The New Orleans Saints need to get back on track, but it won’t come easy facing the 4-0 Minnesota Vikings with the best defense in the NFL.
On paper, this game is a surefire loss for the Saints, but there are holes and advantages the Saints can capitalize on to come out of Sunday with a 2-3 record.
Kellen Moore vs. Brian Flores
There is no talking about this Vikings team without talking about their defense. And while we could highlight their pass rush alone, I think the better key matchup to highlight for Sunday is Kellen Moore vs. Brian Flores.
Since the season has started, we have been waiting for Moore to prove why he deserves to be a head coach. He ended 2025 on a good note, but the Saints’ Week 4 struggles are a reflection of their Week 1 struggles, showing a lack of growth.
Well, here’s your chance, Kellen Moore. You are facing your direct opposite. Flores is the best defensive play caller in the league, and truthfully probably deserves another chance at being a head coach. His pass rush is the fiercest in the league, and he blitzes at a 76% rate. On the other side, the Saints are one of the worst teams in the NFL against he blitz.
The real major key matchup on Sunday won’t be how the Saints’ offensive line can handle the Vikings’ pass rush, but how Moore can scheme around it.
Saints run defense vs. RB Aaron Jones
Look, I’m not here to defend the Saints’ run defense, but facing the league’s top three running backs through the first four weeks of the season is brutal. With that being Said, New Orleans has one of the worst defenses in the league and will now face off against Aaron Jones, who is having a career resurgence with the Vikings.
While the Saints have the third-worst run defense in the NFL, they’ll be facing a Minnesota offense that is middle of the pack in terms of running the ball, ranking 17th in rushing offense. When New Orleans faced a rushing offense similar to the Vikings’, against the Las Vegas Raiders, they held their own, allowing the Las Vegas Raiders to rush for 113 yards on 27 carries.
The run defense in New Orleans is bad; don’t get me wrong. But it’s possible that how bad their run defense is could be skewed by the talent they’ve faced early in the season. Still, Jones is not a running back to overlook, and the potential absence of Kaden Ellis is sure to leave a hole in the defense.
Saints rushing offense vs. Vikings run defense
Shough has thrown 180 passes through four games this season, averaging 45 attempts per game. At this rate, the second-year quarterback’s arm may fall off at the end of the season. The best way to counter the team’s excessive passing is to run the football. Establishing the run would also calm down the pass rush, relieving Shough from the major pressure he’s faced all season.
The Vikings run defense is one of the better units in the league, ranking seventh, while the Saints have the sixth-worst rushing offense. Headlined by Alvin Kamara, the rushing offense for New Orleans lacks talent. Kamara isn’t the running back he used to be, but he can still be effective with a limited number of touches each game. The loss of Travis Etienne will prove to be huge, and now it’s up to Moore to scheme the run properly and set his quarterback up for success.
