Minnesota
Vikings
3-1
27
FINAL
6
New Orleans
Saints
2-2
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe Minnesota Vikings topped the New Orleans Saints 27-6 in a decisive Week 5 matchup of the 2026 season, showcasing their dominance on both sides of the ball. With this victory, the Vikings solidified their position in the playoff race while the Saints struggled to find their rhythm.
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy led the charge with 211 passing yards and a touchdown, while running back Demond Claiborne had a standout performance with 142 rushing yards. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson also made a significant impact, racking up 104 receiving yards and helping to stretch the Saints' defense throughout the game.
Defensively, the Vikings were relentless, highlighted by Dallas Turner’s impressive three sacks, which disrupted the Saints' offensive scheme. The turning point came in the second quarter when Minnesota's defense forced a critical turnover, allowing the Vikings to capitalize with a touchdown that widened the gap and put them firmly in control of the game.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 18 | 10 | 211 | 1 | 1 | 92.5 |
| Spencer Rattler | QB | 15 | 8 | 104 | 0 | 1 | 47.6 |
| Tyler Shough | QB | 8 | 3 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 7.2 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 9 | 142 | 15.8 | 2 | 57 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 8 | 31 | 3.9 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 7 | 31 | 4.4 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 3 | 10 | 3.3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Tyler Shough | QB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Jordan Mason | HB | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Spencer Rattler | QB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Alvin Kamara | HB | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 4 | 104 | 26.0 | 1 | 59 | 0 |
| Josh Oliver | TE | 1 | 67 | 67.0 | 0 | 67 | 0 |
| Chris Olave | WR | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Puka Nacua | WR | 3 | 40 | 13.3 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Tai Felton | WR | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Devaughn Vele | WR | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Aaron Jones Sr | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bryce Lance | WR | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Reid | FS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Marshon Lattimore | FS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaden Elliss | MIKE | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Kyu Blu Kelly | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Martin Emerson Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Theo Jackson | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonas Sanker | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pete Werner | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jailin Walker | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Golday | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Quincy Riley | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jalen Redmond | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chase Young | LEDG | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Davon Godchaux | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Charlie Smyth | K | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |

