Biggest questions before Week 10 vs. the Vikings

The Saints are back above .500 and have a Grade A chance to get ahead in the NFC South with a win in week 10. The Saints face off against another NFC North opponent in Minnesota this week. The Saints took care of business bear-ly last week but will need to improve this week if they want a win in Minnesota.

Can the Saints go on a run?

The New Orleans Saints face off against Josh Dobbs and the Minnesota Vikings and then have their bye week. Post bye week they play @ Falcons, vs Lions, vs Panthers, vs Giants, @ Rams, vs Bucs and finish vs Falcons. The toughest task will be the Detroit Lions, but all the other games look very winnable. Can the Saints win 5 of their last 8 and finish 10-6? That is the goal.

Can the Saints put together a complete game?

Feels like this is an impossible task. In the first half, the offense looked to have some rhyme, but the defense couldn’t stop the Bears and then in the second half, the defense locks down and the offense becomes inconsistent and can’t move the ball. We also had a great punt by Hedley and a missed field goal by Grupe. The Saints need to be able to piece together a full game, if they want a shot in the NFC.

Why haven't the Saints been able to run the ball this season?

The constant shuffle of linemen and running backs is no excuse. Taysom Hill packages are the only packages that have constant success on offense. Kamara wasn’t a huge part of last game plan, but the run game might be too predictable with the high uses of Lynn Bowden and A.T. Perry/Keith Kirkwood in the run game and not the pass game.

How important is Taysom Hill for the Saints offense?

Without Taysom it is fair to say this team would not have 5 wins right now. His red zone success as sparked the offense. Early in the season his usage was way down but the Saints have finally realized it's time to find any way to get Taysom Hill the football. He had a passing and receiving touchdown last week.

Can the Saints snag a win against Minnesota before their bye week?

The narrative all week is about Josh Dobbs and his quick turnaround success with the Vikings. No excuses this is a must-win for the Saints given the circumstances. Minnesota will be down Kirk Cousins and Cam Ackers who suffered season-ending injuries, and Justin Jefferson is trending towards not playing in week 10. The road warrior Saints shouldn’t need a miracle this week if they take care of business.

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