Vikings/Saints Post-Game

[Mothman]

That was the biggest, most impressive win of the Zimmer era!

It wasn't easy but I liked the game plan, I love that they came to play a physical brand of football and admire the way the Vikes fought through adversity. It was a wild, competitive game but I'm glad we get to see the Vikes play again next week. HUGE win.

Special congrats have to go Cousins for showing his critics he can deliver in a big moment. I feel good for the guy.

[quiznut1]

Remember, we still blew a 10 point lead in the 4th quarter, and had about 3-4 opportunities on offense to really put the nail in the coffin in pushing the lead to 17.

I was also disappointed to see the defense play rather conservative with that 10 point lead after being quite active for the first 3 quarters. Gotta play a complete game if we're going to continue to win in the playoffs.

That said, good win. We got the job done when it mattered, and hopefully can carry some momentum to the 49ers. The road will not get any easier.

[S197]

I said it in the game chat but it reminded me of the Rams game a few years back when they looked unstoppable. Hard nose running the ball to wear them down and great 4 man pressure to knock Brees off his game. Everyone played amazing. What a great team win!

YOU LIKE THAT?!?!

[J. Kapp 11]

That was the biggest, most impressive win of the Zimmer era!

It wasn't easy but I liked the game plan, I love that they came to play a physical brand of football and admire the way the Vikes fought through adversity. It was a wild, competitive game but I'm glad we get to see the Vikes play again next week. HUGE win.

Special congrats have to go Cousins for showing his critics he can deliver in a big moment. I feel good for the guy.

Jim, I love Kirk Cousins the person. I haven't always loved Kirk Cousins the quarterback.

Today, he outplayed a Hall-of-Famer. Legitimately outplayed Drew Brees. He wasn't spectacular with the stats -- 96.4 passer rating. But he did it when it counted, which NO ONE believed he could do. I'm particularly proud of his answers to Chris Meyers in the postgame interview. He refused to take all the credit and pointed to his team. He's a standup guy who deserves good things to happen to him.

I'm also proud of the defense. All I heard all week was how the Saints' offense was averaging 40 over the last month of the season, how they were going to carve up our defense. To hold that team to 10 points through 3 quarters ... that's exceptional. Yes, they came back, but isn't that what they do at home? And honestly, Drew Brees didn't bring them back Taysom Hill did, almost singlehandedly.

Now it's on to San Francisco. This is a game we can win. I know we'll talk more about it this week, but there are reasons I believe this.

As for the Saints ... I've said it before and sounded like a lunatic. They have been demoralized every time they've been in the playoffs since they robbed us in '09. If I had my way, they'd never return to the Super Bowl as long as Sean Payton is the head coach.

NOTE: Just saw the postgame locker room video. Kirk Cousins: "I got three words for you. YOU LIKE THAT?" Priceless!

[Mothman]

Remember, we still blew a 10 point lead in the 4th quarter, and had about 3-4 opportunities on offense to really put the nail in the coffin in pushing the lead to 17.

Oh, it was far from perfect but I also kept their opponent in mind. I didn't think there was any way the Vikes were getting through that 4th quarter without the Saints making a serious run at a come-from-behind win. New Orleans excels in those situations.

I was also disappointed to see the defense play rather conservative with that 10 point lead after being quite active for the first 3 quarters. Gotta play a complete game if we're going to continue to win in the playoffs.

At least if they're going to continue to win.

They did get a bit soft late in the game. It's probably a good thing the Vikes won the toss in OT. That said, overall, it was a very strong performance by the defense against a truly explosive offense.

That said, good win. We got the job done when it mattered, and hopefully can carry some momentum to the 49ers. The road will not get any easier.

It sure won't!

As an aside: Taysom Hill is a heck of a football player, isn't he? It's fun to watch that guy.

[J. Kapp 11]

As an aside: Taysom Hill is a heck of a football player, isn't he? It's fun to watch that guy.

"Fun" wasn't the word I was using in the chat. It was another word that started with "fu."

[Bowhunting Viking]

I am FLYING HIGH at the way we hung together and won, the fact we knocked Crybaby and his team out again, and cause the Media is a bunch of Crow Eaters!

[Texas Vike]

That was the biggest, most impressive win of the Zimmer era!

It wasn't easy but I liked the game plan, I love that they came to play a physical brand of football and admire the way the Vikes fought through adversity. It was a wild, competitive game but I'm glad we get to see the Vikes play again next week. HUGE win.

Special congrats have to go Cousins for showing his critics he can deliver in a big moment. I feel good for the guy.

Jim, I love Kirk Cousins the person. I haven't always loved Kirk Cousins the quarterback.

Today, he outplayed a Hall-of-Famer. Legitimately outplayed Drew Brees. He wasn't spectacular with the stats -- 96.4 passer rating. But he did it when it counted, which NO ONE believed he could do. I'm particularly proud of his answers to Chris Meyers in the postgame interview. He refused to take all the credit and pointed to his team. He's a standup guy who deserves good things to happen to him.

I'm also proud of the defense. All I heard all week was how the Saints' offense was averaging 40 over the last month of the season, how they were going to carve up our defense. To hold that team to 10 points through 3 quarters ... that's exceptional. Yes, they came back, but isn't that what they do at home? And honestly, Drew Brees didn't bring them back Taysom Hill did, almost singlehandedly.

Now it's on to San Francisco. This is a game we can win. I know we'll talk more about it this week, but there are reasons I believe this.

As for the Saints ... I've said it before and sounded like a lunatic. They have been demoralized every time they've been in the playoffs since they robbed us in '09. If I had my way, they'd never return to the Super Bowl as long as Sean Payton is the head coach.

NOTE: Just saw the postgame locker room video. Kirk Cousins: "I got three words for you. YOU LIKE THAT?" Priceless!

Kudos to you, Kapp, you called this one. Such an emotional win. Loved the play calling on the OT drive.

[StanM]

Great game but I wasn't crazy about Diggs having another fit on the sidelines while they were still leading. It's not a huge surprise that his antics preceded the Saints gaining momentum and almost pulling out the win. Nothing like shooting his team in the foot and missing the whole point of teamwork. And I don't care if Cousins didn't see him once or 100 times, that is not the time for him to be throwing helmets and ragging on teammates and coaches.

No player is that good. After the playoffs trade him with the possible exception of Diggs as MVP in the Super Bowl and leading this team to the win. I could make an exception and extend a whole bunch of forgiveness if that were to happen. Seriously though, those kinds of antics hurt teamwork and contribute towards losses. I'll take a player who sits down and goes over the game plan with his QB and coach over counter productive fits of anger any day. I have never played football but I did something else that required wearing helmets, risking injury and fast action. Launching planes off a carrier requires teamwork and if one of our shipmates have pulled a stunt like Diggs did in this game they'd have pulled him off the deck before he became a distraction and got someone hurt. No tolerance for that sort of thing.

[Maelstrom88]

Hell of a job by the defense today. Offense did enough but should have put it away a few times. Happy for Zimmer and Kirk to get a little bit of the monkey off their backs. I'll admit I thought they were going to lose every step of the way today. Feels good to be wrong.

[J. Kapp 11]

I am FLYING HIGH at the way we hung together and won, the fact we knocked Crybaby and his team out again, and cause the Media is a bunch of Crow Eaters!

Amen!

Look what our defense did today. Drew Brees had 208 yards on 33 attempts. Just 6.3 YPA. Two turnovers. Three sacks. Held Thomas to 7 catches for 70 yards. Held Kamara to 21 yards rushing. What a performance by the defense, which has been doubted for weeks.

[J. Kapp 11]

Just now on NFL Network.

The last three teams to lose a fumble on the opening drive of a playoff game have gone on to win the Super Bowl.

What? That's crazy!

[Mothman]

Jim, I love Kirk Cousins the person. I haven't always loved Kirk Cousins the quarterback.

Today, he outplayed a Hall-of-Famer. Legitimately outplayed Drew Brees. He wasn't spectacular with the stats -- 96.4 passer rating. But he did it when it counted, which NO ONE believed he could do. I'm particularly proud of his answers to Chris Meyers in the postgame interview. He refused to take all the credit and pointed to his team. He's a standup guy who deserves good things to happen to him.

Agreed. Unfortunately, I missed the interview with Meyers but Cousins is a class act so I'm not surprised he handled it as you said.

I'm also proud of the defense. All I heard all week was how the Saints' offense was averaging 40 over the last month of the season, how they were going to carve up our defense. To hold that team to 10 points through 3 quarters ... that's exceptional. Yes, they came back, but isn't that what they do at home?

Yes, it is and I felt a run like that was inevitable. they were going to make it tough.

NOTE: Just saw the postgame locker room video. Kirk Cousins: "I got three words for you. YOU LIKE THAT?" Priceless!

What I really liked was the team reaction to that comment. They went nuts!

[J. Kapp 11]

Jim, I love Kirk Cousins the person. I haven't always loved Kirk Cousins the quarterback.

Today, he outplayed a Hall-of-Famer. Legitimately outplayed Drew Brees. He wasn't spectacular with the stats -- 96.4 passer rating. But he did it when it counted, which NO ONE believed he could do. I'm particularly proud of his answers to Chris Meyers in the postgame interview. He refused to take all the credit and pointed to his team. He's a standup guy who deserves good things to happen to him.

I'm also proud of the defense. All I heard all week was how the Saints' offense was averaging 40 over the last month of the season, how they were going to carve up our defense. To hold that team to 10 points through 3 quarters ... that's exceptional. Yes, they came back, but isn't that what they do at home? And honestly, Drew Brees didn't bring them back Taysom Hill did, almost singlehandedly.

Now it's on to San Francisco. This is a game we can win. I know we'll talk more about it this week, but there are reasons I believe this.

As for the Saints ... I've said it before and sounded like a lunatic. They have been demoralized every time they've been in the playoffs since they robbed us in '09. If I had my way, they'd never return to the Super Bowl as long as Sean Payton is the head coach.

NOTE: Just saw the postgame locker room video. Kirk Cousins: "I got three words for you. YOU LIKE THAT?" Priceless!

Kudos to you, Kapp, you called this one. Such an emotional win. Loved the play calling on the OT drive.

Thanks man. This entire week has been emotional, obviously. I'm so glad all the "experts" now have to try to explain away their idiotic, short-sighted analysis. It's been torture reading and listening to this nonsense all week. Now we get a couple of days to revel in it.

Here's one good thing. The Vikings know all about winning an emotional game against the Saints. Last time, they played flat against the Eagles. Seriously doubt they'll do it again.

[Mothman]

Just now on NFL Network.

The last three teams to lose a fumble on the opening drive of a playoff game have gone on to win the Super Bowl.

What? That's crazy!

Thielen fumbled that ball on purpose to turn the Vikes into a team of destiny!