The Minnesota Vikings left the Caesars Superdome with a 23-13 win Sunday, but their unbeaten start nearly took a wild turn in the second half. A fumble return gave the New Orleans Saints a chance to steal momentum and tie the game. Minnesota responded with its most important drive of the afternoon, then leaned on its defense to finish the job.
The victory moved the Vikings to 5-0 and kept their early-season run intact. It also took a full-team effort: Justin Jefferson delivered a touchdown in his homecoming game, Aaron Jones bounced back from a costly first-half fumble, and Minnesota’s defense made sure New Orleans could not turn its late opening into a comeback.
Minnesota scored first on Will Reichard’s 40-yard field goal, but the Saints answered with a 15-play drive capped by Kendre Miller’s 2-yard touchdown run. Reichard’s 54-yard kick as time expired in the first half pulled the Vikings within one, 7-6.
Jefferson gave Minnesota the spark it needed
The Vikings found the end zone in the third quarter, when Kyler Murray connected with Jefferson for a 15-yard touchdown. The score mattered beyond the points: Minnesota had struggled to finish drives, and this was its first offensive touchdown since Week 3. Jefferson, a New Orleans-area native who played at LSU, made his return to the Superdome count.
✋ of em https://t.co/zw556cxwXt
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 11, 2026But the Vikings did not get to celebrate for long. After Minnesota moved into scoring position, Myles Price lost the ball on a short pass. Martin Emerson knocked it loose, and Jonas Sanker scooped it up and raced 87 yards for a Saints touchdown. New Orleans missed the extra point, leaving the game tied at 13 rather than taking the lead.
That was the kind of swing that could have rattled an unbeaten team on the road. Minnesota instead answered with a six-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Jones powering in from 8 yards out. Reichard’s extra point put the Vikings ahead 20-13 early in the fourth quarter.
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The Vikings’ defense closed the door
Minnesota added a field goal to make it 23-13, then prevented the Saints from mounting another serious threat. New Orleans’ final push ended when Byron Murphy intercepted Tyler Shough, allowing the Vikings to protect their lead and leave town with the win.
The result was not spotless. Jones had lost a fumble near the goal line earlier, and tight end T.J. Hockenson left in the first quarter with a concussion and did not return. Still, Minnesota recovered from both setbacks, answered New Orleans’ biggest punch and finished the game with control.
That response made the win more revealing than a routine 5-0 result. The Vikings faced a sudden momentum swing in a hostile building and needed a clutch drive. Jones supplied it, Jefferson provided the highlight, and the defense made the final word its own.
