Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints players during their Week 5 game
New Orleans Saints

Summary

  • Minnesota defeated New Orleans 23-13 and improved to 5-0.
  • The Vikings held the Saints to 142 total yards.
  • Aaron Jones rushed for 113 yards and scored a touchdown.

Minnesota remains unbeaten

The Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints 23-13 on October 11, improving to 5-0. Reuters and the Saints’ official recap agreed on the score and the shape of the game: Minnesota’s defense limited New Orleans to 142 total yards, repeatedly forced difficult passing situations and prevented the Saints from sustaining drives. The Saints fell behind early and never found enough explosive offense to erase the deficit. [1] [2]

Murray plays efficiently

Kyler Murray completed 24 of 30 passes for 229 yards and one touchdown for Minnesota. Justin Jefferson caught six passes for 79 yards and a score, giving Murray a reliable option when the Vikings needed to extend drives. The passing game was not built around a huge number of deep attempts, but its efficiency complemented a defense that consistently returned the ball and favorable field position to the offense. [1] [2]

Jones supplies the ground game

Aaron Jones rushed for 113 yards and scored a touchdown, giving Minnesota balance and helping the Vikings manage the second half. New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough completed 16 of 25 attempts for 96 yards and threw two interceptions. Those turnovers, combined with the low yardage total, left the Saints with little margin for error even as their defense kept the final score within reach. [1] [2]

Brees honored at halftime

The Saints inducted Drew Brees into their Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony, an emotional centerpiece for the home crowd. The celebration could not change the result on the field. Minnesota left New Orleans as one of the league’s remaining unbeaten teams, with a defense that has become central to its start. The Saints’ next work is more basic: create manageable downs, protect the football and generate enough offense to keep their defense from carrying the full load. [1] [2]

Reporting sources

  1. Reuters · Vikings remain undefeated as defense dominates Saints ↗October 11, 2026
  2. New Orleans Saints · Vikings vs. Saints game recap ↗October 11, 2026

This article follows our editorial standards. To report an error, see our corrections policy.