Saints fall 23-13 to unbeaten Vikings as turnovers sink New Orleans
Minnesota stayed unbeaten at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday while the Saints fell to 1-4 with their third straight loss. Tyler Shough threw two interceptions, and the Vikings pulled away with 10 fourth-quarter points.
NEW ORLEANS: The Minnesota Vikings stayed unbeaten Sunday afternoon, beating the New Orleans Saints 23-13 at the Caesars Superdome and handing New Orleans its third straight loss. The Saints fell to 1-4; the Vikings improved to 5-0 and kept first place in the NFC North.
The Saints were tied 13-13 after three quarters, but Minnesota scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to pull away. Quarterback Kyler Murray completed 24 of 30 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown, and running back Aaron Jones rushed for 113 yards and the go-ahead score.
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, who entered the game ranked fourth in the league in passing yards, completed 16 of 25 passes for just 96 yards and was intercepted twice. New Orleans finished with 142 yards of total offense.
Special teams undid the Saints in the second half. Return man Jayden Price fumbled the opening kickoff of the third quarter, and Minnesota recovered at the Saints' 37. Six plays later, Murray threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson for a 13-7 Vikings lead.
New Orleans answered when linebacker Pete Werner and cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. jarred the ball loose from Myles Price, and safety Jonas Sanker returned the fumble 87 yards for a touchdown with 2:34 left in the third quarter. Kicker Daniel Carlson missed the extra point wide left, leaving the score tied at 13.
Minnesota broke the tie on the second play of the fourth quarter, when Jones ran 8 yards for a touchdown. Will Reichard's 34th consecutive made field goal, a 55-yarder midway through the period, stretched the lead to 23-13.
New Orleans' lone offensive touchdown came in the second quarter. The Saints converted two fourth downs on a 15-play drive that ended with Kendre Miller's 2-yard touchdown run for a 7-3 lead. Reichard's 54-yard field goal as time expired cut the Vikings' halftime deficit to 7-6.
The Vikings opened the scoring with a 40-yard Reichard field goal on the game's first drive, but lost tight end T.J. Hockenson, their leading receiver, to a concussion on that possession. Later in the first quarter, Jones fumbled at the Saints' 3-yard line, and defensive end Chase Young recovered and returned it to the Saints' 34.
The Saints were without defensive linemen Nathan Shepherd and Vernon Broughton, both late scratches with an illness.
At halftime, the Saints inducted quarterback Drew Brees into the franchise's Ring of Honor. Brees, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, became the ninth member of the ring. He played 15 seasons for New Orleans from 2006 to 2020 and led the Saints to their only championship in Super Bowl XLIV.
The Saints travel to face the New York Giants next, and will be looking to rebound against former Saints quarterback Jameis Winston.
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