Vikings 'Disappointing' Defensive Outing Allows Saints Dominant Day

[Viktor]

Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill added two completions for eight yards in addition to 18 rushing yards and a late-game touchdown.


"That's not our brand of football. There's not our expectations and a level that we feel we can play at," Harris said. "So today it was just all-around very disappointing in terms of being able to stop the run, stop the pass and giving up explosive plays."


The Saints 52 points were the most allowed by the Vikings since 1963, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 56-14.


"[I'm] really disappointed," Zimmer said. "You have to work really hard to give up 52."


Asked what needs to happen to get a once-highly touted defense back on track, Zimmer did point to getting healthy players back in the lineup.


He mentioned defensive linemen Danielle Hunter, who has missed the entire season with a neck injury, and Michael Pierce, who signed with Minnesota in free agency but opted out of the 2020 campaign due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.


"We've got to get [Anthony] Barr, Kendricks – Pro Bowl players, good players that we have – they need to be back," Zimmer said. "If you go back – and honest, I'm not trying to make excuses, it was embarrassing today – we're missing four defensive linemen, we're missing a safety, we're missing three corners, we're missing six linebackers, I believe, from where we started.


"We're just a little undermanned," he added. "[But that's] still no excuse. These guys put on an NFL jersey, they've got to play."


Friday's loss dropped the Vikings to 6-9 on the year and officially eliminated them from the postseason.


With one more game to go, a road contest against the Lions next week, Harris said it's important to play for pride.


"It's tough. Obviously coming into the season wanting to make it to the final game and do big things," Harris said. "Now at this point, each week is about going out there and representing your brand as Minnesota Vikings, as an individual, and how we want to be seen. Everybody has to go out there and do their job and give it their all in an effort to come out with the win."