Speaking with the enemy--Vikings and Saints writers trade answers and barbs on the big game

It's like deja' vu all over again. The Minnesota Vikings are heading back to the Superdome to play the New Orleans Saints, only this time the Saints will be raising a Super Bowl championship banner. It won't be easy for the Vikings to watch that happen, remembering that the last time they were in town, they could have done something about it.

This game, unlike the last one, is not for a trip to the Super Bowl, but the winner is still going to feel pretty good. So while the Saints will be celebrating, the Vikings will be digging their cleats in the turf, champing at the bit to get started. Brett Favre and Vikings offense will finally see the ball the again, and when it does, get ready for some fireworks.

We figured to get the fireworks started here by asking Danny Cox, New Orleans Saints Examiner (and newly appointed NFL Examiner), to weigh in on five questions about the opening game of the season and this huge matchup between the two best teams in the NFC last season. I'm not sure I'd call Danny cocky in his assessment of the matchup, but he is confident, as any fan of a championship team would be. It is a new season, however, and haven't we seen past champions end up out of the playoffs the following season?

If you would like to give Danny your wishes for the game and the coming season, be sure to visit his site and let him know how you feel--but first check out his responses below. Then go check out my responses to Danny's questions and see what Who Dat? nation has to say.

Joe Oberle: First of all, congratulations to the New Orleans Saints and all their fans on the Super Bowl title. Up here in Minnesota, we hope it was one good, long party as the reigning NFL Champs. We have seen Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees everywhere from Letterman to Leno to the Madden video game cover ever since. Any chance of a hangover on opening night or has this marquee matchup gotten their attention?

Danny Cox: Thank you for the congratulations, it was a long time coming. Yes, Drew Brees was anywhere and everywhere after the Super Bowl which made the city and fans incredibly proud. But the thought and concern of a "Super Bowl hangover" has been discussed to great lengths down here. We've all seen how past Super Bowl winners have missed the playoffs or even tanked the season after and it's something we've hope wouldn't come for the Saints. You've got to remember this is all new for us so everything has been a concern. As the opening game gets closer though, it's not just the anticipation of the new season and marquee match-up that is getting the Saints and Brees prepared, but coach Sean Payton.

Payton has shown he rules with an iron fist during training camp this year. Here are the defending Super Bowl champions coming into the preseason after barely losing anyone to free agency and even gaining some new talent. Yet Payton was having players run laps, do up-downs, and even demoting some to second string for mental mistake such as costly penalties and dropping passes. He is making sure that they know this is a new season and the goal is to win a Super Bowl, not just play as the champions. The focus is there and it's because Payton and Brees won't let it be any other way.

JO: My impression of the Saints is that they won their title on the way and have not peaked yet. How have they gotten better this offseason and what are your expectations for them this season?

DC: The Saints have improved in a few locations even though they've actually gotten younger in certain positions. Darren Sharper is back, but out for a while after the microfracture surgery during the offseason. Believe me that second-year player Malcolm Jenkins is not only prepared to slide over to safety, but also ready to step into a starting spot. He has shown lots of maturity and plenty of talent improvements that won't make Saints' fans miss Sharper all too much. The other spot that has shown a great deal of improvement is defensive end. Gone is Charles Grant who became a huge underachiever in the past couple years and in steps Alex Brown and Jimmy Wilkerson. Brown will jump into the starting spot and is a much better pass rusher than Grant was and he's not nearly as injury prone.

My expectations are actually lower than last season, but that doesn't mean I have any less faith in my boys. Realism is not a problem to have when you're thinking your team is going to end up with a record of 12-4 or maybe even 11-5. The defense is better than it was last year and the offense is running on all cylinders again, but you can't just sit back and think teams will take it easy or that the "champion" title means the team will win every single game. There are some tough games on the schedule and the first one is on Thursday so the Saints need to bring their all in every single contest and make they know that now they are no longer just an opponent, but a target.

JO: Darren Sharper is out and the Saints are starting a rookie cornerback. Should Brett Favre and the Vikings passing game go after them deep, or are the Saints vulnerable elsewhere?

DC: I sincerely urge Favre and the Vikings to go deep after the younger secondary which will include Malcolm Jenkins at safety and Patrick Robinson at times at cornerback. Let's not forget that Roman Harper, Jabari Greer, and Tracy Porter will also be back there awaiting every single one of Favre's passes. He remembers Porter I'm sure. I also doubt that this crudely and quickly put together team of wide receivers is going to be able to run all over or past the Saints' secondary. Looking to have faith in those traveling with him, Favre would never say it, but I'm more than sure Sidney Rice's absence is going to be seen and felt more than first thought.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is not going to allow anyone to walk, or throw, all over his defense. Williams has already let it be known that if he doesn't have faith in a player then that player won't be out on the field. Williams called Robinson his "whipping boy" earlier in training camp and the next day in practice, Robinson responded with two interceptions. Favre is going to have a time wondering whether to throw against this somewhat new-look secondary or not, but he'll have to choose quickly because Williams is certainly going to have the defensive line coming after him again for sure too.

JO: Speaking of Favre, there are some long memories and short tempers among fans when it comes to the NFC Championship game and the beating that the Vikings quarterback took. Do you think there will be more of the same--targeting Favre--opening night, and do the Saints expect some kind of retaliation for late hits (that were flagged and fined)?

DC: Gregg Williams has already gone on record as saying that the Saints are going to come after Favre again in this game and take him down. He's going to call blitzes and send extra players and stack the box full of guys. The Saints are going to do whatever they can to get to Favre or Peterson or whomever has the ball. But then again, isn't that the point of the game?

Favre has said that he didn't feel the hits were dirty or that New Orleans set out to purposely injure him. He knows it is all part of the game of football so getting tackled and going down sometimes with injuries is what comes with the job. Brad Childress continues to whine, and I'm sorry Joe but he has been whining, that the Saints played "dirty" or went out of their way to injure Favre. Now it can't be said for sure, but if the Vikings' defense actually could have gotten to Drew Brees, then maybe he wouldn't be spouting such things and simply would have been able to hold his head high even in a loss.

Retaliation is almost expected from the Vikings' defense more than anything else, but I'm not too worried. The New Orleans Saints have one of the best offensive lines in all of the NFL, not to mention a great set of blocking tight ends and running backs. Brees has been overly protected for the past couple seasons and that is where the Saints are going to have to watch for retaliation the most because that Vikings front is very scary and extremely dangerous.

JO: In my estimation, turnovers were the key to that game last season (caused and capitalized on by the Saints), and the Vikings are certain to focus on taking care of the ball. So aside from trying to create more on the defensive side of the ball, what is the Saints' game plan for the Vikings--how will Brees and company attack a Minnesota defense that looks to be better than last year's unit?

DC: New Orleans needs to come out firing right from the very start and get an early lead. Capitalize on every single offensive possession and never leave points on the field because field goals are just not going to cut it when touchdowns are needed against Minnesota. We saw all of the turnovers that the Vikings (especially Adrian Peterson) had in last year's in NFC Championship Game yet it still went to overtime before all was said and done. That kind of outcome can't just be expected again if the Saints want to start out the 2010 season with a victory. Brees must mix up a good combination of run and pass in order to keep Jared Allen and the rest of the Vikings' defense on their toes and never being able to anticipate what may come next. I can't stress enough just how important it is to finish drives by getting in the end zone instead of kicking one through the uprights. Every single point is going to be needed. That can't be said enough considering the master of the comeback himself, Brett Favre, is on the other side of the field.