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Wk 5 · 2026

Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints — Sun, Oct 11

Sun, Oct 11 · Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA · Fox FINAL

Weather

This one is played indoors. There is nothing to forecast.
NFC North · 5-0
23
at
1:00pET
MIN -2.5 · total 41.5 DraftKings opened +1.5 · 1 toward MIN
Ratings differential MIN by 6.4
NFC South · 1-4
13

What is at stake

An NFC game between two divisions. It decides neither division, but conference record is the tiebreaker that follows head-to-head, and both of these are chasing the same 7 NFC playoff places. Division standings.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The Gridiron King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 1.7 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two rosters that have been through a draft and a free-agency window since.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Vikings: +4.3#6
Efficiency margin
Saints: -3.8#27
Vikings: -1.2#22
Offense
Saints: -1.3#24
Vikings: +5.6#1
Defense
Saints: -2.5#28
Vikings: 20.2
Points / game
Saints: 18.0
Vikings: 19.6
Points allowed / game
Saints: 22.5
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The Gridiron King’s 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats

The box-score store these rows are built from has not been produced for this league yet, so no preview carries points and yards for and against. The form, trend and series blocks below are built from this site’s own files and are not affected.

Vikings form

W 23-13at NOW 15-10vs MIAW 23-16at TBW 9-3at CHIW 39-22vs GB
2026 season

Saints form

L 13-23vs MINL 24-45vs ATLL 27-35vs LVW 24-17at BALL 30-31at DET
2026 season

Vikings this season

Straight up5-0 · 100% (5 games)
Against the spread4-1 · 80% (5 games)
Over / under1-4 · 20% (5 games)

Saints this season

Straight up1-4 · 20% (5 games)
Against the spread2-3 · 40% (5 games)
Over / under3-2 · 60% (5 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 6

OpponentVikingsSaints
Packers
NFC
vs W 39-22 previewvs Wk 13 · scheduled preview
Bears
NFC
at W 9-3 previewat Wk 11 · scheduled preview
Buccaneers
NFC
at W 23-16 previewat Wk 15 · scheduled preview
Lions
NFC
at Wk 8 · scheduled previewat L 30-31 preview
Falcons
NFC
vs Wk 12 · scheduled previewvs L 24-45 preview
Panthers
NFC
vs Wk 13 · scheduled previewvs Wk 10 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, Vikings leads 7–6 · Vikings has won the last 3
13 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 1.9 points toward Saints
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20262026-10-11Vikings 23 — 13 Saintsat NOVikings
20232023-11-12Saints 19 — 27 Vikingsat MINVikings
20222022-10-02Vikings 28 — 25 SaintsneutralVikings
20202020-12-25Vikings 33 — 52 Saintsat NOSaints
20192020-01-05Vikings 26 — 20 Saintsat NOVikings playoffs
20182018-10-28Saints 30 — 20 Vikingsat MINSaints
20172018-01-14Saints 24 — 29 Vikingsat MINVikings playoffs
20172017-09-11Saints 19 — 29 Vikingsat MINVikings
20142014-09-21Vikings 9 — 20 Saintsat NOSaints
20112011-12-18Saints 42 — 20 Vikingsat MINSaints
20102010-09-09Vikings 9 — 14 Saintsat NOSaints
20092010-01-24Vikings 28 — 31 Saintsat NOSaints playoffs
20082008-10-06Vikings 30 — 27 Saintsat NOVikings

Vikings leaders 2026 regular season

PassingKyler Murray QB #145/71, 433 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT
Carson Wentz QB #1123/39, 276 YDS, 3 TD
RushingAaron Jones Sr. RB #3372 CAR, 297 YDS, 1 TD
Jordan Mason RB #2715 CAR, 59 YDS, 1 TD
Kyler Murray QB #110 CAR, 42 YDS
ReceivingT.J. Hockenson TE #8722 REC, 195 YDS, 1 TD
Justin Jefferson WR #1813 REC, 179 YDS, 2 TD
Jordan Addison WR #311 REC, 163 YDS, 1 TD
Aaron Jones Sr. RB #339 REC, 68 YDS
Defense
TacklesBlake Cashman LB #5133
Joshua Metellus S #4425
Eric Wilson LB #5524
SacksDallas Turner LB #155.5
Andrew Van Ginkel LB #433
Blake Cashman LB #512.5
InterceptionsAndrew Van Ginkel LB #431
Byron Murphy Jr. CB #71
Isaiah Rodgers CB #21

Saints leaders 2026 regular season

PassingTyler Shough QB #6121/180, 1203 YDS, 9 TD, 3 INT
RushingTravis Etienne Jr. RB #330 CAR, 128 YDS
Alvin Kamara RB #4125 CAR, 74 YDS, 2 TD
Tyler Shough QB #616 CAR, 72 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingChris Olave WR #1235 REC, 491 YDS, 1 TD
Juwan Johnson TE #8321 REC, 232 YDS, 3 TD
Devaughn Vele WR #1421 REC, 226 YDS, 2 TD
Noah Fant TE #878 REC, 66 YDS, 3 TD
Defense
TacklesJonas Sanker S #726
Pete Werner LB #2025
Kaden Elliss LB #5524
SacksChase Young DE #993.5
Carl Granderson DE #961
Pete Werner LB #201
InterceptionsJulian Blackmon S #231
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since signed elsewhere, been traded or retired still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game.