FanPost

Some Vikings close-playoff-game trivia

If you still can’t believe that even happened, maybe it’s because the Vikings are not accustomed to coming out on top in close playoff games, especially not lately. The Purple have won plenty of playoff games, mind you (20, to be exact), but prior to yesterday, the Vikes had only ever won four playoff games by less than 7 points in 48 tries (20-28 overall playoff record). Three of those games were exciting comeback wins, although none were quite as dramatic as last night.

Are you too juiced with adrenaline and endorphins (or too young) to remember any of those come from behind playoff wins? No worries. Here are all of the Vikings playoff games won by less than 7 points, ranked by drama factor.

1. Yesterday. Minneapolis Miracle. Need I say more?

2. 1997 Wild Card game – Minnesota 23 NYG 22. In Cunningham’s first season as a Viking, the Purple won this wild upset after finishing the season 9-7. This game is ranked as the second worst Giants playoff loss of all time by this NYG fan. Trailing 22-13 late in the 4th, Cunningham got to work and connected with Jake Reed for a 30-yard TD. Despite having 3:51 left on the clock, Coach Dennis Green opted for an onside kick (coaching!), which somehow Eddie Murray successfully executed and Chris Walsh(!) recovered. A long connection with Cris Carter and a PI call later, Murray booted the game winner to send the Giants home and the Purple to SF for a date with the Niners (did not go well).

3. 1982 First Round game – Minnesota 30 Atlanta 24. In the strike-shortened ’82 season, which was also the inaugural season of the Metrodome, the Vikings (5-4) went into the game as the #4 seed vs the #5 Falcons (the league abandoned the division format and instead sent the top 8 conference teams into a playoff tournament). Although the Vikings dominated in time of possession, this game was a back and forth affair from the beginning. The Vikings took the lead 23-21 early in the 4th quarter, only to have the Falcons rally back and take the lead 24-23 on a 41-yard field goal (pretty far for back then). But the Vikings drove 72 yards, punctuated by a Ted Brown (led the league in rushing) 5-yard charge to put the Vikings on top for good with 1:44 remaining and send them to Washington (did not go well).

4. 1969 Divisional game. Minnesota 23 LA Rams 20. The 12-2 Vikings trailed most of the way in this one played in 11 degree weather at the Met. The defense came up huge (as it frequently did in that era), holding the Rams to field goals in two deep red zone drives. Trailing 20-14 in the 4th, Joe Kapp led the Vikings downfield and scored to put the Vikings up 21-20. A safety made the score 23-20 and the Vikings D took care of the rest to set up a date with the Browns (before they switched to the AFC) in the Conference Championship and then their first Super Bowl appearance vs. the Chiefs (did not go well).

5. 1974 NFC Championship. Minnesota 14 LA Rams 10. This one wasn’t quite as dramatic as the others as the Purple led most of the way, scoring first and keeping the lead until the final whistle. The Rams scored late to cut the lead to 14-10, but the Vikings forced the Rams to punt in their last possession and then ran out the clock. The Vikings moved on for a date with the Steel Curtain in Super Bowl IX (did not go well).

Honorable mention: 1980 Miracle at the Met – Minnesota 28 Cleveland 23. The Vikings beat the Browns on the last play of the game, a Kramer to Rashad Hail Mary as time expired, to clinch a playoff berth in game 15 of the season. This is the one that sticks out in my mind as having a similar "feel" to last night’s game, but your mileage may vary. The Vikings would go on to lose in the Divisional Round to…(drum roll)… the Eagles.

More random playoff trivia: On Sunday, the Vikings travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles, whom they have never beaten in the playoffs. The Eagles are the only team the Vikings have faced more than once in the playoffs and have never defeated, taking losses in 2008, 2004 and 1980 (in ouch fashion, after leading 14-0 in the 2nd quarter, in the Miracle at the Met season).

This FanPost was created by a registered user of The Daily Norseman, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the site. However, since this is a community, that view is no less important.