Vikings Take Down Saints to Stay Undefeated (Here Are 3 Things That Mattered Most in Week 5)

The Minnesota Vikings traveled south to battle the Saints in New Orleans on Sunday in what quickly turned into a chaotic matchup. Star receiver Justin Jefferson returned after hurting his ankle in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Jordan Addison was inactive with a hamstring injury. The newly signed Odell Beckham Jr. was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday but was ultimately ruled inactive shortly before the game.

In an odd twist, the Vikings offense dominated the day with 364 yards of total offense. But Brian Flores’ unit still had its moments. Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel had the team’s one sack, and corner Byron Murphy Jr. came away with two interceptions.

Here’s what else mattered as the Vikings remain undefeated at the bye.

The offense puts it together… mostly

Despite a plethora of miscues, including multiple timeouts to avoid delay-of-game penalties, two red zone fumbles, some questionable play calls, and a few mistimed throws that could have been touchdowns, the Vikings’ offense looked pretty cohesive.

Kyler Murray had the best game of his Vikings career, totaling 229 yards through the air, 51 on the ground, and a gutsy touchdown throw to Jefferson between three Saints defenders in the back of the end zone. Jefferson’s three TDs in 2026 have already exceeded his total from last season (2).

Justin Jefferson, in triple coverage —HOW DID HE CATCH THIS?! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/jaBttL0Apb
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 11, 2026

Aaron Jones powered through an aggravated knee injury to find the end zone and rushed for 113 yards on the ground. Jones is the workhorse for a Minnesota RB room that desperately needs depth. Hopefully, Jordan Mason is cleared to return from the thumb injury that landed him on the IR after the bye week.

Special teams shines again

Once again, Will Reichard was the most trustworthy force on the entire Vikings’ roster, nailing another three field goals, including a 55-yarder. Reichard has now hit 34 straight field goals to start the 2026 season, accounting for 53 total points this year.

Myles Price also showed his skills as a returner, making it easier to forgive his brutal fumble on offense. Price continued to flash his patterned evasiveness on returns, including an impressive 43-yard punt return.

Rookie linebacker Jake Golday punched the ball out on the Saints’ kickoff return to start the second half, with wideout Jeshaun Jones recovering the fumble, setting up the Vikings' first offensive touchdown since the second quarter of Week 3.

Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels has put together quite the group, and the multiple awards the unit has won so far this season continue to speak to the unit’s impact.

Bye week presents a chance for Vikings to recover

Tight end T.J. Hockenson looked primed for a big day after building a strong connection with Kyler Murray against Miami last week. Unfortunately, his day would not last long, as he left the game on the first drive to be evaluated for a concussion. Jones aggravated a knee injury on a fumble near the goal line but returned.

The Vikings head into the bye hoping to recover and reload before hosting the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7. Christian Darrisaw is working through a concussion; Mason will be eligible to return from IR; Addison seems likely to return from a hamstring injury, and Hockenson will hope to be out of concussion protocol.

If the Vikings are 5-0 with significant injury issues, we can only hope to see what they can do at full strength.

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