USA TODAY Sports Network’s NFL wild-card playoff previews, predictions

The USA TODAY Sports Network previews each of this weekend’s matchups: Bills-Texans, Titans-Patriots, Vikings-Saints and Seahawks-Eagles.

Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints

Kirk Cousins Minnesota Vikings
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET Sunday, Fox

Records: Vikings 10-6, Saints 13-3

Line: Saints by 7½

Satellite radio: Vikings feed on Sirius 82 (streaming 819), Saints feed on Sirius 83 (streaming 821)

Vikings’ keys: Keeping QB Kirk Cousins clean and giving him opportunities to target WRs Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs is paramount, but expect the Vikings to stubbornly try to establish the run even though the Saints haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in the last 41 games.

Saints’ keys: The offensive line will determine to what degree the Saints can control the flow of the game and give QB Drew Brees time to carve up a vulnerable Minnesota secondary. Considering the success TE Jared Cook and do-it-all QB Taysom Hill have had this season (16 touchdowns between them), that might be too much for the Vikings to handle.

Who wins? The Saints are a complete team; the Vikings have struggled against good opponents. Saints 28, Vikings 20

John Sigler

Buf@Hou / Ten@NE / Sea@Phi