The Minnesota Vikings hit their stride last year

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well before midseason Cheap Mark Ingram Jersey , using an eight-game winning streak to build a 13-3 record for the second seed in the NFC.This year, the second half of the season is going to be much more difficult.The challenge starts with the schedule. The next five games include trips to Chicago, New England and Seattle, with two division-leading foes and one of the toughest venues to play in. Detroit and Green Bay are the home opponents during that stretch, bringing two dangerous quarterbacks to U.S. Bank Stadium.The Vikings are also 4-3-1, just behind the Bears in the NFC North and slightly ahead of the Packers, so they've squandered their margin for error."I'm not disappointed," coach Mike Zimmer said. "It is what it is. We have eight more games to go, and that will determine what we end up doing."After losing 30-20 to New Orleans on Sunday night , the Vikings were mostly upset about the way they let the game slip away . They were in control late in the second quarter with a 13-10 lead, when Adam Thielen plunged forward for extra yardage and lost the ball at the 14-yard line. The Saints turned that fumble into a touchdown, making the potential cost of that rare mistake by Thielen a whopping 14 points."It's more frustrating because I think we had it going execution-wise and scheme-wise and all that," Thielen said on Monday."I think when it's maybe a lack of concentration or just being too relaxed or what have you Wil Lutz Jersey , that's the frustrating part. Because you know how many times that you've done it a different way and the right way, and the one time you slip up it costs you maybe the game."The other half of Minnesota's dominant receiver duo, Stefon Diggs, was responsible for the other devastating turnover. Diggs stopped his drag route short before an under-pressure Kirk Cousins dumped the ball off to the spot where he expected Diggs to be had he kept running. The interception was returned for a score to give the Saints a 27-13 advantage.Thielen and Diggs were outspoken after the game about their acceptance of blame, but Zimmer wasn't having it, and he said as much to the team."Like I told them in the meeting today, the receivers need to stop saying that stuff because one person doesn't lose a game. One person doesn't win a game. We win around here as a team. We lose around here as a team," Zimmer said."Guys make mistakes, miscommunication, whatever you want to call it happens. I will never put any one of those one things on one player, ever."Though the loss clearly hurt the Vikings in the conference and division standings, there were reasons for them to feel better about where they're headed at the halfway mark. Thielen and Diggs don't have a pattern of such gaffes, for one. They also played without six injured starters http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/aut...vis-jersey , and young subs such as right tackle Brian O'Neill, linebacker Eric Wilson and cornerback Holton Hill fared well in extended action."I'm encouraged after this ballgame. I'm encouraged after the last four weeks," Zimmer said. "If I was ticked off, I'd let them know. Trust me." We’ve made it to Week 5 of the NFL season, and the Saints are at the top of the food chain in the NFC South. Alvin Kamara is the No. 2 running back in the league, and Drew Brees is 98 passing yards away from leading the NFL in passing yardage. What a time to be alive — and more importantly, a Saints fan. Tonight, the black and gold take on the Washington Redskins in what is going to be one of the most exciting games of the week for fans. Drew Brees making history will be a big part of the excitement, but now the Saints get back one very important piece of the puzzle to hopefully tighten up the loose ends the team has currently. As a reminder before we get to business, all of my work will be based on PPR leagues, and obvious starters like Alvin Kamara , Drew Brees and Michael Thomas will not be written about. Each week, I will evaluate both teams and list my picks from the match ups.Start’ EmMark Ingram - RB Heeee’s Baaacckkkk!!!! It feels like it been forever Marcus Williams Jersey , but the suspension is finally finished. Mark Ingram is no longer last-minute studying for exams, and it’s time to plug this dude into your lineup. The Redskins are currently giving up an average of 16.5 fantasy points per game to running backs, but I see this number being way higher with the one-two punch combo that’s about to hit them. With Alvin Kamara getting a little breathing time, now it’s back to business in the backfield and I believe we’re going to see a lot of the same domination that we saw in 2017. (HOT TAKE) I think Ingram’s return can mentally help the defense as well and get these guys back to playing fiercely. Sometimes one small detail being left out can throw everything off balance, and after Monday night I see smooth sailing for Ingram fantasy owners and this Saints team as a whole.Paul Richardson - WRPhoto by Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesSo far this season, the Saints defense is giving up a boatload of fantasy points to wide receivers (mostly on the side of the field that Marshon Lattimore isn't on). Alex Smith has his options between Jamison Crowder, Jordan Reed and Paul Richardson, and I believe Richardson will walk away with the most points at the WR position on Monday. I truthfully feel that the Saints defense will come back to life this week and take the bye week to continue that progress, so you have to assume that Lattimore will probably be keeping up with Reed and Crowder. Richardson leads his team in fantasy points for receivers, and I don’t bank on that changing in this match up. Sit’ EmAdrian Peterson - RBPhoto by Rob Carr/Getty ImagesThis may or may not be looked by Peterson as a revenge game, but if it is, he is in for a rude awakening. In my opinion, Chris Thompson is the true force in that backfield because of his value in PPR leagues. Peterson has had two games where he scored over 22 fantasy points Authentic Alvin Kamara Jersey , so I’m not completely knocking him, but when you are playing a team that’s only giving up 12.9 points on average to the position, you don’t get too cocky. Thompson will be the man to look out for here, so plug him in to your lineups. Just let Peterson ride that pine. Good things seem to emerge when he’s out of the picture (hopefully you get that joke). Wil Lutz - KI don’t know if you watch every single NFL game on Sunday’s like I do, but if so you saw a tragedy happen with kickers this week. I’m literally on the verge of never playing in a league with kickers again. I have Mason Crosby in one of my leagues, and he completely wrecked my day along with a few other players, but that’s enough of my ranting. The Redskins haven’t been too kind to kickers this season, and even though Lutz will get his PATs, don’t expect many field goals. In all honesty, I’m finally ready to just fade kickers — and if you want to change my mind on that just shoot me a tweet. For any and all NFL Start/Sit questions you have, feel free to ask me on Twitter @GarageGuyChase