Minnesota
Vikings
2-2
2
FINAL
28
New Orleans
Saints
3-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPThe New Orleans Saints dominated the Minnesota Vikings, securing a decisive 28-2 victory in Week 5 of the 2026 season. This matchup was crucial for both teams as they sought to establish momentum heading into the mid-season stretch, but it was the Saints who emerged as the clear frontrunners.
Tyler Shough led the Saints' offense with a solid performance, throwing for 142 yards and a touchdown. However, it was Travis Etienne Jr. who truly shone, racking up 122 rushing yards while also contributing 79 receiving yards, showcasing his versatility and playmaking ability. The Saints' offensive balance proved too much for the Vikings, as they consistently moved the ball and found the end zone.
Defensively, the Saints made their mark with key plays that stifled the Vikings’ attempts to mount a comeback. Carl Granderson registered a sack, while Kool-Aid McKinstry snagged an interception, both pivotal in maintaining the Saints' commanding lead. The turning point came early in the second half when the Saints' defense forced a turnover, allowing them to extend their lead and put the game out of reach for Minnesota.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Shough | QB | 9 | 6 | 67% | 142 | 1 | 2 | 107.1 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 16 | 6 | 38% | 82 | 0 | 3 | 15.1 |
| Trey Palmer | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 15 | 122 | 8.1 | 53 | 3 | 31 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | HB | 9 | 38 | 4.2 | 9 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Kyler Murray | QB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Etienne Jr | HB | 2 | 79 | 39.5 | 74 | 1 | 58 | 0 |
| Trey Palmer | WR | 3 | 55 | 18.3 | 6 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| Chris Olave | WR | 1 | 32 | 32.0 | — | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Mason Tipton | WR | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | HB | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Juwan Johnson | TE | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Devaughn Vele | WR | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Tai Felton | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kamari Lassiter | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonas Sanker | FS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Reid | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Eric Wilson | WILL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Carl Granderson | REDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lorenzo Styles Jr | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamal Adams | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Redmond | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Young | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calais Campbell | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Danny Stutsman | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Germaine Pratt | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Charles Demmings | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Foyesade Oluokun | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kader Kohou | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas Turner | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Bresee | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Kaden Elliss | WILL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Carlson | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

