Vikings shock Saints, advance to Divisional Round vs. 49ers

It’s the first career playoff win for Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Nobody gave the Vikings a chance against the Saints in the wild card round.

The game was in New Orleans. Kirk Cousins never wins big games. The Vikings were 7.5-point underdogs. The NFL forgot to put the Vikings in their playoff commercial.

All of that seems silly now.

The Vikings upset the Saints 26-20 in overtime on Sunday afternoon to advance to the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs.

Minnesota will play the 49ers next week.

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins earned his first-career playoff win, and he deserved it. He kept the Vikings in the game, and made an unbelievable 43-yard pass to Adam Thielen to set up what would be the game-winning touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph.

Cousins ended the game with 242 yards and a touchdown to go with turnovers.

Vikings running back Dalvin Cook was key to the team’s 20-10 third quarter lead. Cook ran for 94 yards and two touchdowns to go with three catches for 36 yards.

Defensively, the Vikings did a great job of maintaining Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Brees threw for just 208 yards and a touchdown. He did throw a costly touchdown and fumbled in the fourth quarter when the Saints were ready to score.

It’s the second time in three seasons the Vikings have eliminated the Saints in the postseason.