NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME-Saints Vs Vikings Sunday 1/24 5:40pm

Will Bush be as effective in this game as he was against Arizona?No. As well as Bush played Saturday he had 217 all-purpose yards, including a 46-yard touchdown run and an 83-yard punt return for a score it's hard to remember the last time he put together two consecutive good games. He also touches the ball only about seven to 10 times a game. That's not enough opportunities for him to duplicate the success he had against the Cardinals. The upside is that Bush's big game gave the Vikings one more thing to worry about in this week's preparation. So even if the odds of him thrilling the home fans again on Sunday are low, he's already accomplished something equally useful for his team.

 

How excited should Vikings defensive end Jared Allen be for this contest? He should be thrilled because he'll be facing Saints left tackle Jermon Bushrod, a third year veteran in his first season as a starter. Bushrod had it easy against the Cardinals because Arizona doesn't have an elite pass rusher. Allen will be a different story. The three-time Pro Bowler had 14.5 sacks this season, and another huge one that forced a Tony Romo fumble in the first half of Sunday's divisional playoff win over Dallas. Let's also not forget that Dallas outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware gave Bushrod serious trouble in the Cowboys' regular-season win over New Orleans on Dec. 19 (Ware had two sacks and a forced fumble). The bottom line: Allen will have a field day if the Saints don't give Bushrod some help.

 

Will Sidney Rice dominate the Saints' secondary in the same fashion he did Dallas'? The Vikings' wide receiver probably won't have three touchdowns but New Orleans should be concerned. The Cowboys have better cornerbacks than the Saints and they had no answer for Rice, who is on his way to his first Pro Bowl. But you also can bet that Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams isn't going to allow one receiver to terrorize his defense. Since the Saints don't have anything close to the pass rush that Dallas has, there will be immense pressure on Saints safety Darren Sharper and his fellow defensive backs to limit big plays. If they can't do that, this could get ugly.

 

Will the Saints' defense create as many problems for Minnesota as it did against Arizona? Only if the Saints' offense gets off to another fast start. The Saints will tell you that their defense is better now because their secondary is healthier. While that is true, the defense also is far more effective when it's defending a lead. In those situations, the unit can pressure the quarterback more consistently and it also can go after turnovers more often. Playing with a lead also keeps the Saints from exposing their major weakness: run defense. There's a reason why Hightower rolled to a long touchdown run on the first play of the game. That kind of deflating moment could happen again Sunday if the Saints give a back like Adrian Peterson comparable running room.