Minnesota Vikings or New Orleans Saints? Either Way, History Will Be Made

It doesn't get any better than this.

It's the headwaters of the Mississippi River versus the delta.

It's North versus South.

Lutefisk versus crawdads. 

"Ya, sure you bethca'" versus "Who Dat?"

It's No. 1 versus No. 2. The top two scoring offenses in the NFL.

This should be an exciting game. In the end the score could reflect that of a basketball game.

Statistically, the Vikings have a better defense than the Saints, in both points allowed and total yards.

Over the past 12 NFC Championship games the top two seeds have faced each other seven times. The home team holds a slight edge winning four.

The Saints have been a steady team all season whether playing at home or on the road with a 31.9 scoring average per game, while allowing only 21.3. 

Meanwhile the Vikings are only a .500 team on the road.

Their scoring average away from the Metrodome is 26 points per game, down more than a field goal from their season average of 29.4.

Defensively on the road they give up 23.5 points per game. Four points higher than  their season average of 19.5.

None of that matters.

Either way, whoever wins this game—history will be made. 

For New Orleans it's simple. A victory Sunday means, after hosting the NFL's most prestigious event nine times, they can finally claim their place on a list of participants. They erase their name off the list of teams never to make the Super Bowl, leaving only Cleveland, Detroit, Houston and Jacksonville.

Winning or losing the Super Bowl doesn't matter for the Saints. Just by making it to the Superbowl the Saints will no longer be the "Aints."

For Minnesota it's a little more complicated.

A victory on Sunday will have far more significant consequences.

Win the Super Bowl, and the Vikings can "get off the schnide," get the monkey off their back, break the curse. Choose your cliche. Forty-eight years of futility will be broken.

Lose, and their Super Bowl futility not only continues, but they will then own it outright.

A fifth Super Bowl loss for the Vikings will break the tie with Buffalo of losses without winning the big game.

Win the Super Bowl and public opinion towards a new stadium changes. Everyone loves a winner.

Another Super Bowl loss, and the Brett Favre retirement watch starts yet again.

For the Vikings, the emphasis of Sunday's game is much greater to their legacy than that of the Saints. Of course, in the end, crowd noise may have a greater impact.

Who wins on Sunday? Most indications point to New Orleans. 

I'm not going to even fathom a guess, but I say, the over is a pretty good bet—you betcha'.