Kamara and Saints "Ground & Pound" Vikings to Claim NFC South Crown
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara's six touchdowns leads the way for the Saints to claim their fourth-consecutive NFC South title.
New Orleans sealed the deal and won the NFC South for the Saints' fourth-straight division title. After two consecutive losses, the Saints claimed a decisive 52-33 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Typically, in a dominant performance from the Saints, future Hall of Famer Drew Brees would have passed for a few touchdowns. However, not on this Christmas day.
The New Orleans ground game produced seven rushing touchdowns, and running back Alvin Kamara scored six by himself. Kamara tied the last player with six rushing touchdowns, Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers. On December 12, 1965, the legendary Sayers scored six touchdowns versus the San Francisco 49ers in Chicago at Wrigley Field. Sayers' and Kamara's running styles are smooth, dynamic, and poetry in motion. The Saints rusher tied Vikings Dalvin Cook with 16 rushing touchdowns on the season.
Sean Payton said, "the team had seven different players starting in place of player injuries." Late in the season and still chasing the NFC #1 against the Green Bay and Seattle, New Orleans attacked a vicious ground game, netting 264 yards. Drew Brees executed 19/26 for 311 yards in the contest. New Orleans may have found their answer to their recent offensive inconsistencies in Denver, Philadelphia, and at home with Kansas City by using the running game.
Credit: Chuck Cook, USA Today Sports
Kamara's 22 rushes for 155 yards, Murray's 72 yards, and Hill's 18 yards led the "Pound and Ground" efforts.
Emmanuel Sanders only had four receptions, yet he may have been the most important receiver for the Saints this week. Sanders' leadership and lockerroom tutelage of Marquez Callaway and Juwan Johnson helped Drew Brees. Tight ends Jared Cook and Adam Trautman turned-in enormous games for the Saints for long receptions with help setup touchdowns inside the red zone.
"There's more at stake, and I think it's important we're playing well at this time," noted Sean Payton while wearing a Jordan brand Christmas sweater.
The Saints celebrated the victory in the locker room with Payton as he danced and did the "Sean Payton" and "The Griddy" dances with his players.
Super Bowl or Bust was the mantra this team spoke of during the summer training camps. Their "Won One" t-shirts allude to a higher goal is on their minds. If the Saints can sweep the Panthers next week, they would be the first NFC South team to accomplish the feat.
More importantly, for the 2020 Saints, sweeping the playoffs and Super Bowl 55 is the ultimate goal. Period.
