EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings will open their 2019 preseason slate against the Saints at 7 p.m. (CT) Friday in New Orleans.
The matchup between the teams that met in the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs after the 2017 regular season will be each team's first game out of four exhibitions that are scheduled this month.
TV & RADIO SIMULCAST
TV: FOX 9 KMSP in Minneapolis/St. Paul
RADIO: KFAN 100.3-FM/KTLK-AM 1130 in Minneapolis/St. Paul
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen
Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporters: Greg Coleman & Ben Leber
Radio Pre-game Show: Mike Mussman | 5 p.m.
KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the five-state Vikings Radio Network.
STREAM ONLINE FOR FREE WITH NFL GAME PASS
Live out of market? No problem.
NFL Game Pass, which is available now for free on a trial basis, provides access to live out-of-market Vikings preseason games and replays of every game. NFL Game Pass features full broadcasts, condensed games and coaches' film. It is viewable on smart phones and tablets via the NFL App, as well as on connected TV devices via the NFL App, on XBox One, Apple TV, PlayStation 4, Roku, Amazon Fire and Android TV.
Note: It is not compatible with Google Chromecast.
SATELLITE RADIO
SiriusXM: MIN XM Streaming 819; NO XM225 or Streaming 821
STAT OF THE WEEK
The Vikings are 17-4 in the past five preseasons under Head Coach Mike Zimmer.
VIKINGS-SAINTS CONNECTIONS
The Saints feature a total of five players who are former Vikings players. Teddy Bridgewater, Nick Easton, Zach Line, Latavius Murray and Marcus Sherels all played for the Vikings under Head Coach Mike Zimmer.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS
Vikings rookie tight end Irv Smith, Jr., is from New Orleans and will turn 21 on the day of the game. His father, Irv Smith, Sr., was drafted by the Saints with the 20th overall pick of the 1993 NFL Draft.
Vikings defensive end Ade Aruna played college football at Tulane University.
Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan is the son of 2019 Vikings Ring of Honor inductee Steve Jordan, who played for Minnesota from 1982-94 and ranks third in franchise history with 498 career receptions.
Saints offensive lineman Nate Wozniak played tight end for the University of Minnesota.
VIKINGS TOP PERFORMERS VS. SAINTS
Offense
Kirk Cousins: 3 games (one with Minnesota), 73-of-98 passing, 74.5 completion percentage, 1,005 passing yards, 9 TDs, 1 INT, 133.2 rating, 1-2 record
Stefon Diggs: 3 games (including one postseason game), 23 receptions, 349 yards, 4 TDs
Adam Thielen: 4 games (including one postseason game), 22 receptions, 334 yards, 1 TD
Kyle Rudolph: 5 games (including one postseason game), 17 receptions, 135 yards, 1 TD
Dalvin Cook: 1 game, 22 rushes, 127 yards, 5.8 yards/rush
Defense
Anthony Barr: 3 games (including one postseason game), 22 tackles, 3 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 INT
Eric Kendricks: 3 games (including one postseason game), 29 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 PBU
Harrison Smith: 4 games (including one postseason game), 26 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 6 PBU
VIKINGS-SAINTS SERIES NOTES
The Vikings are facing the Saints in the preseason for the first time since 2001 when Minnesota claimed a 28-21 victory. Minnesota is 4-7 in exhibition contests against New Orleans in a series that started in 1968 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
In 30 regular-season games and four playoff contests, Minnesota is a combined 22-12 against New Orleans (19-11 in the regular season; 3-1 in playoff games).
Longest Vikings winning streak in series: 6 games (Sept. 27, 1970 through Sept. 12, 1976)
Longest Vikings losing streak in series: 4 games (Jan. 24, 2010 through Sept. 21, 2014)
