{"id":36652,"date":"2018-01-15T12:51:57","date_gmt":"2018-01-15T17:51:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=36652"},"modified":"2018-01-15T12:56:34","modified_gmt":"2018-01-15T17:56:34","slug":"saints-fans-are-still-mourning-this-morning-after-vikings-godsend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2018\/01\/15\/saints-fans-are-still-mourning-this-morning-after-vikings-godsend\/","title":{"rendered":"Saints Divisional Round Loss Was Heartbreaking and Fans Are Still in Mourning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Still, the day following the most bizarre ending in NFL playoff history, there is disbelief. There’s really no way to put the ending\u00a0of the New Orleans Saints<\/a> loss to the Minnesota Vikings<\/a> in\u00a0words. Be that as it may, the players must be wondering what the heck happened. Arguably, this loss is the most painful loss in the 50 plus years for the Black and Gold.<\/p>\n

Saints Divisional Round Loss Was Heartbreaking and Fans Are Still in Mourning<\/h1>\n

The Buildup Before the Madness<\/h2>\n

Certainly, as older Saints fans know by now, the game is not over\u00a0until there are four zeroes on the clock. That should be a\u00a0given. Over the years, there has been an array of\u00a0things, too many to list,\u00a0that have\u00a0broken the hearts of Saints fans. But the touchdown by Stefon Diggs<\/strong> <\/a>on Sunday was\u00a0not so much a miracle, as an inexplicable buildup for disappointment.<\/p>\n

New Orleans\u00a0looked to be down and out, down 17-0 late in the third quarter. Then, the Saints caught fire. Drew Brees<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>connected with\u00a0Michael Thomas<\/a><\/strong> for a 14-yard touchdown. Then another Brees to Thomas hookup cut the lead to three\u00a0(17-14). Eventually, Alvin Kamara<\/strong> <\/a>would work his magic and help the Saints grab the lead for the first time as they went up\u00a021-20. Then things got really crazy. The Minnesota Vikings drove down the field and kicker Kai Forbath<\/strong> <\/a>nailed a 53-yard field goal to\u00a0help the Vikings reclaim the lead,\u00a023-21.<\/p>\n

But there was still\u00a0plenty of time left for Brees and company to put together a string of their own immaculate plays to setup Wil Lutz<\/strong> <\/a>for a supposed game winning field goal that put the Saints up 24-23. It’s impossible to describe what happened the next 25 seconds, especially the last\u00a0ten seconds.<\/p>\n

Seven Hell<\/h2>\n
\n

Now THAT is playoff football!#Vikings<\/a> last second touchdown to beat #Saints<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Jhag2ctqR6<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Guy Boston Sports (@GuyBostonSports) January 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The actual name of the\u00a0Diggs’ touchdown catch\u00a0was called “Seven Heaven,” but it ended up being\u00a0a hellish finish for Who Dat Nation. There\u00a0were\u00a0ten\u00a0seconds left on the clock, and the Vikings had the ball on their own 39-yard line,\u00a0with no\u00a0timeouts remaining. Vikings quarterback Case Keenum on the play:<\/a><\/p>\n

“I saw [Diggs] go up, and I was like, ‘He’s got a chance to catch it.’ He caught it. Then, ‘Oh, he’s got a chance to get out of bounds.\u00a0Get out of bounds!’ But he fell\u00a0kind of back in bounds, away from [Williams], and then he almost fell over. I could not imagine what was happening. I really couldn’t.”<\/p>\n

While the Saints players and fans were stunned, Vikings players poured on the field like\u00a0a March Madness buzzer beater had just occurred. In any case, after Diggs’ touchdown, the scoreboard read the Vikings 29 Saints 24. At least that’s what it looked like.<\/p>\n

Football is obviously not a life and death situation. No matter the outcome of any game, the sun\u00a0will still\u00a0come up, and eventually this feeling for Saints fans this will pass. However, the jolt of an emotional high from coming all the way back, to an unthinkable end is going to\u00a0sting for awhile. That being said, that day won’t be soon. But the Saints should be proud of their body of work as a whole. Coming into the season very few believed that this Saints team would even sniff the playoffs. But that connection to Diggs\u00a0is going to haunt Who Dat Nation for a long time.<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>