NFL London: 5 things we learned as the Minnesota Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints 28-25

The NFL returned to London this Sunday as the New Orleans Saints ‘hosted’ the Minnesota Vikings at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the first of this year’s NFL London games and they certainly gave us a spectacle to kick off the international window.

The game was a close one throughout, which given some of the blowouts that we’ve seen in recent years was certainly something of a relief for the fans that paid their money to come to North London on a gorgeous afternoon.

But whilst it might come across as an event for some on this side of the Atlantic, at the end of the day it is still a regular season game with plenty on the line. But what were the big takeaways from the game? We break it down for you in 5 easy chunks.

What’s better than having one great running back? Having another one that you can rely on whenever you need to (although probably not too much as that means one of them is likely injured). Well with Vikings running back Dalvin Cook coming into this week with a couple of injury problems after their game against the Detroit Lions, the workload was shared between him and Alexander Mattison. 

We already know what Cook can do, with three straight 1,000-yard seasons in the past three years and a status as one of the top running backs in the game, but with Mattison there to offer him some relief when and if they need, or just to operate ‘by committee’, the Vikings might have quietly acquired themselves the best tandem in the league.

Video: Alexander Mattison scores a touchdown for the Minnesota Vikings

Breaking free for 6! @KirkCousins8 @AlexMattison22