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Adam Bettcher / Getty Images
The New Orleans Saints took revenge for the playoff defeat last year on Sunday night with a 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Drew Brees totaled only 120 passing yards, but Alvin Kamara scored twice to lead the Saints to a sixth consecutive victory. After a hiccup of week 1, the team is now 6-1 and is clearly one of the best teams in the NFC.
Adam Thielen has passed 100 yards for an eighth consecutive game, but the Vikings have dropped to 4-3-1 this season.
Opportunistic defense key for the Super Bowl hopes of the Saints
A year ago, the Saints' defense was one of the biggest surprises of the NFL. After years of inefficiency, the unit was a real force as she led New Orleans into the playoffs.
This has not been the case this season, with 27.2 points allowed per game. Among the many problems, one of the major problems was the impossibility of forcing business numbers with just five points to go all season long.
That changed against the Vikings with two turnovers that each transformed the game.
At the end of the first half, Marcus Lattimore recovered a fumble and took it from his own boat to the opposing 33-yard line. The Saints scored soon after, turning a possible 20-10 deficit into a 17-13 lead at halftime.
In the second half, P.J. Williams intercepted Kirk Cousins and took him home to double in advance.
NFL @NFL
?? PICK-6! ??
@ PJWilliams_26 takes the cousin's pass at home. #NOvsMIN #GoSaints
: NBC https://t.co/43jinmTCbK
Regardless of the attack in the rest of the match, both games give the Saints a great chance to win the match against a quality opponent.
Riley McAtee of The Ringer explained what it could mean:
Riley McAtee @Riley_McAtee
if the Saints' defense is back to last year's level, it may be the best football team
If New Orleans wants to continue to win, the defense will have to remain aggressive and impose turnarounds. Otherwise, he will continue to put pressure on Brees and the offense.
One of the keys will be the pass rush, which intensified Sunday with four sacks and nine hits. This type of effort will lead to more wins than relying on Brees for 400 yards in each game.
The Vikings show why they have the best NFL WR combo
It was a disappointing defeat for the Vikings, but they at least showcased their talented duo catcher who has become amazingly the best of the NFL.
Thielen scored 100 yards in every game of the season and maintained the pace with 103 yards and a seven-shot touchdown against the Saints. The last effort put it in the record books:
Bleacher's report @Bleacher's report
Adam Thielen is not human ? (@ dunkindonuts) https://t.co/DBNm9KxpRN
While the 28-year-old has received praise for his speed and track record in the past, his entire skill set was on Sunday, including this incredible attack on Williams:
Fans always wonder who is the best at different positions, with Antonio BrownJulio Jones, DeAndre Hopkins and others compete for first place in the receiver. However, it is hard to say that anyone is playing better than Thielen at the moment.
Not to be outdone, Stefon Diggs had one of his best games of the year with nine catches for 111 yards and one touchdown.
Like Thielen, Diggs is an excellent road racer who can open and play on the ball when he is not. He made a mistake by interrupting his run during the interception and Thielen had a fumble, but these receivers are exactly what you would like as a quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams all have big receiver groups, but the Vikings duo beats them all.
Considering that one was not crushed and the other was won in the fifth round, the Vikings must be satisfied with what they have on the list.
Drew Brees remains nominated for Most Valuable Player despite a calm match
In numbers, Brees did not play in this match with only 120 yards, plus an interception. His only touch hit Kamara.
In fact, it was his worst passing match of his career in the Saints, via Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders:
Scott Kacsmar @FO_ScottKacsmar
Drew Brees – Least passing yards with Saints (Eliminative playoff excluded)
1. Tonight – 120 yards
2. in 2006 NYG – 132 meters
3. to 2013 SEA – 147 meters
4. to 2006 CLE – 170 yards (NO start)
However, he played to help the team win and limited his mistakes against a defense that can make you pay.
Brees also completed 78.2% of his passes, which is even higher than the incredible percentage of 77.3 achievements he's received in the day.
The 39-year-old is known for his huge numbers of passes throughout his career, but this season he seems to be more concerned with efficiency. He only crossed 300 yards in just three of his seven starts, although he now has 14 touchdowns with just one interception.
The offense was also able to reach 30 points for the fifth time of the season.
New Orleans is now 6-1 and, unlike last year, it's not the game of defense or running that makes the difference. It's Brees who does exactly what he needs to help the saints win.
Fantasy owners might not like him, but the players around him could not be happier.
And after?
The Saints will have another major battle against the NFC next week by hosting the undefeated Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings will begin a series of three straight games against division opponents, with a home game against the Detroit Lions.
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