How Minnesota Vikings can prevail in New Orleans

What the Minnesota Vikings need to do to defeat the New Orleans Saints in Sunday’s NFC championship game (3:30 p.m. PST; Channel 11):

Keep it quiet

New Orleans is familiar territory for Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre. His hometown of Kiln, Miss., is only about 60 miles away.

But the challenge for the Vikings will be making the Superdome feel like home.

They were 8-0 in the Metrodome this season, and just 4-4 on the road. The offensive line did a much better job of protecting Favre on friendly turf. The quarterback took a beating in games at Carolina and Pittsburgh (sacked four times in each), and at Chicago and Arizona (three each).

The challenge, of course, is coping with the noise, and few stadiums can match the decibel count of the Superdome. Likewise, the Metrodome can get jet-engine loud, and the Vikings’ defensive line tends to generate more pressure under those circumstances because the big men up front -- especially defensive ends Jared Allen and Ray Edwards -- feast on the slightest hint of hesitation by opposing offensive linemen. Getting off to a quick start and taking the crowd out of the game would be huge for the Vikings.

Keep it grounded

The Saints are vulnerable to a good ground game. They finished the regular season ranked 21st against the run, and looked even worse than that on the first play from scrimmage against Arizona. Tim Hightower took a handoff and tore up the middle for a 70-yard touchdown run.

The Vikings need to get Adrian Peterson rolling to control the clock and open the passing game for Favre.

Peterson, the 2008 rushing champion, had just three 100-yard games this season, most recently in mid-November, and he’s had seven fumbles. Getting him rumbling against the Saints will be key.

Keep it covered

The Vikings run a lot of Cover-2 defense, which means their middle linebacker is almost like a safety at times, dropping back into coverage. The team has had some problems covering tight ends this season, and that could be difficult against the Saints. Minnesota’s saving grace, though, is that Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey isn’t at his best. He was limping a lot Saturday, even on a touchdown catch.

Keep it away

The Vikings played in the Superdome last season and won, 30-27. But in that game, Reggie Bush returned two punts for touchdowns and probably would have run back a third had he not slipped.

Bush looked phenomenal last weekend, and the Vikings will try to keep the ball out of his hands.

The pressure falls on punter Chris Kluwe to do his best directional kicking. Kluwe doesn’t need to be reminded what Bush can do; the punter went to UCLA.

* WEDNESDAY: NEW ORLEANS

sam.farmer@latimes.com

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