There are few situations in which it is worth taking a team in this scenario, but this is one of them. The Saints are still furious coming off last season's exit from the NFL Playoffs, and a home wild card game against an opponent not nearly as good as its record indicates is a nice start to the postseason. The Vikings are 1-4 against teams in these playoffs, losing those four games by a touchdown on average. Dalvin Cook being back is a huge boon for Minnesota, no doubt, but do you really trust Kirk Cousins on the road in a packed Superdome for 60 minutes? The Saints should have worked on their defensive issues coming out of that 49ers game, and their offense should be able to take care of an overrated Vikings defense this year.

It is hardly surprising that New Orleans should score in bunches. QB Drew Brees has rarely been better, with 22 touchdown throws and just one interception in a seven-game stretch when the Saints have averaged 36.3 points a game. He attacks a secondary down two cornerbacks. Yet Minnesota can keep pace to a degree. Running back Dalvin Cook returns from an injury hiatus. QB Kirk Cousins has performed admirably on the road. The Saints’ secondary has been shaky with two starters out. Minnesota has gone Over in five away games in succession. New Orleans has done the same in six of the past eight home playoff dates. Over is the play.

This is the best total play of the week, as these are two teams with strong offenses that rank in the top six but with questions on defense. Minnesota is dealing with cluster injuries at corner, which is not what you want in a matchup with Drew Brees. The Saints have looked great against mediocre teams but their defense has struggled a bit when asked to stop playoff-caliber offenses like the 49ers and Titans. With Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen as healthy as they've been in weeks, I expect this to be a back-and-forth shootout.

The Saints' offense is on its best roll of the season, scoring at least 34 points in six of the last seven games. New Orleans won six of those contests, including each of the last three, and five went Over the total. The Vikings have gone Over in six of their last eight games and should be able to contribute enough to get this one Over as well.

It's Kirk Cousins on the road in a playoff game, and not just any road playoff game, but one in New Orleans. So why in the hell would I take the Vikings? Well, terrifying as it might be, this spread is too large. No other reason than that, honestly. The Vikings have looked bad the last couple of weeks without Dalvin Cook, but he'll be back for this game, and Adam Thielen could be ready to be more than just a decoy. The Saints will win, but the Vikings will cover.

The Saints are the better team, but this is too many points to give a quality Minnesota squad that has lost by more than seven on the road just once all year. The Vikings are comparable to the Saints in yards per play, net yards per pass attempt on offense and defense and in other key metrics, and while the Saints have looked dominant lately against mediocre teams, their defense has looked mediocre against good teams like the Titans and 49ers over the second half as well. The Vikings can ride their second-ranked red zone defense to a closer game than people expect, while the Minnesota offense is also capable of covering through the back door if needed.

Minnesota's offense hasn't looked the same lately, while the Saints' attack has hit its stride. It's simply hard to trust Kirk Cousins in this pressure-packed game against a defense that finds ways to harass quarterbacks. Lay the points.