Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Defense: The Vikings defense chose rest and recovery Sunday, as key players were either inactive or did not play against the Bears.
Regulars such as Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph, Harrison Smith, Anthony Harris and Xavier Rhodes watched from the sidelines, as did Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr and Shamar Stephen, all of whom were inactive. Danielle Hunter played one snap to record a start but then didn’t play the rest of the game. His streak of 77 consecutive starts ranks third among current defensive ends.
Minnesota hopes its veteran defense will be fresh for the playoffs after an up-and-down performance in the regular season. The Vikings finished 14th in the league allowing 341.6 total yards per game, but a strong red-zone performance helped Minnesota tie for fifth with 18.9 points allowed per game.
The Vikings were suspectable to opponents’ passing attacks in 2019, as they allowed 3,737 total passing yards — the second-most under Zimmer since 2014. Minnesota used a cornerback rotation in the final month of the season, which could continue in the playoffs.
Smith and Harris make up one of the league’s best safety tandem, while the same can be said of Barr and Kendricks at linebacker. The Vikings will need all hands on deck to slow down Brees and the Saints offense.
Hunter led Minnesota (and tied his career high) with 14.5 sacks. Griffen recorded 8.0 sacks, and Ifeadi Odenigbo had 7.0 in a breakout season. Harris tied for the league lead with six picks.
The Saints ranked 11th with 333.1 yards allowed in the regular season, and were 13th with 21.3 points allowed per game. New Orleans was anchored by its run defense, which ranked fourth at 91.3 yards per game.
The unit is led by defensive end Cameron Jordan, the son of former Vikings tight end Steve Jordan who set a career-high with 15.5 sacks in 2019. Jordan leads all defensive ends with 144 consecutive starts. Linebacker Demario Davis, a third-round pick of the Jets in 2012, can roam the field from sideline to sideline. He recorded 111 tackles (league stats), 11 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and tied with Eric Kendricks for the NFL lead among linebackers with 12 pass breakups.
Safety Marcus Williams led New Orleans with four picks. Nine other players had one interception.
It’s worth noting that key defensive linemen Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Davenport are both on Injured Reserve with injuries.
Special Teams: Dan Bailey capped off a strong 2019 season by staying perfect at home Sunday.
The Vikings kicker made all five of his kicks Sunday in Week 17, as he was true on an extra point and four field goals from 34, 37, 38 and 39 yards. He went 14-for-14 on field goals and 21-for-21 on extra points in his second season at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Britton Colquitt also ended his season on a high note, as he did not record a touchback on 62 punts in 2019. He averaged 45.2 yards per punt in 2019.
Mike Hughes averaged 7.4 yards on 14 punt returns in 2019, while Ameer Abdullah averaged 25 yards on 13 kickoff returns.
Saints kicker Wil Lutz had another strong season, as he made 13 of 15 field goals and 48 of 49 extra points. Lutz, who is in his fourth season, currently ranks fourth all-time with an 87.5 career field goal percentage (Bailey is sixth at 87.3).
Saints punter Thomas Morstead averaged 46.2 yards on 60 punts in 2019.
Rookie Deonte Harris, who was voted to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist, averaged 9.4 yards on 36 punt returns and scored on a 53-yarder against Seattle. He averaged 26.8 yards on 24 kickoff returns.