Minnesota Defense Gangs Up on Saints in a 45-3 Trouncing

Page, Eller and Marshall are long gone, but the Minnesota defense is again playing like a purple gang.

The Vikings extended their string of quarters without allowing a touchdown to 17 Sunday while routing the New Orleans Saints, 45-3.

“I’m starting to get a little scared of ourselves,” defensive tackle Keith Millard said. “You can tell the intensity in the locker room before the game. It’s almost too quiet in the locker room. We just lined up and whatever they brought to us, we stopped.”

Not only did Minnesota’s defense keep the Saints (9-5) out of the end zone, it got there twice itself on long interception returns by Carl Lee and Jesse Solomon.

Minnesota (10-4) has outscored its last four opponents, 123-9.

“This is the most dominating team I’ve played with,” safety Joey Browner said. “It’s incredible.”

The Vikings won their fifth straight and reached double figures in victories for the first time since 1976, when they made their fourth and final Super Bowl appearance.

Minnesota pulled within 1 1/2 games of the NFC Central-leading Chicago Bears, who play the Rams tonight. The Vikings can clinch a wild-card playoff spot next week by beating Green Bay.

New Orleans lost its second straight and fourth in 6 games. The Saints fell into a tie with San Francisco for the NFC West lead but can win the division with victories over the 49ers and Atlanta in the final 2 weeks.

The Saints have lost three straight to the Vikings, including a 44-10 defeat in last year’s NFC wild-card game. “There is not a whole lot to say other than we got dominated,” Saints Coach Jim Mora said.

Wade Wilson passed for 215 yards and 3 touchdowns, including plays of 15 and 68 yards to Hassan Jones.

Lee went 58 yards for a touchdown on an interception of Bobby Hebert’s pass with 21 seconds left in the first half to give the Vikings a 31-0 lead. It was his eighth interception and second touchdown of the season.

Solomon’s 78-yard interception return on a pass thrown by Dave Wilson made it 38-0 in the third quarter.

New Orleans scored on Morten Andersen’s 36-yard field goal with 2:24 left in the third quarter.

Hebert completed 5 of 20 passes for 37 yards and was replaced in the second half by Wilson, who was 5 of 16 for 73 yards.