4 keys to victory for the Vikings against the Saints in Week 16
By Dean Jones
Contain Alvin Kamara
Alvin Kamara started the 2020 season like a house on fire. The running back was in relentless form as he looked to become the NFL’s best dual-threat player at the position and although his production has tailed off somewhat, the return of Drew Brees should see him become the focal point once again.
The Saints got by without their No. 1 quarterback for the second straight season, much like they did in 2019 with Teddy Bridgewater under center. Kamara is going to be a huge factor in any success that comes their way during the postseason and the Minnesota Vikings need to come up with a specific gameplan to counteract his exceptional presence in the backfield.
Kamara has accumulated 1,516 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He has a catch success rate of 78.4 percent, boasts a yards-per-carry average of 4.7, and has a 78.8 grade from Pro Football Focus to further enhance his credentials.
One notable feature of the former third-round pick’s game that shouldn’t be overlooked is how difficult Kamara is to bring down. The back has 1,042 yards-after contact in 2020 and 30 broken tackles to his name. So the Minnesota defense needs to be on point with their tackling and getting to the point of attack quickly.
If they could do this, then it might just give them a chance of pulling off a major upset.