Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints take on Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings at the Superdome on Christmas Day. Follow along for live updates during the game.
What you need to know
- How to watch: Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. on Fox and NFL Network; stream at Amazon and Twitch.
- What to watch for: The Saints, who have lost two straight, have clinched a playoff spot and can secure the NFC South crown with a victory over the Vikings (or a loss Saturday by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). The Vikings would be officially eliminated from the postseason with a loss.
- Complete NFL schedule and results
Alvin Kamara’s three touchdowns carry Saints to 10-point halftime lead
By Mark Maske
The Saints have a chance to clinch the NFC South title on Christmas. They’re well on their way. Tailback Alvin Kamara scored three first-half rushing touchdowns and they lead the Vikings, 24-14, at halftime at the Superdome.
Kamara, playing with resplendently festive cleats, one red and one green, amassed 96 rushing yards and had touchdown runs of 40, one and five yards. The Saints had 21 first downs and 326 yards of total offense in the half, including 174 rushing yards. They had 14 first downs and 216 total yards in the opening quarter alone.
Quarterback Drew Brees had 151 passing yards on 10-for-15 throwing accuracy in the half. He threw one interception and had another would-be pick dropped by Vikings. It is Brees’s second game back in the Saints’ lineup after missing four games because of fractured ribs and a collapsed lung. With wide receiver Michael Thomas on injured reserve through the end of the regular season because of his ankle injury, Kamara is the focal point of the offense.
The Vikings can be officially eliminated from playoff contention with a Christmas Day loss. They kept pace with the Saints for a while. Tailback Dalvin Cook took the NFL lead with his 16th rushing touchdown of the season. Running back Mike Boone added a rushing touchdown. But the Vikings were left with quarterback Kirk Cousins showing his frustration as he left the field following a final drive that went nowhere. (Saints 24, Vikings 14 at halftime)
Kamara’s third rushing touchdown of half increases Saints lead
By Mark Maske
The Saints increased their lead in the final minute of the first half with the third rushing touchdown of the day for tailback Alvin Kamara, this one covering five yards. The Saints had to move only 46 yards after forcing a Vikings punt. The possession began with confusion before the opening play, forcing the Saints to call a timeout. The Vikings helped out by dropping a would-be interception on a deep throw by Drew Brees. (Saints 24, Vikings 14 with 38 seconds left in the 2nd quarter)
Drew Brees throws interception
By Mark Maske
The Saints were driving again when Drew Brees threw an interception to Vikings cornerback Harrison Hand, who stepped in front of tight end Jared Cook on a third-and-six play from the Minnesota 20-yard line. Earlier on the drive, Taysom Hill lined up at quarterback for a play and had a nine-yard run. Brees added a 31-yard completion to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. (Saints 17, Vikings 14 with 5:04 left in the 2nd quarter)
Vikes pull closer with another rushing touchdown
By Mark Maske
The Saints were ranked third in the NFL in total defense entering this game but they’re struggling to slow down the Vikings. Minnesota cut into the Saints’ lead with a four-yard touchdown run by running back Mike Boone. Boone went wide to the left, reached toward the goal line and touched the football to the pylon before falling out of bounds and losing possession of the ball. The Vikings are hanging in this game despite doing nothing on defense themselves. Wide receiver Adam Thielen absorbed a heavy hit after a catch during this drive, being flipped to the turf by the Saints’ Marshon Lattimore. (Saints 17, Vikings 14 with 10:14 left in the 2nd quarter)
Saints, after huge first quarter, get field goal to increase lead
By Mark Maske
The Saints drove 84 yards but had to settle for a field goal by kicker Wil Lutz. That qualifies as a defensive stop for the Vikings with the way things are going so far in this game. The Saints ended the first quarter with 14 first downs and 216 yards of total offense and Alvin Kamara had 79 of their 133 rushing yards. This drive carried over into the opening minute of the second quarter. The Saints reached the Minnesota 12-yard line. But Drew Brees threw incomplete into the end zone toward Kamara on a third-and-six play, and Lutz came on to connect from 30 yards. (Saints 17, Vikings 7 with 14:12 left in the 2nd quarter)
Kamara scores his second touchdown of first quarter
By Mark Maske
Defense, anyone? There’s not much of it being played so far in this game, with the two teams combining for three touchdowns on three possessions. The Saints made it two for two on tailback Alvin Kamara’s one-yard touchdown run. That was set up by a defensive pass interference penalty in the end zone on the Vikings. Drew Brees had a 19-yard completion to tight end Jared Cook on the drive. (Saints 14, Vikings 7 with 5:10 left in the 1st quarter)
Dalvin Cook gets Vikes even, takes NFL lead for rushing TDs
By Mark Maske
Both defenses are in the Christmas spirit, gifting the opposing offense easy touchdown drives to open the game. The Vikings answered the Saints’ first-possession touchdown with one of their own. Tailback Dalvin Cook scored on a 15-yard run for his 16th rushing touchdown of the season, moving him one ahead of Tennessee’s Derrick Henry for the NFL lead. Cook, the league’s second-leading rusher, had three carries for 32 yards on the drive. Kirk Cousins completed four of five passes for 43 yards. (Vikings 7, Saints 7 with 8:46 left in the 1st quarter)
Alvin Kamara, sporting Christmas cleats, has 40-yard touchdown to put Saints ahead
By Mark Maske
The Saints, trying to clinch the NFC South, are off to a great start. So, too, is tailback Alvin Kamara, who’s playing in eye-catching, bright Christmas cleats, one red and one green. Kamara had two carries for 51 yards on the Saints’ opening-possession touchdown drive, ending with his 40-yard dash to the end zone. He had an 11-yard carry on the opening play. On the touchdown, he took a handoff from Drew Brees, sprinted through the middle of the Minnesota defense, veered slightly to his left and was barely touched on his way to the end zone. (Saints 7, Vikings 0 with 12:11 left in the 1st quarter)
What to watch for in Vikings at Saints matchup
By Mark Maske
The Saints can clinch the NFC South title when they host the Vikings at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Friday on Fox, the NFL Network and Amazon Prime.
The Christmas Day game gives the NFL its first Friday game of the season. With the earlier rescheduled games on Tuesday and Wednesday and the late-season Saturday games, this means the NFL has played games on every day of the week in this coronavirus-affected season.
The Saints already have clinched a playoff spot and can secure the division crown with a victory over the Vikings (or a loss Saturday by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). The Saints are on a two-game losing streak that has dropped their record to 10-4 and probably handed the NFC’s No. 1 postseason seed to the 11-3 Green Bay Packers.
This is quarterback Drew Brees’s second game back in the lineup after he missed four games due to fractured ribs and a collapsed lung. Brees completed only 15 of 34 passes in Sunday’s home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in his return. The Saints remained competitive in that game even with Brees’s accuracy issues. He threw an interception against the Chiefs but did have three touchdown passes.
Tailback Alvin Kamara had a modest three catches Sunday while being targeted six times by Brees. Look for him to be more involved in the offense against the Vikings. The Saints are without wide receiver Michael Thomas, who’s out for the remainder of the regular season after being placed on the injured reserve list because of an ankle injury that has plagued him all season. The Saints hope he’ll be fully healthy or close to it for the postseason.
The Vikings, at 6-8, are clinging to the slimmest of postseason hopes after losing what amounted to a playoff elimination game Sunday against the Chicago Bears. The Vikings must win out and have the Arizona Cardinals lose their final two games while the Bears lose at least once more. So a loss Friday would mean the Vikings are officially eliminated.
Minnesota tailback Dalvin Cook is the NFL’s second-leading rusher with 1,484 yards. He’s tied with Tennessee’s Derrick Henry for the league lead with 15 rushing touchdowns. Rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson is eighth in the NFL with his 1,182 receiving yards. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is the league’s eighth-rated passer (three spots behind Brees) with 29 touchdown passes, 13 interceptions and a passer rating of 102.4. But those 13 interceptions do tie him for the second most in the NFL.
The Vikings will be without tight end Kyle Rudolph, who’s sidelined with a foot injury. Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson is on the game-day inactive list because of a neck injury. He’s tied for second in the NFL with 12.5 sacks. The Saints are ranked third in the league in total defense.
Trey Hendrickson inactive for Saints
By Mark Maske
Defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who’s tied for second in the NFL with his 12.5 sacks, is not playing for the Saints. He’s on the game-day inactive list. Hendrickson had been listed as questionable on the injury report because of a neck injury.
Guard Andrus Peat and defensive tackle Malcom Brown also are inactive for the Saints.
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