The call: The Vikings will beat the Saints if …

The Vikings are here because of the way their defense has played — particularly at home — and they will get to the NFC Championship Game because of a group that can corral one of the league's most balanced attacks. Give this game to the Vikings, on the late Kai Forbath kick that Ryan Long­well never got to try. Prediction: Vikings 23, Saints 20.

Three big storylines

Rematch? What rematch?

Only one player (Brian Robison) remains from the Vikings team that lost to the Saints in the 2010 NFC Championship Game, so while fans might be hoping to exorcise ghosts from the overtime loss, players don't seem to be thinking that way.

Keenum makes his playoff debut

The Vikings' unlikely starting quarterback is one of the biggest reasons the team is at home in the second round of the playoffs. Now, Case Keenum will try to outduel Drew Brees, while facing a Saints defense that seems more coherent than the one Sam Bradford picked apart in Week 1.

READY TO MAKE SOME NOISE

Two key matchups

Vikings offensive line vs. Saints DE Cameron Jordan

The Saints likely will move Jordan around their formation on Sunday, meaning a number of different blockers could face the All-Pro, who had 13 sacks this season. He had a sack and two tackles in his first game against the Vikings this season.

Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes vs. Saints WR Michael Thomas

Rhodes didn't shadow Thomas for the entire game Sept. 11, but Rhodes talked Friday as though it was a foregone conclusion he would this time. Thomas wound up with 104 catches this season, and he caught eight more for 131 yards last week vs. Carolina. Slowing him down will be among the Vikings' chief priorities Sunday.

4.7 The Saints' average yards per carry this season. No team in the NFC had a higher rushing average than New Orleans.

The Vikings will win if…

• They can control the two-back running attack of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, putting Drew Brees in third-and-long situations where the Vikings can pressure him without blitzing much, while Keenum rekindles the Vikings downfield passing game against the Saints defense.

The Saints will win if…

• They are able to find a balanced attack on offense that keeps the Vikings pass rush from dictating the game and reduces the U.S. Bank Stadium crowd noise, while leaning on Brees' playoff experience to win a close game.