Kyler Murray threw a touchdown pass, Aaron Jones rushed for a touchdown and the visiting Minnesota Vikings remained undefeated by beating the New Orleans Saints 23-13 on Sunday afternoon.
Murray passed for 229 yards, Jones rushed for 113 and the Vikings (5-0), whose No. 4 defense was allowing an average of 289.3 yards per game, held the Saints (1-4) to 142 yards.
Tyler Shough, who entered the game fourth in the league in passing yards, threw for just 96 yards and was intercepted twice for the Saints.
New Orleans’ Jayden Price fumbled while returning the second-half kickoff and Jeshaun Jones recovered for Minnesota at the Saints’ 37. Six plays later, Murray threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson to give the Vikings a 13-7 lead.
On the ensuing possession, Shough was intercepted by Byron Murphy Jr. and Minnesota took over at the New Orleans 37. The Vikings failed to take advantage of the opportunity because the possession ended when Myles Price fumbled, and Jonas Sanker returned it 87 yards for a touchdown, tying the score at 13 at the end of the third quarter.
On the second play of the fourth quarter, Jones ran 8 yards for a touchdown to give Minnesota a 20-13 lead. Will Reichard’s 34th consecutive made field goal, a 55-yarder, increased the lead to 23-13 midway through the period.
The Vikings received the opening kickoff and drove to Reichard’s 40-yard field goal, but they lost tight end T.J. Hockenson, their leading receiver, to a concussion during the drive.
Minnesota was in position to increase the lead, but Jones fumbled at the New Orleans 3-yard line and Chase Young recovered and returned to the Saints’ 34, leaving the score 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.
New Orleans converted two fourth downs during a 15-play drive that ended with Kendre Miller’s 2-yard touchdown run for a 7-3 lead midway through the second quarter. Reichard kicked a 54-yard field goal as time expired to get the Vikings within 7-6 at halftime.
