The New Orleans Saints have had 11 months to digest their gut-wrenching, controversial loss to the Los Angeles Rams in last year's NFC Championship Game, and now, they are ready to right their wrongs.
Unlike last season, the Saints didn't secure a first-round bye, but they are still considered NFC favorites by some as they open up their playoff push with a Wild Card Round matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
New Orleans is at home, but this still won't be a walk in the park, as the Vikings have proven this season that they can hurt you on both sides of the ball.
That being said, here are four reasons to expect the Saints to emerge victorious this weekend:
4. The status of Dalvin Cook
Dalvin Cook is arguably Minnesota's most important player, but he sat out the final two weeks of the regular season due to a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 15.
Cook says he is feeling fine, but his health is definitely worth keeping an eye on in this game.
On top of that, backup running back Alexander Mattison has missed the last three contests with an ankle injury, and his status for Sunday is also in question.
To be fair, Mike Boone has looked great in recent weeks, but the Vikings obviously need a healthy Cook, and if Cook isn't 100 percent, then it would be nice to have Mattison back in the fold.
Basically, Minnesota's ground game is currently in TBD mode for this game, and that plays right into the Saints' hands.
3. Saints quarterback Drew Brees is on fire
Over his last five games, Drew Brees has thrown 16 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Talk about a quarterback entering the playoffs on a hot streak.
Brees playing well should come as a surprise to no one, but the way he has been throwing the football over the last five weeks is a different story altogether.
Whether it was completing a ridiculous 29 of 30 passes in a win over the Indianapolis Colts or the fact that he threw at least three touchdown tosses in each of his last three regular-season games, Brees has been a man on a mission.
Playing your best football heading into the playoffs is always a good thing, and Brees is certainly doing that right now.
2. Kirk Cousins is still unproven on the big stage
Kirk Cousins began the season as one of the most maligned quarterbacks in football, and it looked like Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs were getting fed up with having him under center.
Of course, Cousins turned things around in October and has been playing at a Pro Bowl level ever since, but here's the problem: he hasn't really beaten any good teams this season.
The Vikings were swept by the Green Bay Packers, with Cousins most recently going just 16-for-31 with 122 yards, a touchdown and a pick in a Week 16 loss to Aaron Rodgers and Co.
Minnesota also lost to the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks.
As a matter of fact, nine of the Vikings' 10 wins this season have come against teams with losing records, which does not bode particularly well for playoff success.
For that reason, I'm not sure how much faith we can put in Cousins to deliver against the Saints, especially this year when the Saints are as hungry as ever.
1. The Saints are starving
I think people tend to forget that the Saints have suffered two straight devastating playoff exits.
It wasn't just last year against the Rams, when a horrendous no-call in the fourth quarter probably cost New Orleans a Super Bowl appearance.
It was also two seasons ago when the Saints lost to—guess who—the Vikings in heartbreaking fashion in the Divisional Round, as Saints safety Marcus Williams whiffed a tackle on Diggs in the final seconds, resulting in Diggs catching a last-ditch prayer from Case Keenum and waltzing into the end zone for a game-winning touchdown.
The fact that the Saints were even able to pick themselves off the mat this season after a pair of such deflating losses is admirable in and of itself, but they still have a job to finish.
Obviously, the Vikings are going to be playing their rear ends off, as well, because it is the playoffs, after all. However, the Saints may end up having that extra edge, especially at home in front of a fanbase that had its collective heart torn out and thrown into a blender last January.
It is going to be very difficult to beat New Orleans in these playoffs, and I'm not sure Minnesota is the team that has enough to get it done.
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