Saints v Vikings: defence is vital

The defensive units will decide who goes through to the Superbowl as the two highest scoring teams in the NFL meet in the NFC play-off today.

The Vikings quarterbacks Brett Favre, right, and Tarvaris Jackson during practice for today's game against New Orleans.

They are the two highest scoring teams in the NFL and the top two seeds in the NFC play-offs, so when the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings square off today for the conference title and a trip to the Super Bowl no one can dispute that they deserve to be in the Superdome. Logic would argue this will be a game decided by offence because that is what the Saints and Vikings do best. But as good as the quarterbacks Drew Brees and Brett Favre are or as explosive as New Orleans' three-pronged running attack of Reggie Bush, Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas is or powerful as Minnesota's Adrian Peterson can be when he is hitting the holes at full speed, the defence that can find a way to not get blown off the field may ultimately decide matters.

That would seem to favour the Vikings, who finished sixth in the league in total defence and second in run defence while the Saints' No 1 ranked offence is supported by a defence ranked 25th in the NFL this season overall and 26th against the pass. When the 40-year-old Favre came to Minnesota in August it was believed he would serve as an experienced complement to Peterson, who led the league in rushing a year ago.

But although Peterson rushed for 1,383 yards and 18 touchdowns, his production began to slow in the second half of the season and it was Favre's passing that picked up the slack. Turnovers have kept the Saints' defence afloat, pressuring opponents into mistakes. New Orleans are 9-0 when forcing three or more turnovers so that is really the game inside the game. While the Vikings' physically imposing defensive line will try to pressure Brees to disrupt his passing game, the Saints, with a less formidable pass rush, must find a way to do the same to Favre.

The defence that is most successful pressuring the quarterback will determine the outcome - but Favre and Brees may still find a way to turn this game into a high-scoring shootout. [e-mail] 3.30am, Showsports 4