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As teams from opposite conferences, the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t met that many times in the regular season. . .just 16, to be exact. Overall, it’s been a fairly even series between these two teams. Yes, we know that the Steelers did hand the Vikings one of their four Super Bowl defeats, but as we do in this series, we’re focusing strictly on regular season action.
With that, let’s take a look back at what’s happened between these two teams over the years. As always, all of the information used in putting together this post comes from the folks at Pro Football Reference.
Total Games Between the Vikings and the Steelers: 16
All-Time Record: Vikings, 9-7
Total Vikings points scored, head-to-head: 380 (23.8 points/game)
Total Steelers points scored, head-to-head: 310 (19.4 points/game)
Longest Vikings winning streak vs Steelers: 3 games (18 October 1964 - 23 November 1969)
Longest Steelers winning streak vs Vikings: 3 games (2 December 2001 - 25 October 2009)
Most recent Vikings road win in series: 24 September 1995 (final score 44-24)
Most recent Steelers home win in series: 25 October 2009 (final score 27-17)
Biggest Vikings’ road win in series: 20 points, 24 September 1995 (final score 44-24)
Biggest Steelers’ home win in series: 13 points, 26 November 1972 (final score 23-10) and 24 September 1989 (final score 27-14)
Current streak: Vikings, 1 win
There’s a more significant differential in points scored between these two teams than you might expect, but a lot of that comes from a matchup in 1969 when the Vikings demolished the Steelers at Metropolitan Stadium by a score of 52-14.
The last time these two teams got together, it technically could have been considered a “road” game for both teams, as the game took place at Wembley Stadium in London, England. As was their way for most of the 2013 season, the Vikings took a lead into the late stages of the game, only to allow the opponent to march down the field. However, unlike many of the cases we saw that season, the Vikings stood strong, as Everson Griffen registered a strip/sack of Ben Roethlisberger, and the Vikings fell on the fumble to preserve a 34-27 victory. Adrian Peterson rushed for 140 yards and two scores on 24 carries, and Matt Cassel had a pair of touchdown passes, including a big 70-yarder to Greg Jennings.
The Vikings’ most recent trip to Pittsburgh was markedly less enjoyable. It happened in 2009, and the Vikings came into that one with the best record in the NFL at 6-0, but just couldn’t solve the Steelers’ defense for most of the afternoon. Minnesota marched into Steelers’ territory late in the game down by three points, but Brett Favre was intercepted by Keyaron Fox, who took the ball back 82 yards for a score and provided the final margin of victory for the Steelers in a 27-17 Minnesota loss.
To discuss the last time the Vikings won in Pittsburgh, we have to turn the calendar back to September of 1995. The Vikings got a pretty incredible defensive performance in that game, as Steelers quarterbacks Jim Miller and Mike Tomczak combined for six interceptions (three each). The Vikings built their lead to as large as 37-6 early in the third quarter before letting off the gas a bit and coasting to a 44-24 victory. Robert Smith rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries in that one as well.
That’s a quick look at the regular season history between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hopefully on Sunday the Vikings can find a way to get that tenth win in series history.