Week 5 · 2026
Kyler Murray and Vikings Turn Turnovers Into a 5-0 Start
Minnesota Vikings 23 at New Orleans Saints 13
A Rocky First Quarter
Minnesota arrived in New Orleans unbeaten, but its new offense still had something to prove. Could Kyler Murray keep the Vikings moving when the Saints made things hard? Early on, New Orleans did. Carl Granderson dropped Murray for a 10-yard loss, forcing Minnesota to settle for Will Reichard’s 40-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead. The Vikings soon drove close to the goal line, with Justin Jefferson making a 19-yard catch and Aaron Jones Sr. running hard. Then Chase Young knocked the ball loose from Jones at the 7-yard line. A fumble is when a player loses the ball, and this one stopped Minnesota’s drive. The Saints used that chance as Kendre Miller ran 30 yards on 10 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown that gave New Orleans a 7-3 lead.
One Mistake Changes Everything
Minnesota stayed patient before halftime. Murray used short passes and scrambles to keep plays alive, while Jefferson made important catches outside. Reichard’s 54-yard field goal cut the Saints’ lead to 7-6. Then, right after halftime, the game swung fast. A Saints returner fumbled the opening kickoff, and Minnesota recovered at the New Orleans 37-yard line. Murray escaped for an 18-yard run, then threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jefferson. Three plays after the mistake, the Vikings led 13-7. New Orleans fought back with a huge play of its own. The Saints forced an interception, and then Vikings receiver Myles Price caught a pass near the goal line but lost the ball. Jonas Sanker grabbed it and ran 87 yards for a touchdown. The extra point missed, so the score was tied 13-13, but the Saints had seized the momentum.
Minnesota Finishes Strong
Murray and Jones answered before the third quarter ended. A 32-yard pass to Jeshaun Jones and a 19-yard run by Aaron Jones set up Jones’s 8-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Minnesota led 20-13, and Reichard later made a 55-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 10 points. The Vikings held the ball for 39 minutes and 37 seconds, helping them control the final stretch. Jones finished with 113 rushing yards, while Murray’s movement helped keep drives going. Byron Murphy Jr. ended New Orleans’ last hopes with his second interception of Tyler Shough. The 23-13 win pushed Minnesota to 5-0, while the Saints fell to 1-4.