On paper
4 games in. Samples are still small, so a rank can move a lot in a week. Ranks are out of 32 teams and 1st is always best, on offense and defense alike.
Vikings
7
pairings with the edge
Saints
1
pairings with the edge
On paper, the Vikings hold the edge across the position groups.
Vikings big edge
Vikings pass coverage (1st) against the Saints quarterback play (17th)
Vikings big edge
Vikings pass coverage (3rd) against the Saints receiving corps (19th)
Saints edge
Saints pass rush (19th) against the Vikings pass protection (28th)
Position group by position group
Each offense against the other team's defense, one position group at a time. Circle: the offense. Diamond: the defense. Whoever sits further right wins that pairing.
Vikings offense vs Saints defense
Pass protection vs pass rush
Saints edgeWeakestBestThe Vikings pass protection ranks 28th. The Saints pass rush ranks 19th.
The numbers and the players
Vikings pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback10.1% (31st)
- Pressure allowed per dropback24% (18th)
- Blake Brandel (C) 100% of snaps
- Will Fries (G) 100% of snaps
- Brian O'Neill (T) 100% of snaps
- Christian Darrisaw (T) 89% of snaps
- Donovan Jackson (G) 77% of snaps
Saints pass rush
- Sacks per dropback5.9% (18th)
- Pressure per dropback21% (23rd)
- Quarterback hits per dropback14.7% (19th)
- Chase Young (DE) 6 pressures, 3.5 sacks
- Kaden Elliss (LB) 6 pressures
- Carl Granderson (DE) 4 pressures, 1 sacks
Run game vs run defense
Vikings edgeWeakestBestThe Vikings run game ranks 28th. The Saints run defense ranks 32nd.
Saints (Week 4 report, latest out): Carl Granderson (LB, out, ankle); Kaden Elliss (LB, out, calf); Pete Werner (LB, questionable, shoulder)
The numbers and the players
Vikings run game
- Points added per run−0.13 (21st)
- Runs that keep the drive on track33% (30th)
- Rushing yards after contact1.3 (28th)
- Runs of 10+ yards6.9% (23rd)
- Rushing yards before contact2.4 (17th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line18% (18th)
- Aaron Jones (RB) −0.07 per run on 71
- Jordan Mason (RB) −0.20 per run on 15
- Blake Brandel (C) 100% of snaps
- Will Fries (G) 100% of snaps
- Brian O'Neill (T) 100% of snaps
- Christian Darrisaw (T) 89% of snaps
- Donovan Jackson (G) 77% of snaps
Saints run defense
- Points allowed per run+0.12 (32nd)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line12% (29th)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed12.4% (30th)
- Missed tackles8.6% (20th)
- Kaden Elliss (LB) 24 tackles
- Pete Werner (LB) 21 tackles
Quarterback vs coverage
Vikings edgeWeakestBestThe Vikings quarterback play ranks 21st. The Saints pass coverage ranks 30th.
The numbers and the players
Vikings quarterback play
- Points added per dropback−0.11 (26th)
- Completions above expected−1.7 (23rd)
- Interceptions per throw1.6% (15th)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback7.0% (22nd)
- Kyler Murray (QB) −0.22 per dropback on 77
Saints pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw+0.17 (27th)
- Completions allowed above expected+3.4 (25th)
- Interceptions per throw0.8% (25th)
- Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB) 91.5 passer rating allowed on 20 targets
- Jonas Sanker (S) 111.0 passer rating allowed on 15 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Vikings edgeWeakestBestThe Vikings receiving corps ranks 21st. The Saints pass coverage ranks 24th.
Vikings (Week 4 report, latest out): Justin Jefferson (WR, out, ankle)
The numbers and the players
Vikings receiving corps
- Points added per target+0.14 (19th)
- Yards after the catch4.7 (17th)
- Drops per target7.1% (29th)
- Tackles broken per catch6.1% (10th)
- T.J. Hockenson (TE) +0.63 per target on 26
- Jordan Addison (WR) −0.09 per target on 21
- Justin Jefferson (WR) +0.74 per target on 17
Saints pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed8.1% (18th)
- Passer rating allowed102.8 (25th)
- Points allowed per throw+0.17 (27th)
- Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB) 91.5 passer rating allowed on 20 targets
- Jonas Sanker (S) 111.0 passer rating allowed on 15 targets
Saints offense vs Vikings defense
Pass protection vs pass rush
Vikings edgeWeakestBestThe Saints pass protection ranks 7th. The Vikings pass rush ranks 1st.
The numbers and the players
Saints pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback6.2% (18th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback15% (2nd)
- David Edwards (G) 100% of snaps
- Erik McCoy (C) 100% of snaps
- Taliese Fuaga (T) 100% of snaps
- Cesar Ruiz (C) 100% of snaps
- Asim Richards (OL) 60% of snaps
Vikings pass rush
- Sacks per dropback10.7% (1st)
- Pressure per dropback43% (1st)
- Quarterback hits per dropback24.2% (1st)
- Dallas Turner (LB) 22 pressures, 5.5 sacks
- Andrew Van Ginkel (LB) 9 pressures, 3 sacks
- Blake Cashman (LB) 9 pressures, 2.5 sacks
Run game vs run defense
Vikings big edgeWeakestBestThe Saints run game ranks 21st. The Vikings run defense ranks 5th.
The numbers and the players
Saints run game
- Points added per run−0.08 (17th)
- Runs that keep the drive on track39% (17th)
- Rushing yards after contact1.5 (21st)
- Runs of 10+ yards4.3% (32nd)
- Rushing yards before contact2.3 (20th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line17% (15th)
- Travis Etienne (RB) −0.00 per run on 31
- Alvin Kamara (RB) −0.08 per run on 25
- David Edwards (G) 100% of snaps
- Erik McCoy (C) 100% of snaps
- Taliese Fuaga (T) 100% of snaps
- Cesar Ruiz (C) 100% of snaps
- Asim Richards (OL) 60% of snaps
Vikings run defense
- Points allowed per run−0.25 (2nd)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line21% (9th)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed11.1% (24th)
- Missed tackles5.5% (5th)
- Blake Cashman (LB) 33 tackles
- Eric Wilson (LB) 24 tackles, 3 missed
Quarterback vs coverage
Vikings big edgeWeakestBestThe Saints quarterback play ranks 17th. The Vikings pass coverage ranks 1st.
The numbers and the players
Saints quarterback play
- Points added per dropback+0.01 (19th)
- Completions above expected+2.8 (12th)
- Interceptions per throw1.6% (13th)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback6.7% (23rd)
- Tyler Shough (QB) +0.01 per dropback on 189
Vikings pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw−0.23 (1st)
- Completions allowed above expected−10.5 (2nd)
- Interceptions per throw2.8% (8th)
- Byron Murphy (CB) 80.8 passer rating allowed on 26 targets
- Josh Metellus (S) 99.8 passer rating allowed on 22 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Vikings big edgeWeakestBestThe Saints receiving corps ranks 19th. The Vikings pass coverage ranks 3rd.
The numbers and the players
Saints receiving corps
- Points added per target+0.21 (16th)
- Yards after the catch3.6 (29th)
- Drops per target2.4% (8th)
- Tackles broken per catch4.2% (18th)
- Chris Olave (WR) +0.72 per target on 47
- Devaughn Vele (WR) +0.46 per target on 31
- Juwan Johnson (TE) +0.33 per target on 26
Vikings pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed8.1% (17th)
- Passer rating allowed72.6 (2nd)
- Points allowed per throw−0.23 (1st)
- Byron Murphy (CB) 80.8 passer rating allowed on 26 targets
- Josh Metellus (S) 99.8 passer rating allowed on 22 targets
Tale of the tape
Every unit on its own, side by side.
- 21stQuarterbackOffense17th
- 25thOffensive lineOffense11th
- 21stReceiversOffense19th
- 30thRun gameOffense23rd
- 1stPass rushDefense19th
- 5thRun defenseDefense32nd
- 3rdPass coverageDefense25th
Longer bar is better. Each unit is graded on the stats shown in the pairings above, ranked among all 32 teams.
How these grades are calculated
- Each position group is judged on three to five plain stats, listed below. All of them are per play or per throw, never season totals.
- Every stat is ranked across all 32 teams, 1st to 32th, the right way round (fewer drops is better, more pressure is better for a pass rush).
- A rank becomes a score from 0 to 100, with 1st at 100 and last at 0. The group's grade is the average of its stats' scores.
- Teams are ranked by that grade, and that rank is the number on the cards.
For example, the Saints run defense is 32nd. Its stats rank 32nd (points allowed per run), 29th (runs stopped at or behind the line), 30th (runs of 10+ yards allowed), and 20th (missed tackles). Averaged, that is a grade of 14 out of 100, which is 32nd among the 32 teams.
This is why a grade can disagree with a total or with another site's rating. A team can rank high in rushing yards because it carries the ball a lot or trails late, and still rank low here because each run adds little. Film grades, like PFF's, come from watching every player on every snap, and these do not. Early in the season a few plays can move a rank a lot.
- Quarterback
- points added per dropback, completions above expected, interceptions per throw, passes of 20+ yards per dropback
- Offensive line
- sacks allowed per dropback, pressure allowed per dropback, rushing yards before contact, runs stopped at or behind the line
- Receivers
- points added per target, yards after the catch, drops per target, tackles broken per catch
- Run game
- points added per run, runs that keep the drive on track, rushing yards after contact, runs of 10+ yards
- Pass rush
- sacks per dropback, pressure per dropback, quarterback hits per dropback
- Run defense
- points allowed per run, runs stopped at or behind the line, runs of 10+ yards allowed, missed tackles
- Pass coverage
- points allowed per throw, completions allowed above expected, passes of 20+ yards allowed, interceptions per throw, passer rating allowed
The coaches
Records are regular-season games since 1999, against the spread as listed by the games file. A new coach has no history here yet.
| Measure | Vikings | Saints |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Kevin O'Connell | Kellen Moore |
| Record as a head coach | 47-25 in 72 games | 7-14 in 21 games |
| With this team | 47-25 since 2022 | 7-14 since 2025 |
| Against the spread, this season | 3-1 | 2-2 |
| Against the spread, career | 37-30-5 | 11-10 |
| Against the spread as an underdog | 14-13-2 | 8-7 |
| Against the spread as a favorite | 23-17-3 | 3-3 |
| Coming off a bye | 2-2 | 0-1 |
| Head coach against head coach | Have not met | Have not met |
| Team against team since 1999 | 7-6 | 6-7 |
How each team plays
Not good or bad, just the style. Ranks go from the highest rate down, so a 1st means the most of it in the league.
Pass rate over expected
Vikings −4.7 pts (25th highest) — runs more than the situation calls for
Saints +1.2 pts (9th highest)
Play-action share of dropbacks
Vikings 28% (8th highest) — leans on play-action
Saints 18% (29th highest) — rarely uses play-action
Plays with pre-snap motion
Vikings 57% (17th highest)
Saints 59% (13th highest)
No-huddle plays
Vikings 6% (16th highest)
Saints 16% (1st highest) — hurries to the line
Plays from the shotgun
Vikings 60% (15th highest)
Saints 69% (4th highest) — lives in the shotgun
Blitz rate
Vikings 73% (1st highest) — sends extra rushers often
Saints 35% (10th highest)
Pass rushers sent
Vikings 4.9 (1st highest) — sends the most rushers
Saints 4.4 (10th highest)
Runs against a loaded box (8+)
Vikings 7% (19th highest)
Saints 5% (24th highest)
Who is missing
The latest injury report for each team, sorted by position group. A starter averaged more than half the team's snaps in the games he played.
Vikings
Latest report is from Week 4; the Week 5 report is not out yet.
- Justin Jefferson WRStarterOut · ankle · receivers
- Charles Demmings CBOut · hamstring · pass coverage
- Christian Darrisaw TStarterDid not practice · offensive line
- Aaron Jones RBStarterLimited in practice · run game
- Harrison Smith SLimited in practice · pass coverage
Saints
Latest report is from Week 4; the Week 5 report is not out yet.
- Carl Granderson LBStarterOut · ankle · run defense
- Kaden Elliss LBStarterOut · calf · run defense
- Anfernee Jennings LBOut · knee · run defense
- Pete Werner LBStarterQuestionable · shoulder · run defense
- Noah Fant TEQuestionable · abdomen · receivers
- Nathan Shepherd DTStarterDid not practice · pass rush
- Treyton Welch TEDid not practice · receivers
- Jayden Price CBLimited in practice · pass coverage
Data: nflverse play-by-play, CC BY 4.0. Ranks use the 2026 regular season through Week 4. Also FTN charting, Pro Football Reference advanced stats, snap counts and injury reports, all through nflverse. Calculations and charts by Raiders Rundown.