The New Orleans Saints didn’t get everything they wanted. They weren’t able to claim the Nos. 1 or 2 seeds and, consequently, didn’t receive a bye week in the playoffs.

But the Saints (13-3) do have a home playoff game, as NFC South Division champions. And they have a chance to construct a road to the Super Bowl, beginning with Sunday’s Wild Card game against Minnesota (10-6) in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. And if any team has momentum entering the playoffs, it probably is one that finished the regular season on a three-game winning streak, by an average score of 38-15 (including two road wins by an average score of 40-19).

The Vikings likely will prove to be a stiffer test. Here are some methods that’ll help the Saints pass it.

1. When Drew Brees has time, the Saints usually win. That formula hasn’t deviated since Brees joined the Saints in 2006, and it remains true now. And it’ll especially be important against Minnesota, which has a pair of defensive ends, Danielle Hunter (14.5 sacks) and Everson Griffen (eight sacks), that are handfuls individually and can wreck an offensive gameplan collectively. The Saints have a good counter in two of the best offensive tackles in the league, Terron Armstead (left tackle) and Ryan Ramczyk (right/first-team All-Pro in 2019). New Orleans won’t hesitate to help if needed, but they rarely need it. And if they don’t need it, and Brees has time, let’s just say he has been on a heater since the beginning of December, completing 75 percent of his passes for 1,138 yards and 15 touchdowns, with no interceptions, in the last four regular-season games. The NFC’s Offensive Player of the Month will be ready.

Read more here from John DeShazier

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