Game story
In Week 4 of the 2001 NFL season on 2001-10-07, the New Orleans Saints took care of business against the Minnesota Vikings, pulling away with a 28–15 final that built a comfortable lead.
The highest-scoring period was Q3 with 18 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
D. Culpepper (Minnesota Vikings) paced the passing game, with -7.76 total EPA.
On the individual side, W. Jackson (New Orleans Saints) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +6.11 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-9.6% win probability) landed in the third quarter when Minnesota Vikings changed the game: (5:54) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper sacked at MIN 46 for -4 yards (93-D.Howard). FUMBLES (93-D.Howard), touched at MIN 47, RECOVERED by NO-28-C.Oldham at MIN 38. 28-C.Oldham for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| New Orleans Saints | 6 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 28 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 W. Jackson · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +6.11 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.68 EPA/play
- 2 J. Kleinsasser · Minnesota Vikings · Receiving · +3.23 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.81 EPA/play
- 3 B. Chamberlain · Minnesota Vikings · Receiving · +2.96 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.59 EPA/play
- 4 H. Morrow · Minnesota Vikings · Receiving · +2.86 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.43 EPA/play
- 5 R. Williams · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +2.58 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.43 EPA/play
- 6 A. Brooks · New Orleans Saints · Passing · +2.29 total EPA · 34 snaps · +0.07 EPA/play
- 7 R. Moss · Minnesota Vikings · Receiving · +2.23 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.45 EPA/play
- 8 J. Reed · Minnesota Vikings · Receiving · +1.84 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.46 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
W. Jackson — NO · Receiving
W. Jackson posted the highest total EPA (+6.11) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on New Orleans Saints's efficiency. Across 9 counted snaps, they averaged +0.68 EPA per play.
The signature play (-7.74 EPA) came from Minnesota Vikings: (5:54) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper sacked at MIN 46 for -4 yards (93-D.Howard). FUMBLES (93-D.Howard), touched at MIN 47, RECOVERED by NO-28-C.Oldham at MIN 38. 28-C.Oldham for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Minnesota Vikings — R. Moss (D. Culpepper pass)
- New Orleans Saints — R. Williams
- New Orleans Saints — C. Oldham
- Minnesota Vikings — B. Chamberlain (D. Culpepper pass)
Field goals
- New Orleans Saints — J. Carney
- New Orleans Saints — J. Carney
- New Orleans Saints — J. Carney
- New Orleans Saints — J. Carney
- New Orleans Saints — J. Carney
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Minnesota Vikings won the period 7–6. New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the MIN 32 (Q1 55:32) — (10:32) 3-J.Carney 50 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin.; New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the MIN 6 (Q1 50:00) — (5:00) 3-J.Carney 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin.; Minnesota Vikings found the end zone from the NO 29 (Q1 45:25) — (:25) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper pass to 84-R.Moss for 29 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 29, Run 0; Minnesota Vikings added 1 points from the NO 2 (Q1 45:19).
The second quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 9–0. New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the MIN 1 (Q2 37:54) — (7:54) 34-R.Williams right tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the MIN 27 (Q2 34:34) — (4:34) 3-J.Carney 45 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin..
The third quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 10–8. New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the MIN 11 (Q3 25:05) — (10:05) 3-J.Carney 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the NO 50 (Q3 20:54); New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the MIN 2 (Q3 20:38) — 3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin.; Minnesota Vikings found the end zone from the NO 19 (Q3 15:19) — (:19) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper pass to 87-B.Chamberlain for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 19, Run 0; Minnesota Vikings registered a safety from the NO 2 (Q3 15:14) — TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 11-D.Culpepper rushes right end. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS..
The fourth quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 3–0. New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the MIN 15 (Q4 8:41) — (8:41) 3-J.Carney 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Minnesota Vikings (Q3 20:54) — (5:54) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper sacked at MIN 46 for -4 yards (93-D.Howard). FUMBLES (93-D.Howard), touched at MIN 47, RECOVERED by NO-28-C.Oldham at MIN 38. 28-C.Oldham for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Minnesota Vikings (Q1 45:25) — (:25) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper pass to 84-R.Moss for 29 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 29, Run 0
- New Orleans Saints (Q1 51:10) — (6:10) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 88-W.Jackson to MIN 7 for 37 yards (21-H.Jones). PENALTY on MIN-21-H.Jones, Face Mask (15 Yards), 4 yards, enforced at MIN 7. Pass 12, Run 25
- New Orleans Saints (Q2 43:01) — (13:01) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 34-R.Williams to MIN 24 for 16 yards (21-H.Jones, 27-K.Thibodeaux). Pass 6, Run 10
- New Orleans Saints (Q2 45:00) — (15:00) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 88-W.Jackson pushed ob at NO 36 for 10 yards (27-K.Thibodeaux). Pass 5, Run 5
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Minnesota Vikings (Q3 20:54) — (5:54) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper sacked at MIN 46 for -4 yards (93-D.Howard). FUMBLES (93-D.Howard), touched at MIN 47, RECOVERED by NO-28-C.Oldham at MIN 38. 28-C.Oldham for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New Orleans Saints (Q1 51:10) — (6:10) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 88-W.Jackson to MIN 7 for 37 yards (21-H.Jones). PENALTY on MIN-21-H.Jones, Face Mask (15 Yards), 4 yards, enforced at MIN 7. Pass 12, Run 25
- Minnesota Vikings (Q1 45:25) — (:25) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper pass to 84-R.Moss for 29 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 29, Run 0
- New Orleans Saints (Q2 31:16) — (1:16) 2-A.Brooks pass intended for 87-J.Horn INTERCEPTED by 25-E.Kelly at MIN 12. 25-E.Kelly to MIN 3 for -9 yards (87-J.Horn).
Quarterback report card
D.Culpepper led all passers in efficiency for Minnesota Vikings, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D.Culpepper (Minnesota Vikings) · 43 dropbacks · 53.5% completion · -0.18 EPA/play · -7.76 total EPA
- A.Brooks (New Orleans Saints) · 34 dropbacks · 44.1% completion · +0.07 EPA/play · +2.29 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Minnesota Vikings | New Orleans Saints |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.132 | +0.035 |
| Offensive success rate | 46.6% | 46.0% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.180 | +0.065 |
| Rush EPA/play | +0.149 | -0.091 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.035 | +0.132 |
| Defensive success rate | 54.0% | 53.4% |
By the numbers
New Orleans Saints held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.04 vs -0.13), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Minnesota Vikings: 12 drives, -9.63 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
- New Orleans Saints: 11 drives, +3.02 total EPA, 6 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- New Orleans Saints leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- W. Jackson (New Orleans Saints) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q1 55:32 · MIN 32 · Score 0-3
(10:32) 3-J.Carney 50 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin. - New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q1 50:00 · MIN 6 · Score 0-6
(5:00) 3-J.Carney 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin. - Minnesota Vikings TD (+6) — Q1 45:25 · NO 29 · Score 6-6
(:25) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper pass to 84-R.Moss for 29 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 29, Run 0 - Minnesota Vikings XP (+1) — Q1 45:19 · NO 2 · Score 7-6
1-G.Anderson extra point is GOOD, Center-43-B.Heffner-Liddiard, Holder-17-M.Berger. PENALTY on NO-36-M.Hawthorne, Running Into the Kicker, 5 yards, enforced bet - New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q2 37:54 · MIN 1 · Score 7-12
(7:54) 34-R.Williams right tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q2 34:34 · MIN 27 · Score 7-15
(4:34) 3-J.Carney 45 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin. - New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q3 25:05 · MIN 11 · Score 7-18
(10:05) 3-J.Carney 29 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin. - New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q3 20:54 · NO 50 · Score 7-24
(5:54) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper sacked at MIN 46 for -4 yards (93-D.Howard). FUMBLES (93-D.Howard), touched at MIN 47, RECOVERED by NO-28-C.Oldham at MIN 38. 28 - New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q3 20:38 · MIN 2 · Score 7-25
3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin. - Minnesota Vikings TD (+6) — Q3 15:19 · NO 19 · Score 13-25
(:19) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper pass to 87-B.Chamberlain for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 19, Run 0 - Minnesota Vikings Safety (+2) — Q3 15:14 · NO 2 · Score 15-25
TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 11-D.Culpepper rushes right end. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS. - New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q4 8:41 · MIN 15 · Score 15-28
(8:41) 3-J.Carney 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-4-T.Gowin.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints?
The New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings 28-15 in Week 4, 2001 on 2001-10-07.
What was the final score of Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints?
The final score was Minnesota Vikings 15, New Orleans Saints 28 (MIN 15-28 NO) in Week 4, 2001 on 2001-10-07.
What was the score by quarter in Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints?
Q1: Minnesota Vikings 7, New Orleans Saints 6; Q2: Minnesota Vikings 0, New Orleans Saints 9; Q3: Minnesota Vikings 8, New Orleans Saints 10; Q4: Minnesota Vikings 0, New Orleans Saints 3; Final: Minnesota Vikings 15, New Orleans Saints 28.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints?
Minnesota Vikings touchdown — R. Moss (D. Culpepper pass) (Q1 45:25) New Orleans Saints touchdown — R. Williams (Q2 37:54) New Orleans Saints touchdown — C. Oldham (Q3 20:54) Minnesota Vikings touchdown — B. Chamberlain (D. Culpepper pass) (Q3 15:19) New Orleans Saints field goal — J. Carney (Q1 55:32, 3 pts) New Orleans Saints field goal — J. Carney (Q1 50:00, 3 pts) New Orleans Saints field goal — J. Carney (Q2 34:34, 3 pts) New Orleans Saints field goal — J. Carney (Q3 25:05, 3 pts) New Orleans Saints field goal — J. Carney (Q4 8:41, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints?
D. Culpepper (Minnesota Vikings), 53.5% completion, -0.18 EPA per dropback, -7.76 total passing EPA. A. Brooks (New Orleans Saints), 44.1% completion, +0.07 EPA per dropback, +2.29 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints?
W. Jackson (New Orleans Saints) led the game in total EPA with +6.11 on receiving plays. across 9 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-7.74 EPA): (5:54) (Shotgun) 11-D.Culpepper sacked at MIN 46 for -4 yards (93-D.Howard). FUMBLES (93-D.Howard), touched at MIN 47, RECOVERED by NO-28-C.Oldham at MIN 38. 28-C.Oldham for 38 yar. The biggest win-probability swing was -9.6%.
Season records after this game
Minnesota Vikings
Entered 1-2 Now 1-3 L
New Orleans Saints
Entered 1-1 Now 2-1 W
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