Vikings headed to New Orleans for NFC Wild Card Playoffs
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer before an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs on November 3, 2019 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. ((Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Vikings are headed to New Orleans to take on the Saints in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs next weekend.
They were about an inch away from heading to Seattle. The Seahawks lost to the San Francisco 49ers 26-21 on Sunday Night Football, which clinched the NFC West, the No. 1 seed and a first round bye. The Green Bay Packers got the No. 2 seed after beating the Lions on Sunday.
After a costly delay of game penalty against the Seahawks, the 49ers’ defense made a stop on 4th and goal an inch before the goal line. The Vikings did not face the Saints in the regular season, but did beat them 34-25 in the first preseason game back in August.
The Vikings lost to the Saints in the Superdome 30-20 in Week 8 of the 2018 regular season. That came after Minnesota’s win over New Orleans in the NFC Divisional Playoffs on the Stefon Diggs walk-off touchdown, now known as the “Minneapolis Miracle.”
The Vikings also lost the 2009 NFC Championship game in New Orleans in overtime, the first of two seasons with Brett Favre as the quarterback. The Saints went onto win the Super Bowl that year.
As the No. 6 seed, the Vikings will be on the road throughout the entirety of the playoffs. The Vikings and Saints will kick off next Sunday at noon.