Minnesota
Vikings
1-3
6
FINAL
43
New Orleans
Saints
3-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding performance, the New Orleans Saints toppled the Minnesota Vikings with a decisive final score of 43-6 in Week 5 of the 2026 season. With this victory, the Saints solidify their position as a formidable contender, showcasing their offensive prowess and defensive dominance.
Quarterback Justin Herbert led the charge for New Orleans, throwing for an impressive 317 yards and five touchdowns, displaying pinpoint accuracy and excellent decision-making throughout the game. He connected with wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who was a standout with 181 receiving yards, making several big plays that kept the Vikings' defense on its heels. Running back Blake Corum also contributed significantly with 91 rushing yards, helping to establish a balanced offensive attack.
The Saints' defense played a crucial role in the outcome, forcing the Vikings into mistakes and stifling their offensive efforts. Jalen Carter recorded a sack, while Max Melton's two interceptions were game-changers that shifted momentum firmly in the Saints' favor. The turning point came early in the second half when Melton's first interception set up a quick touchdown, effectively putting the game out of reach for Minnesota.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | QB | 36 | 27 | 75% | 317 | 5 | 0 | 140.8 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 40 | 23 | 57% | 196 | 0 | 3 | 39.1 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blake Corum | HB | 19 | 91 | 4.8 | 31 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| Brashard Smith | HB | 18 | 55 | 3.1 | — | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Rachaad White | HB | 7 | 20 | 2.9 | — | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 4 | 19 | 4.8 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 14 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Jadarian Price | HB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Elijah Higgins | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Puka Nacua | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordyn Tyson | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett Wilson | WR | 13 | 181 | 13.9 | 28 | 5 | 26 | 0 |
| Puka Nacua | WR | 6 | 81 | 13.5 | 17 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Trey McBride | TE | 8 | 56 | 7.0 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 6 | 54 | 9.0 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Jordyn Tyson | WR | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 6 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Elijah Higgins | TE | 3 | 33 | 11.0 | 9 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Rachaad White | HB | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Brashard Smith | HB | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Gunnar Helm | TE | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Darius Slayton | WR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Chimere Dike | WR | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jadarian Price | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Melton | CB | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Hart | CB | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bud Clark | FS | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CJ Allen | MIKE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Carter | DT | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Owens | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jack Jones | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Odafe Oweh | LEDG | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | LEDG | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antonio Johnson | SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonas Sanker | SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Denzel Ward | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Singleton | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Moore | LEDG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kris Jenkins Jr | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Brown | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrion Arnold | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calen Bullock | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Johnson | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grady Jarrett | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jared Verse | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dee Winters | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Jones | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Herbig | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaden Elliss | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Lee III | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo Santos | K | 3 | 3 | 4 | 55 |
| Bryce Baringer | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Drew Stevens | K | 2 | 2 | 0 | 39 |

