The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings battle it out in the Wild Card matchup at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The New Orleans Saints' 2019 campaign came to an end as the Minnesota Vikings escaped the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with a 26-20 overtime victory on Sunday, Jan. 5.
After a 49-yard Wil Lutz field goal sent the game to overtime tied 20-20, Minnesota won the coin toss and Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins connected with wideout Adam Thielen on a 43-yard pass play to set up the game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph, a 4-yard pass to the left corner where he extended his arm to get separation from cornerback P.J. Williams.
"They made a few more plays than we did," Saints Coach Sean Payton said after the game.
The Saints entered the wild-card round as a 13-win team for the second time, making them one of only three 13-win teams (2011 Saints, 1999 Titans) ever to play on the first weekend of the NFL playoffs.
After trailing 20-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Saints clawed their way back into the game. The offense came to life when Mr. Do It All Taysom Hill ignited a raucous crowd with a 20-yard touchdown reception delivered by quarterback Drew Brees , trimming the deficit to 20-17.
Hill recorded 75 total yards (50 rushing, 25 passing), and threw a 50-yard strike to Deonte Harris setting the Saints up inside the 5-yard line.
Brees completed 26-of-33 passes for 208 yards with one touchdown, one interception and one lost fumble. Saints running back Alvin Kamara was limited to seven carries for 21 yards and one touchdown.
New Orleans defense forced four sacks, but had trouble slowing down the Viking rushing attack and Dalvin Cook, who carried the ball 28 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Minnesota won the time of possession 36:56 to New Orleans' 27:24. The Vikings ran 74 offensive plays compared to the Saints' 54.
"You walk away from a game like that and feel like, 'Ah man, there was still so much of the gameplan that we didn't have a chance to call'," Brees said in his postgame press conference. "It didn't feel like we possessed the ball a ton until the fourth quarter."
For game stats click here.