While Week Eight did not feature the nail-biting finishes of previous weeks, it did establish the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams as the cream of the crop in the NFC.
The Saints faced their toughest test so far this season against the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings came into the game after dominating a respectable New York Jets team and beating the Saints in last year’s playoffs in an all-time classic game, earning the nickname, the Minneapolis Miracle. However, all the confidence possessed by the Vikings while entering U.S. Bank Stadium did not prevent the Saints from soundly beating them 30-20, pushing the Vikings’ record to 6-1 on the season.
The Saints previously dominated teams with their explosive offense featuring All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees, Pro Bowl wide receiver Michael Thomas and Pro Bowl running backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. However, in this game, a staunch Viking defense limited all four of these players.
To be fair, the Saints offense did not carry the team. The defense resembled an elite unit, allowing only 20 points, making an interception that they returned for a touchdown and forcing a fumble that they returned from their own 20-yard line to the Vikings’ 32-yard line to set up the Saints offense with a short field.
“We’ve got a recipe and we’re sticking to it,” said Kamara in a post-game interview in reference to his team’s overall performance.
The Rams also did not play their best on Sunday, but ultimately found a way to beat quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The Rams trailed by one point late in the fourth quarter but found enough offense to set up a 34-yard field goal by kicker Greg Zuerlein to put the Rams in the lead with two minutes and five seconds left. On the ensuing kickoff, running back Ty Montgomery fumbled while returning the kick-off, sealing the Rams’ victory.
With the win, the Rams remain the only undefeated team in the NFL this season.
Rams Head Coach Sean McVay heaped praise on his players after the game.
“What a hard-fought win,” McVay said, according to SB Nation. “Our team did an excellent job just finding a way to get it done. Can’t say enough about our players’ resilience, their ability to just stick together, stay connected.”
Week Nine is expected to bring even more excitement, as the Rams and Saints face off in New Orleans. This heavyweight clash could ultimately decide who receives home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.
