Season Kickoff: Vikings-Saints Live Blog

The Minnesota Vikings are coming back to New Orleans eight months after handing the Saints the NFC Championship game looking for revenge.  The Saints wish to show that they're not about to experience any Super Bowl hangover.  This is a real test for them coming already in week one.

And I'll be watching.  I've seen live journals of games on other sites and I figured I try my hand at it tonight.

Pre-Game

Paraphrasing from Dungy, "Favre knows the Saints will be blitzing him."
Look for the Vikings to throw a lot of quick passes.  Hopefully this will limit Favre rolling out late and then throwing across his body, cough, cough.

1st Quarter

15:00 - New Orleans institution Harry Connick Jr. marches in with the Saints.  And Andrea Kramer's on Twitter!

15:00 - "Nothing like a labor statement to start a season"  I cannot abide no football in 2011.  Get it done Goodell!

15:00 - Kickoff baby!

14:40 - A big play starts it, Marques Colston over the middle for 27 yards.

13:35 - Jerad Allen, Culinary Academy

12:56 - Touchdown, Brees to Devery Henderson, quick quick quick drive, five plays to paydirt, the Vikings weren't ready for New Orleans' hurry-up look

12:56 - How does Chilly answer?

12:56 - Who steps up in Sidney Rice's absence?

11:33 - Three and out for the Vikes

10:00 - Every quarterback who ever scrambled is learning from Brett Favre, according to Al Michaels.

9:26 - Two failed screen passes to start the drive backed up the Saints, three and out.

8:00 - If this drive leads to points, that is a key play: Peterson getting held up behind the line but still making a first down.

6:42 - Childress called a draw play and 2nd-and-forever.  Hooda thunk?

5:27 - Penalties stall the Vikings' second drive, but the Saints are left with poor field position.  Good punt Kluwe.

4:33 - Pretty little floater to Robert Meachem down the sideline after a potential botched play

3:30 - Forget your jock strap Ray Edwards?

1:25 - The Vikings are getting no pressure on Brees.  That will need to change if Minnesota wants to win this game.

0:48 - Spoke too soon... sack Greenway

0:00 - Vikings 0, Saints 7 

2nd Quarter

13:52 - I've never been a huge fan of Peterson catching balls out of the backfield, but he's made a couple nice plays tonight.

9:18 - Favre has no completions to his wide receivers yet, thanks Cris Collinsworth

6:16 - The Vikings' game plan so far: run, run, run.  I also haven't seen the Saints bring as much pressure as I was expecting.

5:32 - It looks it lulled Favre into a false sense of security; the pressure worked on third down after a defensive timeout.

5:28 - Ryan Longwell field goal from 41: Vikings 3, Saints 7

3:59 - That could've been a huge interception Asher Allen.

3:59 - 50 yards of field position with that punt

2:27 - Pressure creates Favre's first interception of the night

1:24 - The Saints cannot convert; Garrett Hartley misses a 46-yard field goal.

0:51 - I've seen this many times; Brett Farve loves the two minute drill.

0:34 - Touchdown - Brett Favre to Visanthe Shiancoe for 20 yards, the extra point is blocked, Vikings 9, Saints 7

Halftime: Vikings 9, Saints 7

I think the Saints' complete inability to establish any sort of running game does not bode well for them down the stretch.  If they can continue to pressure Favre, their defense should hold up better than it did at the end of the half.

For the Vikings, I don't think it's a massive problem in this particular game, but with only two of Favre's eleven first half completions going to wide receivers, it shows they are still looking for someone to replace Sidney Rice's presence on the outside.  I will also say though that that could stem from the Vikings' plan for short, quick passes not allowing the time for receivers to do their work.

3rd Quarter

15:00 - Surprise onside?

12:56 - Three and out to start for the Vikings, we have a surprisingly defensive game after watching the Saints score in just five plays to start.

10:52 - I'm seeing some good run plays from the Saints right now.  One of the underrated strengths (with Brees getting so much ink and because they didn't have any one guy who was the main running back) for the Saints last year was their running game.

6:13 - Ten-play drives kill a defense.  This one's capped off by a 1-yard Pierre Thomas touchdown plunge.  Vikings 9, Saints 14

5:18 - Get your feet in Malcolm Jenkins.

5:13 - The Vikings are lucky they're punting right now.

3:21 - Three solid plays from the Vikings defense cause three and out: Fat Pat Williams chases down Pierre Thomas--that's a sight--then two solid tackles by Jamarca Sanford and Ben Leber.

2:13 - Collinsworth's been talking about Sedrick Ellis all night and now he gets the sack.  Whenever we mention a defensive lineman by name, he must be doing something right.  Then comes another Vikings' three and out.

0:36 - Since the Saints' touchdown drive, neither team has generated any offense.

0:00 - Vikings 9, Saints 14

4th Quarter

14:51 - Side note: I'm glad Chilly ditched the beard and brought back the mustache.

14:43 - Bryant McKinnie gets carted to the locker room.  That's a big loss, literally and figuratively.

9:10 - After a dropped touchdown catch from Meachem comes a field goal attempt and Garrett Hartley misses again.

8:12 - Greg Camarillo makes his first catch as a Viking.  I've always thought he's a good player, but I just don't know what his role is on this team with Percy Harvin already established as the main slot receiver.  Cris Collinsworth loves him because he's a white wide receiver.

3:42 - I love watching the four minute drill: when you have a lead and have the ball with about four minutes left, and you just drain clock.  This is an area of strength for elite teams.

1:45 - The Saints are in victory formation.

0:00 - Saints win!  The stories of the second half are Brett Favre falling flat and the Saints' renewed commitment to the running game.

0:00 - Welcome back football.  I've missed you so.

Final: Vikings 9, Saints 14

--from Eric