Editor: Joe Bryant. Game Recap Contributors: Mike Anderson, Michael Brown, Chris Burtt, J.D. Caldwell, David Dodds, Bobby Elder, Jim Enochs, Joel Faulhaber, Michael Flynn, Kevin Goldblum, Clayton Gray, Bob Harris, Fred Hebert, Jesse Hilsenrad, Drew Kendall, Jeff Lewis, Joey Matusek, Justin Oliver, Steve Prosapio, David Shick, Cody Smith, Scott Smith, Jeffrey Stout. Minnesota 32 at New Orleans 31 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Minnesota Vikings: After scoring a TD with 5 seconds left in the game to cut New Orleans's lead to 31-30, the Vikings went for two and the win, rather kick the PAT and risk a third overtime loss. On the 2-point play, QB Daunte Culpepper bobbled a bad snap, but picked it up and ran up the middle to make the conversion and win the game. QB Daunte Culpepper rewarded fantasy owners that rode his rollercoaster year with his best performance of the season. Culpepper looked confident running and passing, finishing with 4 TDs (2 passing, 2 rushing) and 385 total yards (312 passing, 73 rushing). He also did not fumble or throw an interception. WR Randy Moss also turned in one of his top games of the season. Moss caught 11 passes for 113 yards and 2 TDs, plus a 25-yard reverse run on the Vikings' first play from scrimmage. He was targeted four times in the end zone on the last drive of the game before finally hauling in the touchdown. RB Michael Bennett ran well in space, picking up yards on draws and counters out of the shotgun, hitting big holes early in the game, and catching three passing for 61 yards. Bennett's final rushing numbers were unimpressive (just 46 yards on 15 carries), thanks to getting stuffed four times in short-yardage situations and getting tackled in the backfield on two other plays. Special Note: Going for two with five seconds left and trailing by one may not be what 2-point basic strategy says to do, but after seeing the Vikings blow five games on the last possession and/or OT this season, it was their best chance at the win. Anyone who says Tice saved his job with today's win is inaccurate. We believe McCombs won't fire Tice because 1) Tice is inexpensive, 2) Tice's open-door, open-book policy is a welcome change from the last days of the Denny Green Bunker, and 3) you never fire the coach when you're trying to sell the team. Red will let the new owner get rid of Tice and bring their own staff. New Orleans Saints: RB Deuce McAllister had a much better game than the stat sheet indicated. He struggled on most first down runs, but still gained 69 yards on the ground. He was also smooth catching passes, including a great 17-yard swing pass for the go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter. If his 78-yard TD run in the third quarter were not called back on a holding penalty, his fantasy numbers would have been spectacular. QB Aaron Brooks's passes lacked the zip they usually have when he is fully healthy, but he made good decisions and hit receivers in stride most of the day. He seemed reluctant to run for yardage, but spread the ball around effectively in the passing game, despite not always having a lot of time to throw. KR Michael Lewis was a huge factor, scoring on a 97-yard kickoff return in the second quarter, getting excellent field position on two other kickoff returns. Fred McAfee took a handoff from Lewis on the opening kickoff, and took the reverse across midfield. WHAT YOU OUGHT TO KNOW Minnesota Vikings QB: Daunte Culpepper rewarded fantasy owners that rode his rollercoaster year with his best performance of the season. Culpepper looked confident running and passing, finishing with 4 TDs (2 passing, 2 rushing) and 385 total yards (312 passing, 73 rushing), and no turnovers. The offensive line pushed the pass rush outside most of the game, opening the passing and running lanes up the middle, where Culpepper is most effective. Culpepper's two rushing TDs were on a 4-yard designed QB draw, and a 6-yard scramble, both out of the shotgun. Culpepper also ran in a 2-point conversion to win the game, running up the middle after bobbling a bad shotgun snap. RB: RB Michael Bennett got the bulk of the RB carriesran well in space, picking up yards on draws and counters out of the shotgun, hitting big holes early in the game, and catching three passing for 61 yards. Bennett's final rushing numbers were unimpressive (just 46 yards on 15 carries), thanks to getting stuffed four times in short-yardage situations and getting tackled in the backfield on two other plays. Moe Williams played very little, and hardly ever saw the ball - just one rush for 2 yards, and one catch for six yards. He did not play in most goal-line situations. WR: Randy Moss turned in one of his top games of the season. Moss caught 11 passes for 113 yards and 2 TDs, plus a 25-yard reverse run on the Vikings' first play from scrimmage. He was used mostly on quick hitches and short routes across the middle. His first TD was a 33-yard go route out of the slot - on the play, the DB lined up over him blitzed, and a LB rolled over to cover him and was burned deep. Moss was targeted four times in the end zone on the last drive of the game (including one TD catch nullified when he pushed off on the play) before jumping over double coverage to haul in the touchdown. Kelly Campbell caught two passes for 42 yards, including a 32-yarder that set up the second Vikings TD. He was only targeted on one other play. D'Wayne Bates caught three passes for just 20 yards. He was invisible most of the game. TE: Bryon Chamberlain emerged from a long slump to catch four passes for 50 yards, including an impressive 17-yard catch and run on the final drive that got the Vikings down to the Saints' 3. Jim Kleinsasser got a lot of playing time at both TE and FB, but caught just two passes for 20 yards, and ran just one carry for no gain. Kleinsasser stayed in on protection on most pass plays. Pass Defense: gave up most of the yardage on short and medium routes. Though the secondary yielded just one pass play longer than 20 yards, they did not come close to an interception. The pass rush did generate four sacks, two by Lance Johnstone. Rush Defense: did a good job stopping McAllister on first down plays. DT Chris Hovan commanded double-teams on most plays, leaving fewer blockers to open holes. Special Teams: gave up several long kickoff returns, including a 97-yard TD to Michael Lewis. The three-week streak of having a placekick blocked was snapped, as K Gary Anderson made all four of his kicks. PR Nick Davis fumbled a fair-catch punt, but recovered it after a mad scramble. /**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/**/** New Orleans Saints QB: Aaron Brooks's passes lacked the zip they usually have when he is fully healthy, but he made good decisions (21-for-33 passing, zero INTs, 2 TDs, 255 yards) and hit receivers in stride most of the day. He seemed reluctant to run for yardage, but spread the ball around effectively in the passing game, despite not always having a lot of time to throw. RB: Deuce McAllister had a much better game than the stat sheet indicated. He struggled on most first down runs, but still gained 69 yards on the ground. He was also smooth catching passes, including a great 17-yard swing pass for the go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter. If his 78-yard TD run in the third quarter were not called back on a holding penalty, his fantasy numbers would have been spectacular. The other Saints RBs were not factors - James Fenderson had just one carry for four yards, Terrelle Smith caught one pass for 10 yards. WR: Joe Horn caught five passes for 60 yards, and also scored a 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter with another reception. Horn received extra attention from the Vikings secondary, but still shook loose on short routes across the middle. Jerome Pathon caught four passes for 57 yards, including back-to-back catches in the second quarter that got New Orleans inside the Minnesota 10. He committed an offensive holding penalty that nullified a 78-yard TD run by Deuce McAllister. Jake Reed caught three passes for 53 yards, including a 25-yard post pattern for a TD late in the first half. Replays indicated Reed pushed off on the play, though Vikings DB Corey Chavous was flagged for pass interference. Donte' Stallworth caught four passes for 42 yards, all on short passes. Stallworth was targeted seven times, but was never open deep. TE: Boo Williams caught one pass for six yards. The Saints tight ends were used almost exclusively as blockers, and were often pulled in favor of four-WR sets on third downs. Pass Defense: threw a variety of blitzes at Culpepper, but could not force an interception, and allowed Culpepper to slip away when the pass protection broke down. CB Dale Carter looked lost on many pass plays, though he did recover to make several tackles. Rush Defense: stuffed Michael Bennett in short-yardage situations, but gave up over 100 rushing yards (Bennett and Culpepper combined) when the Vikings lined up in the shotgun. LB Darrin Smith had a great game against the run. Special Teams: KR Michael Lewis was a huge factor, scoring on a 97-yard kickoff return in the second quarter, getting excellent field position on two other kickoff returns. Fred McAfee took a handoff from Lewis on the opening kickoff, and took the reverse across midfield. K John Carney made all five of his kicks - 3 FGs, 2 PATs.