This is the most underrated and unappreciated game of the weekend simply because some expect the Jets to upset the Colts in the AFC Championship Game. Yet this NFC Championship game features a matchup between the two best teams in the conference, both of whom are very well-balanced offensively and have many playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. The Saints carry the #1 ranked offense in the NFL and are coming off a bloody massacre of the Arizona Cardinals last weekend. After tearing apart the Cardinals defense for 45 points last weekend, the Saints are coming into this game feeling extremely confident in their ability to score points on any defensive unit. They will no doubt be riding high on the shoulders of an electrifying crowd on Sunday night, a passionate fan base yearning to see the Vince Lombardi trophy delivered to their magical city. This is without question the biggest sports venue in the history of New Orleans. Fans will come in droves to watch Drew Brees hopefully carry this Saints team to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. But I have a feeling that it will take a godlike effort from Brees to overcome the tenacity and the relentless intensity of an overpowering Vikings defense.
This is a Vikings defense coming off a magnificent performance against the Dallas Cowboys last weekend. They attacked Tony Romo in the pocket from the very beginning and never took their foot off the pedal. Jared Allen was a beast at the line of scrimmage, breaking off tackles and causing havoc for Romo in the pocket. Romo was never able to establish a comfort zone or a rhythm against the Vikings, which resulted in six sacks and three turnovers. The Vikings made a statement against the Cowboys, proving why they earned the right to be considered one of the final four teams remaining in this year's playoffs. They will need another stellar defensive performance on Sunday against the Saints if they are going to survive their trip down to New Orleans. The Vikings have struggled in developing a consistency on the road this season. All of their losses came on the road this season, which will certainly make this NFC Championship Game a very compelling endeavor for the Vikings on Sunday. In order to be the best this season, the Vikings will have to win in the most hostile environment in all of pro football. And the only way they will be able to accomplish such a feat is if they establish dominance on the defensive side of the ball. Forget about the offense. Everyone knows that Brett Favre will have his share of opportunities to put points on the scoreboard against this undersized and overmatched Saints defense. What is important for the Vikings in this game is if they will be able to collapse Brees in the pocket, completely eradicating his rhythm to the point where he loses comfort in the pocket and is forced to make throws on the run. Brees is perhaps the 2nd best pocket passer in the NFL right now, second only to Peyton Manning. This means that the Vikings will have their hands full trying to contain him in this game if they are not able to establish a pass rush.
The Saints certainly have the power to distance themselves on the scoreboard, which was clearly illustrated last week against the Cardinals. They are built to win by outscoring their opponents rather than playing a stout defensive game. This is why they are reminiscent of the early Colts teams under Peyton Manning i.e. the ones that always fell short in the big game because of their inability to play defense and stop their opponents. And if the Saints truly want to establish themselves as one of the great teams in NFL history this season, then they will need to have an impressive game defensively and prevent the Vikings from generating any momentum at the line of scrimmage. That will be a very tough task against a Vikings team that is very proficient at putting points on the scoreboard. While the Saints were ranked 1st in points per game with just over 31, the Vikings were right behind them with just over 29. While the Saints were ranked 1st in total offense, the Vikings were three spots behind them. So it is fair to say that this game has the makings of a potentially classic shootout for the right to go to the Super Bowl. And the script couldn't be written more beautifully for Brett Favre. Act I has already been completed with a 12-4 record and a division title. Act II resulted in a 34-3 thumping of the Cowboys at home, a game in which Favre threw for 234 yards and 4 touchdowns. And now it is time for Act III, with Favre returning to the city of his birth in hopes of leading another team to the Super Bowl and continuing to make his case as the best quarterback of all time.
But which Favre will show up in this game? Will it be the Favre who has a four touchdown game and an impeccable quarterback rating? Or will it be the Favre who throws game-changing interceptions and costs his team a shot at football glory? The Saints are hoping for the latter. And the way they will hope to accomplish that is by jamming Sidney Rice and Visante Shiancoe at the line of scrimmage, limiting their production from the onset of the snap and forcing Favre to look for alternative options throughout the course of the game. Sidney Rice has had a breakout season for the Vikings, emerging as one of the best young receivers in the game thanks to the presence of Favre at the quarterback position. The most intriguing matchup of the day may involve how well Jabari Greer contains Rice at the point of attack. If Greer and Darren Sharper are able to neutralize the deep threat, then Favre will either have to open up the passing game by including Shiancoe over the middle and Percy Harvin out of the slot. But even though Harvin will be able to play in this game, one wonders how effective he will be considering he has been questionable all week with migraine headaches. This will force Favre to either become the gunslinger we all know and love or, surprise surprise, feed the ball to Adrian Peterson.
Adrian Peterson may very well be the key to a Vikings win on Sunday. He has not been much of a factor as of late because the Vikings have evolved into more of a passing team over the last few weeks. But if the Saints are successful in containing Favre and are forcing him to make bad decisions in the pocket, then Peterson will have to step up and show the world why he is the best running back in the NFL today. This is a matchup that will certainly favor the Vikings because the Saints were inefficient at stopping the run all season long. Look for the Vikings to establish their dominance at the line of scrimmage, creating running lanes for Peterson and Chester Taylor so as to take the pressure off Favre in this game. Bryant McKinnie and Phil Loadholt will have to attack Will Smith and Bobby McCray, pushing them away from the plays and forcing Scott Fujita and Jonathan Vilma to commit to the pass rush. Steve Hutchinson and John Sullivan will need to plow through Sedrick Ellis and Remi Ayodele at the line of scrimmage, giving Favre time to operate in the pocket and allowing Peterson to make moves when he has to. If Peterson and Taylor are able to break free for long runs, then the Saints will be overmatched defensively and will be forced to keep their eyes open for every aspect of that Vikings offensive juggernaut.
Everybody knows that Drew Brees will be a monster in the pocket on Sunday night. He will look to pick apart that Vikings secondary by zipping the ball to Marques Colston for long gains down the sidelines and dumping it off to Lance Moore and Devery Henderson over the middle. This is how the Saints have been able to win games all season long; by knocking out opponents early with their passing game and forcing opposing offenses to catch up with them on the scoreboard. Yet the key for the Saints offensively will be the combination of Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas. Bush had a tremendous game against the Cardinals last weekend, proving to be a valuable asset out of the backfield with his deceptive speed and agility. Bush ran for 81 yards and a touchdown as the Saints mixed and match to produce 171 yards rushing against the Cardinals. Bush also had an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown that crushed any hopes for the Cardinals to make a comeback last week. If the Saints are going to win this game, then Bush will need to step up once more, proving to the world why he was so coveted back in the 2006 NFL Draft. The Saints will also need Pierre Thomas to pound the ball hard up the middle against the Williams boys, which will be a seemingly impossible task. The Williams boys were vital parts of a well-oiled Vikings machine, boasting the 2nd best run defense in the NFL. If the Saints' offensive line is able to stop them and inflict their will at the line of scrimmage, then there is no doubt in my mind that the Saints will be packing their bags for a trip to Miami in two weeks.
How will this game unfold? One could pretty much flip a coin to decide the winner because it will be that close. It is very hard to look past the fact that all of the Vikings' losses this season have been on the road. And in all of those losses, they appeared to be a very unbalanced team with lackadaisical offensive play and lethargic defensive prowess. The Superdome is the most difficult place to play in the NFL and it will be the loudest it's ever been on Sunday for this NFC Championship Game. Favre will be wearing the plays on his wrist for the first time this season as the Vikings will operate with silent counts to hopefully eliminate the crowd factor. There is no doubt in my mind that the Vikings can compete with the Saints on the scoreboard. But will the noise elements sink in to the point where the Vikings are systematically unable to develop a rhythm in this game? I think Favre has enough NFL experience to know how to tune out the crowd in games of this magnitude. I think he will come out with a big game on Sunday as the Saints will be unable to generate a hefty pass rush with consistency. But the fate of the Vikings rests in the hands of their own pass rush. Jared Allen and Ray Edwards have to be magnificent all day long against this Saints offensive line. They will need to be in Brees' face, literally staring at him and throwing him to the ground before he can connect with his receivers. Many experts will agree that if there is any weakness to the Saints' offensive arsenal, it exists with their offensive tackles. Jermon Bushrod and Jonathan Stinchcomb will need to come up big and have the game of their lives in containing that Vikings pass rush. Will they be able to accomplish that? I have a strong feeling that the answer is no. As a result, the Saints will have problems establishing consistency on the offensive side of the ball to the point where the Vikings may eventually distance themselves on the scoreboard. Yet Brees will have enough fiery spirit and leadership to keep the Saints alive in this game. And in the end, it just may come down to a game-winning drive from Favre, setting up Ryan Longwell for the chance to go to Super Bowl XLIV. This has the potential to be a contest for the ages, one certainly worthy enough to be called an NFC Championship Game.
FINAL SCORE: VIKINGS 31, SAINTS 30
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