Live Updates From Saints-Vikings Week 10 Game

Keep it tuned here for updates from the Saints-Vikings game, as we'll bring you our thoughts and plenty more from Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Saints are just about set to take on the Vikings for Week 10 action across the NFL. This game is one of six matchups with an early kick, and both are looking to to improve to 6-4 after it's all said and done. However, they're can only be one. Keep things tuned here to our weekly game thread, which will provide updates, scoring, notes, observations, and plenty more from U.S. Bank Stadium.

Saints Pregame Report: How to Watch and Follow the Week 10 Vikings Game

Pregame Notes

• Based on the inactive report, some are upset about Jimmy Graham not playing more. It's his third straight game in which he isn't playing. Dennis Allen maintains that Graham is handling everything great and will be ready when called upon.
• With the Saints waiving Keith Kirkwood, it shows how much confidence they have in rookie A.T. Perry. Kirkwood had been inactive for the past couple of contests. New Orleans really likes a lot of these young prospects they picked up this season.
• Caught up with a few players this week in the locker room who love playing in this stadium. It's definitely a very unique venue and one that should be on your bucket list.
• Kyle Phillips will see his first regular game action in a Saints uniform with Isaiah Foskey out. His last regular season game was on 1/9/21 with the Jets. Needless to say, he is very excited to be able to play this week.
• As we reported previously, no issues regarding Michael Thomas playing in this one. After everything that unfolded, Thomas is facing misdemeanors from the Friday evening incident.
• Assuming nothing else changes, the Saints offensive line will continue with Andrus Peat at left tackle and James Hurst at left guard. If you didn't check out the notes from our conversation with GM Mickey Loomis this week, be sure to do so.
• Saints won the coin toss (heads) and elected to defer.

First Quarter - Vikings 3, Saints 3

Scoring

• Vikings, 10:47 - Greg Joseph 40-yard field goal. (8-53, 4:13)
• Saints, 1:19 - Blake Grupe 49-yard field goal. (10-46, 4:58)

Notes

• Saints defense did a decent job on the first Josh Dobbs run that saw him pick up 3 yards. Cam Jordan and Pete Werner were among those right there.
• Paulson Adebo almost got another pick but the ball ended up tipped up to Jordan Addison for a big hookup to set the Vikings up inside the 30-yard-line.
• New Orleans was able to stand tall when it mattered most, being able to take advantage of a holding call on Minnesota. Adebo had a pass breakup on 3rd-and-4 to turn them away.
• Michael Thomas got popped good by Akayleb Evans on the first pass attempt by Carr, but Carr went right back to him on 2nd Down on the slant to set up the 3rd-and-1. Taysom Hill got a little bit of revenge on Evans after catching a pass for 11 yards in which he tried to hit him but it didn't work.
• The Saints went from 2nd-and-2 to 3rd-and-5 after a quick pass out to the right side went to Rashid Shaheed.
• Michael Thomas went into the injury tent for the Saints and was in for several minutes. He came out with a hat on and is back on the sideline.
• The Saints are getting some good runs with Alvin Kamara so far today. Getting him going will go a long way.
• A.T. Perry picked up his first career reception and target of his career, getting 23 yards. He had another target on a 2nd-and-20 following a holding call on Foster Moreau that saw him slip on the route.
• Big confidence kick for Blake Grupe after a miss last week. Saints believe in him and have urged patience, but good way to get trust back.
• Final play of the quarter saw Carl Granderson jump early. The free play for the Vikings saw Paulson Adebo pick it off on a deep Dobbs shot with the most uninteresting return you'll ever see since everyone knew it wouldn't count.

Second Quarter - Vikings 24, Saints 3

Scoring

• Vikings, 10:14 - Ty Chandler 2-yard run. (11-75, 6:05)
• Vikings, 3:30 - Josh Dobbs 7-yard run. (9-82, 4:41)
• Vikings, 0:16 - T.J. Hockenson 28-yard reception from Josh Dobbs. (7-76, 1:31)

Notes

• Good play design for the Vikings on the Josh Dobbs run for a first down. Marcus Maye didn't have much of a chance.
• Nice pass breakup by Alontae Taylor on a pass intended for T.J. Hockenson.
• Michael Thomas is officially questionable to return due to a knee injury.
• Just a maddening play for the Saints defense. They had a chance and opportunity to get Dobbs down for a sack or at worst a small gain. Instead, he escapes and is able to find Hockenson for 24 yards to set up a goal-to-go situation. Again, maddening.
• Michael Thomas has a ball cap on and is still on the sideline, but all signs are pointing to him not coming in the game.
• Big sack for D.J. Wonnum to push the Saints into a 3rd-and-11 situation. They went three-and-out and they really couldn't afford to. We'll see the defense get the stress test.
• It took one play for the Vikings to get up to their own 47-yard-line and then Dobbs hit Hockenson to put them into Saints territory with a holding call on Lonnie Johnson Jr. on the same play. Dobbs leaned on Hockenson again to get into the red zone, but Hockenson got hurt and then end of the play.
• Josh Dobbs is 12/15 for 158 yards before the 5-minute mark of halftime.
• Nice run stop for a loss by Khalen Saunders. 
• Saints finally pick up a sack via Cam Jordan but get called for illegal contact.
• Was curious about the Vikings challenge for a Jordan Addison incompletion. The ball clearly did not survive the process of a catch according to what the NFL defines as a catch.
• Josh Dobbs and a mobile quarterback continue to dominate the Saints defense, as he took it in himself on 3rd Down to get into the end zone. It's the fifth straight game the defense looks bad in the first half.
• False start makes it 3rd-and-11 instead of 3rd-and-6. The play before was a bust. The screen play looked like it could have worked, but.
• Vikings continue to do what they want on offense and take advantage of a very uninspiring first half for the Saints on all fronts.
• A hurt tight end and a QB who has been on the team less than two weeks is dominating this Saints defense.

Third Quarter - Vikings 27, Saints 11

Scoring

• Vikings, 10:09 - Greg Joseph 33-yard field goal. (7-49, 2:47)
• Saints, 5:26 - Chris Olave 14-yard reception from Jameis Winston. Alvin Kamara 2-point run is good. (10-75, 4:43)

Notes

• Did not see Michael Thomas on the sideline to start the half, which would be an indication that his day is done. He was officially ruled out of the game just before the 10-minute mark of the quarter.
• Was wondering what team would show up to start the second half, but they ran a three-and-out after Kamara got 7 yards on 1st Down.
• The Saints didn't even get a chance to try the 4th-and-1 play after Andrus Peat jumped early.
• Saints defense picked up where they left off to let the Vikings move the ball on them. Carl Granderson picked up a really unnecessary roughing the passer call too.
• Good hookup from Carr to Rashid Shaheed to start the drive following the field goal. Saints are going to go with more tempo from here on out being down by 24.
• Even when the Saints capture some momentum, they give it right back with a strip-sack. Thankfully, the offense was able to keep possession.
• Derek Carr got absolutely destroyed on the first completion to Chris Olave. He's in the medical tent. That was some shot he took.
• Jameis Winston entered the game and was able to move the football down the field and get the team into the end zone, leaning on Chris Olave.
• Chris Olave made an insane catch in the end zone to give New Orleans some small life. That was one of the best catches I've seen him make.
• The Saints defense finally forced a punt, although it wasn't easy.
• Winston threw a couple of fast balls for Taysom Hill that didn't get home and the throw to Olave didn't really have a shot.

Fourth Quarter - Vikings 27, Saints 19

Scoring

• Saints, 11:40 - A.T. Perry 15-yard reception from Jameis Winston. Alvin Kamara 2-point run is good. (9-56, 3:15)

Notes

• The Saints caught a break with Greg Joseph missing a 54-yard field goal.
• Winston got picked off a tip, but it was later determined that it was incomplete.
• Danielle Hunter got called for an illegal hands to the face call and then on the next play got a sack on Winston.
• Winston was able to dump it off to Alvin Kamara to set up a 4th-and-2 that saw the offense convert with a hookup to Chris Olave. Saints moved into the red zone.
• I don't know how Jameis Winston did it, but he was able to convert a 3rd-and-8 by throwing to A.T. Perry on the opposite side of the field for a score. This is a one-score game.
• Alontae Taylor is back in the game after an earlier injury.
• Saints were able to put the Vikings into a 3rd-and-10 situation but allowed a pass over the middle for a first down.
• Tyrann Mathieu took a bad face mask penalty to give the Vikings an extra 15 yards following an 8-yard run by Kene Nwangwu.
• Malcolm Roach got hurt trying to dive and make a tackle.
• Isaac Yiadom went in for Marshon Lattimore due to an apparent injury. Lattimore was in the medical tent and took a cart ride to the locker room.
• Saints were finally able to sack Josh Dobbs via Demario Davis and force another punt, but they ran a three-and-out deep inside their own territory. They caught a huge break with a holding call on a short run the play before.
• Saints defense did their job again to turn the Vikings away after they converted early.
• Not sure about that Vikings challenge that was regarding Alvin Kamara's
• Big hookup from Winston to Olave for a gain of 17 on 3rd-and-7.
• An offensive offside by Rashid Shaheed wiped out what was a big hookup to Chris Olave that would have flipped the field. That's not common.
• Winston tried Shaheed deep and he got hurt on the play. However, he was okay.
• Winston had to get rid of the ball early and threw up a prayer that was picked off by the Vikings inside their own 20-yard-line.
• I don't know what Jameis Winston was doing with his throw that led to another pick and essentially sealed the game, but that gunslinger mentality can equally as dangerous as it is effective.