Shurmur focused on Sunday, not head coaching possibilities

He will be tasked with helping the fourth-seeded Saints (12-5) upset the second-seed Vikings (13-3) at U.S. Bank Stadium, the site of Super Bowl LII.

These teams meet in the playoffs for the first time since the Saints defeated the Vikings 31-28 in overtime in the 2009 NFC championship game.

Coleman played in the wild-card round against Carolina, catching four passes for 44 yards last Sunday. When asked if Bradford would be ready to play for the Vikings if needed, Zimmer said “I think so”. Although Newman is listed as questionable, he should still be good to go for the game on Sunday.

If you’re headed to the Saints vs. Vikings game this weekend, you’ll want to pack lots of layers and your thickest cold-weather clothes.

Under-the-radar potential X factor: Defensive rookie of the year candidate Marshon Lattimore gets most of the attention in a stellar young Saints secondary, but second-round rookie safety Marcus Williams has really been coming on. His completion percentage (67.6) ranks second in the National Football League, behind only Drew Brees. That’s not just some cliché for this Vikings defense, which finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in yards and scoring.

Kelemete steps in for Andrus Peat (broken fibula), who became the 20th player on injured reserve this season for the Saints when he was moved from the active roster Tuesday.

“I love it when these guys come back that to me is a sign you have a program and so I want them always to feel welcome they were a big part of what all of us are now standing on”, explained Payton. They haven’t been good overall, however, failing to cover in four of their last five games, including last week when they were a 6.5-point home favorite versus the Panthers. And don’t expect the Vikings to reveal their plans. I really enjoyed the time I spent with those teams, but you quickly get back to preparing for the Saints.

According to a report Friday by the Boston Globe, the Vikings plan to activate and dress out Sam Bradford, who is on injured reserve with a knee injury and hasn’t played since October 9.

It’s a much different look than the Saints brought to Minnesota for the Week 1 matchup between the teams.

“You could say that [it’s a goal to be back in the playoffs], but for me, it’s about just being to come to work every day, being a leader amongst my peers”.

Last week you probably noticed plenty of stories about how the Los Angeles Rams were going to make a run at the NFC. On the other side, we’ve got Drew Brees who went 4-4 straight up (SU) and ATS this season on the road; Brees is 1-4 SU in his career on the road, throwing for eight TDs and five INTs. They focused on Jared Goff’s prolific season and how much better he was out from under former head coach Jeff Fisher. He’s never played in a big game like this. They get to the quarterback at a higher rate than the Vikings, and they had six more takeaways this season than Minnesota.