Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Brees was asked during his postgame press conference about the Vikings pass rush.
“They are two of the best defensive ends in the league, especially the pair. You cannot just focus on one,” he responded. “And oh, by the way, they have some good interior guys and good pressure players at the linebacker and safety positions, as well. You have to have a plan for all of those guys. I think we understood that it was going to be a battle, and there are times where they’re going to get you.”
Minnesota certainly did just that.
Brees finished the day 26-of-33 for 208 yards, one touchdown and one interception with a passer rating of 90.4.
Defensive success also resulted in relatively quiet outings from Saints star receiver Michael Thomas (70 yards) and running back duo Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray, who combined for just 42 yards on the ground.
Minnesota especially clamped down defensively on third downs, allowing New Orleans to convert just four of 11 (36 percent) of their attempts.
“I think not letting them get to third-and-short was key because when they did, they had some success,” safety Harrison Smith said. “They’re a good football team. They’re always going to have wrinkles here and there. But when we had to have it, we stepped up.”
Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks emphasized the importance of communication as a unit.
“We let each other know what the down-and-distance was, what we could expect. We got after the quarterback in our four-man rushes, and I feel like we just made good plays,” Kendricks said. “We had an interception by Ant on a deep throw. Everson had a sack. Danielle had a sack-fumble, you know? That’s just winning football.”