Defense Leads Vikings to Upset Victory
The defense deserves plenty of credit for Minnesota's upset win at New Orleans Sunday 26-20 in overtime in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. The offense certainly did its part as well as the Vikings advance to play the 49ers in California Saturday, January 11 at 3:35 pm in the divisional round.
I have the pleasure of chatting with Owatonna's Todd Walkingstick after many of the Vikings games. The longtime season ticket holder and lifelong Vikings fan wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to his purple.
He says his heart sank when the Saints returned what appeared to be a Dalvin Cook fumble for a score late in the fourth quarter. The play was reversed on replay as Cook's knee was very obviously down before the ball came out. Todd also jokes that he checked the score again Monday morning when he woke up just to make sure he hadn't simply dreamed the victory.
Walkingstick was pleased that Minnesota's defense only gave up a field goal early in the game after Adam Thielen fumbled. All Vikings fans could forgive Thielen after he hauled in a long pass from Kirk Cousins down to the Saints' two-yard line that set up the winning touchdown, a short pass to Kyle Rudolph for the win.
The Vikings' defense forced a pair of Saints' turnovers and kept pressure on quarterback Drew Brees with some creative work from the defensive front.
Enjoy our conversation by clicking the link below.
Walkingstick hosts a weekly interview program called "Beyond the Game" on OwatonnaLive.com. Recent interviews include KRFO/Kat Kountry 105 announcer Jason Iacovino. Players from the state championship Blooming Prairie football team have also been stopping by the studio to visit with Walkingstick lately.
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