Minnesota
Vikings
12-5
35
FINAL
0
New Orleans
Saints
11-6
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Minnesota Vikings dominated the New Orleans Saints with a decisive 35-0 victory in the Wildcard Round of the 2026 season. This win not only secures the Vikings a spot in the next round of the playoffs but also sends a strong message about their championship aspirations.
Kyler Murray was the standout performer for Minnesota, showcasing his skills with an impressive 277 passing yards and four touchdown passes. He connected with Rashid Shaheed, who led all receivers with 109 yards, creating a formidable aerial attack that the Saints struggled to contain. The Vikings' offense executed their game plan flawlessly, maintaining control throughout the contest.
Defensively, the Vikings were relentless, highlighted by Denzel Ward's two interceptions that stifled any hope of a Saints comeback. Jake Golday led the team with three total tackles, contributing to a suffocating defensive effort that kept New Orleans in check. The turning point came early when Ward's first interception set the tone, allowing Minnesota to build an insurmountable lead and ultimately seal the game without allowing a single point.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Murray | QB | 15 | 11 | 73% | 277 | 4 | 1 | 127.0 |
| Tyler Shough | QB | 24 | 12 | 50% | 189 | 0 | 6 | 36.9 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Shough | QB | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | โ | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 4 | 4 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Bryce Lance | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | โ | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oscar Delp | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | โ | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rashid Shaheed | WR | 5 | 109 | 21.8 | 13 | 2 | 52 | 0 |
| Bryce Lance | WR | 4 | 77 | 19.3 | 14 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| Sam LaPorta | TE | 2 | 67 | 33.5 | 14 | 1 | 35 | 0 |
| Jordyn Tyson | WR | 1 | 60 | 60.0 | 38 | 0 | 60 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 1 | 40 | 40.0 | 10 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 2 | 37 | 18.5 | 11 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Trey Benson | HB | 1 | 24 | 24.0 | 13 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Chris Olave | WR | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 3 | 15 | 5.0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Oscar Delp | TE | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Alvin Kamara | HB | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denzel Ward | CB | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonas Sanker | SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lorenzo Styles Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Alontae Taylor | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Foyesade Oluokun | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jake Golday | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cameron Jordan | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Travis Hunter | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pete Werner | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Redmond | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D'Angelo Ponds | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jay Ward | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Reid | FS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Carlson | K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |

