Vikings @ Saints

It's prediction time once again ahead of tomorrow nights game between the Vikings and Saints. Let's get straight to it: Vikings @ Saints -- We kick off the season with a repeat of last seasons NFC Championship game. But I don't expect a repeat of the result. Let's be absolutely clear about something; the Vikings turned the ball over 5 times and out gained the Saints offensively by about 200 yards. This is probably the main reason I dislike the Saints (Not hate...... Yet). It's not even their fault. You win a few games, no matter how many calls went your way or regardless of the reality of the games, and suddenly you're being crowned as the number one team in the league by the press. In the end the Saints came through in the big game itself, but to say that they were/are the best team in the NFL masks the fact that they finished bottom of their division the season before that and avoided defeat at the hands of the Redskins (THE REDSKINS) by virtue of a missed field goal It happens in knockout tournaments. You have a few good games, some things go your way and sometimes you just ride your luck to victory. I think this season we are going to see the Saints nose dive in truly fantastic fashion, making all the pre-season predictions of them as the number one team in the NFL look plain silly. It wont have anything to do with a "Super Bowl Hangover", but will have everything to do with the miracle that they even made it to the big game last year, let alone won it. And the nose dive begins this Thursday against the Vikings. Yes Favre is old. Yes Sidney Rice is injured. But yes, Bernard Berrian is a more than adequate back up. Yes Adrian Peterson can have a huge impact on a game. Yes, Toby Gerhart will be a more effective back up than even the excellent Chester Taylor. And yes, the Vikings still have a strong defense that forced numerous punts by the Saints just 7 or so months ago. Given that the Saints have gotten weaker in the off season and that Darren Sharper is unlikely to repeat his age defying interception tally, I can fully see the Vikings running over New Orleans tomorrow. It's going to be hum-dinger of a battle and the Saints are sure to come after Favre with everything they have, but I just don't think it'll be enough. Vikings win. I'll be back tomorrow to wrap it up the game, till then, Have a great day everyone.