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Vikings beat Saints

Sports · Heat 1.0 / 10 · 4 shows · 32m airtime

The Minnesota Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints 23-13 on October 12, 2026, with Kyler Murray starting 12 for 12 and finishing 24 of 30 for 229 yards, and the defense allowing three touchdowns since halftime of the opener while holding opponents to 22 percent on third down. The discussion has settled on that defense, with Cashman and Van Ginkle producing an opening-snap stop, against an offense that turned it over at the plus seven and plus 12 for 17 expected points lost and a 38.5 percent rushing success rate. Murray's scrambling, seven carries for 54 yards and three first downs, is the counterweight. The Saints pressured on 28 percent of dropbacks against a line missing two starters.

How 4 podcasts covered it

  1. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-12 (30:14 to 32:21)
    Argues the score undersold the Vikings
    Gives the Vikings their due after the 23-13 win, arguing the score undersold a dominant performance. Puts a number on the red-zone giveaways: 17 expected points lost on two snaps, one of which became the Saints' only touchdown.
    New angle: The Vikings lost 17 expected points on two snaps, turning it over at the plus seven and plus 12.
  2. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-12 (32:21 to 35:38)
    Breaks down Murray's seven scrambles
    Breaks down Murray's scrambling in the Vikings win: seven scrambles for 54 yards and three first downs, double his previous two starts combined, including one that turned a 61-yard field goal try into a made 55-yarder. Frames it against the structure of the Minnesota offense.
    New angle: Murray scrambled seven times for 54 yards and three first downs, double his previous two starts combined.
  3. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-12 (35:38 to 38:44)
    Questions the run game's 38.5 percent success rate
    Turns to the Vikings' run game and finds it only flashed: a 38.5 percent rushing success rate against one of the league's worst run defenses, with Aaron Jones's 20-yard gain and a power touchdown the encouraging moments. Notes the line is further depleted with Donovan Jackson done for the year.
    New angle: The Vikings finished with a 38.5 percent rushing success rate against the Saints.
  4. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-12 (38:50 to 40:02)
    Reports the line holding against the blitz
    Stays on the Vikings' win but moves to the pass protection: with two starting linemen out, Minnesota held the Saints' 36 percent blitz to a 28 percent pressure rate, and Murray bought six and a half seconds on the 32-yard completion to Jones.
    New angle: The Saints pressured on 28 percent of dropbacks with a 36 percent blitz rate against a Vikings line missing two starters.
  5. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-12 (40:02 to 43:44)
    Walks through the Flores pressure package
    Walks through the Flores pressure package play by play: the untouched Cashman B-gap blitz on the opening snap, a seven-man pressure disguised as cover three, and man free on the first third down. Argues the scheme, not the opponent, is the story.
    New angle: On the opening snap Cashman came untouched through the B gap and Van Ginkle dropped Kamara for a five-yard loss.
  6. Pardon My Take, 2026-10-12 (1:44:41 to 1:48:15)
    Details the Vikings' third-down defense and fast start
    First substantive look at the Vikings' win: Murray's 12-for-12 start, Minnesota's three touchdowns allowed since halftime of the opener, and a 22 percent third-down rate against Brian Flores's defense, plus Kellen Moore's one first-quarter lead in 22 games.
    New angle: The Vikings defense has allowed three touchdowns since halftime of the opener and holds opponents to 22 percent on third down.
  7. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-12 (27:44 to 31:08)
    Adds Murray's rushing line in the win
    Turns to the Vikings' win and the case for Kyler Murray running more, with O'Connell's praise for his progress through three full games. Adds Murray's rushing line and the Saints' pregame illness and injuries, then writes New Orleans off.
    New angle: Kyler Murray ran 10 times for 51 yards in the Vikings' win.
  8. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-12 (9:56 to 13:41)
    Recaps a losing bet on the Saints
    Betting-segment recap of Vikings-Saints: the hosts backed New Orleans and lost, ripping Tyler Shuck's 96-yard, two-interception day while crediting Kyler Murray's legs and Justin Jefferson's triple-covered touchdown. Adds that Minnesota turned it over inside the Saints' 10 twice.
    New angle: The Vikings turned the ball over inside the Saints' 10-yard line twice.
  9. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-12 (40:03 to 42:26)
    Recaps Shuck's two-interception day
    Shame-of-the-week segment split between Dan Quinn's fourth-quarter collapse and Tyler Shuck's 96-yard, two-interception day with zero rushing attempts. The Shuck half retells the Vikings-Saints result and stays inside numbers already on the record.
  10. First Take, 2026-10-14 (8:13 to 13:58)
    Adds Murray's full line and the turnover margin
    Debates Minnesota's playoff ceiling with Murray at quarterback after his first full game alongside Jefferson. The new on-record figure is Murray's full line, 24 of 30 for 229 yards, plus the Vikings' 27th-ranked offense and plus-six turnover margin.
    New angle: Murray finished 24 of 30 for 229 yards, with Jefferson catching six for 79 and a touchdown.
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