The buildup to Sunday night's game between the Vikings and Saints meant all of us got to watch multiple replays of the Minneapolis Miracle and relive the glory of Stefon Diggs' catch that gave Minnesota a playoff win over the Saints in January.
But Sunday's itself, a 30-20 victory for the Saints, unfolded much more like a different previous playoff matchup between the two teams.
The Vikings on Sunday outgained New Orleans 423-270, held the ball longer and generally were the more dominant team.
But gut-punch turnovers — including one right before halftime — completely changed momentum and told the real story of the game.
Sound familiar? That was the cruel script in the 2009 NFC title game, when the Vikings outgained the Saints 475-257 but were minus-four in the turnover department in a 31-28 loss.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
