NFL Kickoff: New Orleans Saints Practice at Superdome To Prepare for Vikings

The New Orleans Saints practiced at the Superdome Wednesday to prepare for Thursday’s season opener against the Vikings in an NFC Championship game rematch from a year ago.

Coach Sean Payton used it as a way to shake things up in a week that’s already out of the ordinary, given the magnitude of a Thursday night NFL kickoff game.

“Just a chance to get in there and check out the surface, and make sure we got comfortable with the surroundings,” said Payton. “It was something different from the normal routine and we brought them in there, had good work. The surface every year in there is new.”

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams attributed the Superdome practice to Payton’s perfectionism and attention to detail.

“I think Sean covers everything,” said Williams. “They’ve done some renovations in the seating capacity and the field being different. We try to cover all those things we can. There’s really no excuse when a guy’s not wearing the right kind of cleats.”

The Saints should be wearing the right spikes on Thursday night in their first game at the Superdome since winning Super Bowl XLIV.

“Anytime you open at home to start the season, it’s always a positive,” said Payton. “The schedule sometimes isn’t always that friendly. When you win the Super Bowl, you get to open at home and play on the Thursday night game.

“I think it’s a chance for certainly our city to celebrate what’s become an event now. There are a lot of potential distractions, yet a lot of excitement. I think that’s particularly good when it comes to kickoff and the crowd noise and the enthusiasm you want from your own fans.”

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre had the best statistical season of his career in 2009 and returns for what he says will be his final season.

The Vikings finished 12-4 last season and won the NFC North.

They beat the Cowboys 34-3 in the playoffs before losing to the Saints in overtime of the NFC Championship game, 31-28, an outcome fueled by a late Favre interception when the Vikings seemingly had the game sealed.

With virtually the same teams returning on both sides of the ball with the exception of some injury concerns, the Saints understand the familiarity between the two teams and are aware of the opening-night danger the Vikings pose.

“I think, personally, they’re one of the top-two talented football teams in the league, top to bottom,” said Williams. “They’ve done a great job there in the last four or five years in assembling a roster that is as talented as there is in the National Football League.

"The fact that we had the numbers and could transpose those numbers from last year…I don’t think they’re an easy team to prepare for because they have an awful lot of weapons, and I think they’re very well-coached.”

The Saints kickoff the 2010 NFL season and begin their Super Bowl defense Thursday night against the Vikings at 7:30 p.m. CDT.

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