovich)
Replay Official: Paul Weidner
Alternates: Craig Wrolstad, Jim Mello, Greg Yette

Scoring Plays:
1Q - MIN - Jerick McKinnon 14 yd TD rush (PAT good) 7-0 MIN
1Q - MIN - Kai Forbath 20 yd FG GOOD 10-0 MIN
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2Q - MIN - Latavius Murray 1 yd TD rush (PAT good) 17-0 MIN
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3Q - NO - Drew Brees to Michael Thomas 14 yd TD pass (PAT good) 17-7 MIN
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4Q - NO - Drew Brees to Michael Thomas 2 yd TD pass (PAT good) 17-14 MIN
4Q - MIN - Kai Forbath 49 yd FG GOOD 20-14 MIN
4Q - NO - Drew Brees to Alvin Kamara 14 yd TD pass (PAT good) 21-20 NO
4Q - MIN - Kai Forbath 53 yd FG GOOD 23-21 MIN
4Q - NO - Wil Lutz 43 yd FG GOOD 24-23 NO
4Q - MIN - Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs 61 yd TD pass (2PC no good) 29-23 MIN

Inactive List:
NO-
WR Brandon Coleman
RB Jonathan Williams
DE Kasim Edebali
C Cameron Tom
TE John Phillips
T Bryce Harris
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad

MIN-
QB Kyle Sloter
QB Teddy Bridgewater
WR Stacy Coley
RB Mack Brown
G Danny Isidora
C Cornelius Edison
DE Tashawn Bower

This post was edited on 1/14/18 at 7:16 pm