This is a play from a game against one of our 2011 opponents, the Oakland Raiders, from the last time the Vikings played them back in 2007. Adrian Peterson had been injured on a blatant cheap shot the previous week, and the Vikings were having to deal with the return of former quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who was the starter for the Raiders at the time.
The Vikings started the game with this play, a vast departure from the usual Brad Childress run/run/pass/punt offense they had been running for most of the season.
Seriously, how effortless does that pass by Sidney Rice look? That ball traveled 55 yards in the air and was pretty much perfectly placed. Granted, given how bad Visanthe Shiancoe was for most of 2007, it was just as much of a shock (at the time) that he caught it.
Despite the absence of Peterson, the Vikings won this one by a score of 29-22 on the strength of a 22-carry, 164-yard, three-touchdown performance by Chester Taylor. It was the first of five consecutive wins for the Vikings that got them back into the playoff chase that season.