The 3-8 Saints needed to stop their six-game losing streak. But they would have to do it at Minnesota. With Dave Wilson shelved for the rest of the season, Bobby Hebert would run the offense for the second week in a row. He threw no touchdowns and no interceptions and hit 50% of his passes the previous week against Green Bay.

The Saints had also suffered the loss of FB Hokie Gajan to knee surgery. Wayne Wilson and Earl Campbell would try to take up the slack.

The Vikings were in the midst of their second straight losing season. Bud Grant had retired as head coach following the 1983 season, but when Les Steckel went 3-13 in '84, Grant re­turned.

Bum Phillips' fifth Saints team had surrendered 23 sacks in the club's last three games. So veteran tackle Dave Lafary, who was benched in the loss to the Packers, would watch rookie Daren Gilbert and veteran Jim Rourke split time at that position.

The Saints also ranked 25th in the NFL in defense.

The ease with which the Saints ran the ball down the Vikings' throats in the early going had the Minnesota defense reeling. The visitors covered 70y in just five plays. RB Wayne Wilson covered the last 41 with a picture-perfect touchdown run. Saints 7 Vikings 0

Vikings CB Carl Lee said, "We were kinda shocked because we thought they were a passing team. We had to change our scheme."

Minnesota tied the score on a 54y pass from QB Tommy Kramer to RB Alfred Anderson. Jan Stenerud added the extra point. Saints 7 Vikings 7

The Saints retook the lead on an eight-play, 46y march that culminated in Earl Campbell's four-yard run. Saints 14 Vikings 7

"The thing we feared most," said Grant, "was letting New Orleans get a lead. That's when they're at their best."

The visitors added to their lead in the second quarter on two Morten Andersen field goals, one for 26y and another for 20y. Saints 20 Vikings 7

The Vikings trimmed the lead before halftime on Stenerud's 22y field goal with one second left. The score was set up by a fumble by TE Hoby Brenner. The Saints were fortunate because the Vikings had a first-and-goal from the five. Saints 20 Vikings 10

The Saints increased their lead on their first possession of the second half. Tyrone Antho­ny returned the kickoff 38y. The offense moved 33 more yards before bogging down and set­tling for Andersen's 45y field goal. Saints 23 Vikings 10

Momentum turned Minnesota's way in the third quarter when Lee intercepted an Hebert pass and returned it 39y to the NO 39. The interception was the first thrown by Bobby in his NFL career.

The Vikings moved quickly to a first down at the Saints' 10 before settling for Stenerud's 22y field goal. Saints 23 Vikings 13

After the Saints went nowhere, the Vikings added another field goal to end a 34y march in which a key play was a defensive holding penalty on LB Rickey Jackson. Saints 23 Vikings 16

The Saints then ran three plays and fumbled on all three. The Vikings recovered the third one on the NO 19 but came away empty when DB Dave Waymer snagged a Kramer pass near the end zone.

A holding penalty on T Stan Brock stymied the Saints' next possession and prevented them from eating up more clock.

Starting from their 25 after a punt, the Vikings profited from a 45y interference call on Waymer against WR Anthony Carter that moved the pigskin to the NO 30. Six plays later, Kramer tossed a 6y pass to WR Mike Jones, who was all alone in the end zone. Tie game 23-23 with just 1:47 left.

"We just kept making mistakes down the stretch," said Saints CB Johnnie Poe. "Without the mistakes, we win 23-10."

For some reason, the Vikings tried a squib kick that Bobby Fowler returned 23y to mid­field. Campbell runs of nine and two yards moved the ball to the 39.

When TE John Tice heard Hebert call "Ace skin pass left" as the next play, he knew the Saints had a play that would work.

"I figured we'd get the eight to 10y we need to give Morten his shot at a field goal," said Tice. "I had no idea it would go for six."

Hebert rolled to the left and threw a perfect strike to Tice, who beat man-to-man coverage from LB Dennis Fowlkes and won a footrace into the end zone. Saints 30 Vikings 23

Poe sealed the long-awaited victory three plays later with an interception.

FINAL SCORE: SAINTS 30 VIKINGS 23

The Saints finished with 234y rushing and a season-high 371y in total offense.

When Tom Benson asked Bum Phillips to stay on as Saints coach for one more year, Tom told him, "I need you to help me get this thing started." Bum agreed but said, "If it doesn't work out, I'll retire, and you won't have to tell me to."

The day after the victory over the Vikings, Bum Phillips resigned as Saints coach, effectively tearing up the remaining three years of his contract. When asked why, he mentioned some nasty incidents with fans. But part of his reason was to allow his son Wade to coach the last four games in hopes of earning the job full-time. So Wade took over the coaching reins for the remaining four games of the season.

The Saints smacked the Rams at home 29-3 in Wade's first game but lost the last three to finish the season 5-11.

That set the stage for one of the biggest turning points in Saints history.