The first highlight in nearly every preview of Sunday's playoff bout between the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints will be the same: The Minneapolis Miracle.
Stefon Diggs' incredible game-ending touchdown catch against the Saints in the 2017 playoffs is one of the most memorable plays of the decade. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, however, would like to move forward and make new memories.
"Come on, man," Zimmer said, via the Pioneer Press. "We're concentrating on the Saints this week. We don't care about three years ago or whatever it was."
It was two years ago, but you can forgive Zimmer for his time-flub. As that Miracle was his only playoff win as a head coach, Zimmer likely wants to move his team forward.
Diggs noted that his team isn't thinking about a play from the past given the opponent they're facing Sunday.
"Outside of the building, it's really more of like a fan thing, but right now I'm focused on this week," Diggs said Wednesday. "That moment will be a memory. Right now, I've got a new week and something I'm really looking forward to."
The play could be something that the Saints turn around and use as their own motivation entering the playoffs, but coach Sean Payton said his team doesn't need such juice to get up for Sunday's playoff game.
"There will be highlights and clips, but I don't think it's even a topic that I talk about," Payton said. "In fact, I know it isn't."
If both teams show up Sunday, we could be in for another miraculous finish, this time in the Super Dome.
The Saints have been hardened by brutal playoff losses the past few seasons, so Payton isn't worried about how his team will respond against Minnesota.
"When you have a tough loss like (the Minnesota Miracle), you always wonder how your team is going to respond the next year, and, of course, last year we had another challenging game at home here," Payton said. "So, I feel like we're battle-tested a little bit that way and really came back again strong."
