The Minnesota Vikings have a chance to clinch the NFC North title when they host the Indianapolis Colts Saturday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium
While that's a significant event itself, the game represents a milestone in team history. They game is the 1,000th the team has played since entering the NFL in the 1961 season.
The Vikings have had their share of success and bring a winning record of 534-454-11 into their 1,000th NFL game. Much of their success came early, when they won the NFL championship in 1969 and went to 4 Super Bowls between 1970 and 1977.
However, Minnesota lost all 4 of them, including Super Bowl IV when the Vikings were 12-point favorites over the American Football League representative Kansas City Chiefs. That game was the last Super Bowl between an NFL representative and an AFL opponent, as the merger was fully impacted by the 1970 season.
The Vikings have had brilliant moments and heartbreak in their history. In this piece, we take a look at 3 highlights and 3 lowlights from this memorable franchise
Highlights
3. Randy Moss ruins Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day
The Vikings went to Dallas on November 26, 1998 and Randy Moss put on one of the most memorable shows in the history of Thanksgiving Day football.
Moss entered the league that season and the Vikings had one of the most powerful and explosive seasons in NFL regular-season history. The receiver was motivated to play against any team that had bypassed him in the Draft the previous spring, and that included the Cowboys.
Moss caught 3 passes in that game, and each one was for a long touchdown. He caught passes of 51, 56 and 56 yard against a beleaguered Dallas secondary as the Vikings came away with a 46-36 triumph.
The Vikings would go on to finish the 1998 regular season with a 15-1 record.
2. Minneapolis Miracle allows Vikings to advance
The Vikings had one of their best seasons in 2017, recording a 13-3 record and winning the NFC North title. They had high hopes of advancing deep into the NFL playoffs, but they were in trouble in the their divisional playoff game against the New Orleans Saints.
The two teams went back-and-forth throughout the game, but when Wil Lutz kicked a 43-yard field goal with 25 seconds left, it appeared the Vikings would see their season come to a disappointing end at home by a 24-23 score.
That seemed especially true when the Vikings lined up to take the last snap of the game from their own 39-yard line. The distance was too far to attempt a field goal or to have quarterback Case Keenum throw a Hail Mary pass.
Instead, Keenum threw a sideline dart to wideout Stefon Diggs, who escaped two Saints defenders and raced into the endzone for the game-winning touchdown with no time on the clock.
1. Vikings win NFL championship, beating Browns in 1969 title game
No, this is not a misprint or a mistake. The Vikings won their only NFL championship following the 1969 regular season.
Led by head coach Bud Grant, quarterback Joe Kapp and the Purple People Eaters defense, the Vikings defeated the Cleveland Browns 27-7 in the last NFL Championship Game that was not the Super Bowl.
The Vikings would go on to represent the NFL in Super Bowl IV, but that's another story. Kapp opened the scoring with a 7-yard TD run, and he also threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Gene Washington.
Linebacker Wally Hilgenberg had an interception and a fumble recovery for the Vikings, while defensive tackle Alan Page had a sack as the Vikings shut down the Browns offense and earned the team its brightest moment.
Lowlights
3. Vikings hammered by Chiefs in Super Bowl IV
The Vikings were expected to roll over the AFL Chiefs and return glory to the senior league. Not only were the Vikings playing for their own glory, they were trying to restore it to the NFL.
The AFL's New York Jets had defeated the Baltimore Colts, and the Vikings were being asked to regain the NFL's dignity.
Instead, the Chiefs showed they were the dominant team, winning the battle on both lines of scrimmage. Kapp was knocked out of the game by the hard-hitting Chiefs defense and Hank Stram's offense got the best of the powerful Vikings defense by a 23-7 score
2. Uff-da! Vikings lose 4th Super Bowl as they fall to Raiders
After their Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs, the Vikings lost two more Super Bowls to the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings. Neither of these were upsets, as both the Dolphins and Steelers had powerful teams.
However, when Grant and quarterback Fran Tarkenton took the 1976 Vikings to Super Bowl XI at the Rose Bowl against the Oakland Raiders, this was viewed as a game where the Vikings could finally get redemption.
However, they were playing a team that had never tasted Super Bowl glory either, and Raiders head coach John Madden had his team prepared for a peak effort. Ken Stabler, Dave Casper and Willie Brown hammered the Purple by a 32-14 margin.
The Vikings have never gotten back to another Super Bowl.
1. 15-1 Vikings lose 1998 NFC Championship Game to Falcons in OT
This was the best Minnesota Vikings team, at least by record. In addition to their spectacular record, they dominated opponents. Minnesota outscored opponents by a 556-296 margin, making the average score 34.8-18.5.
After the Vikings defeated the Arizona Cardinals 41-21 in the divisional playoff, the belief was that they would overwhelm the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC title game. While the Vikings built a 20-7 lead in the second quarter, the Falcons were not intimidated.
They hung around for four quarters, and after Gary Anderson was wide left on a 39-yard FG attempt, the Falcons tied the score and sent the game into overtime. Atlanta came away with the massive upset when Morten Andersen kicked the game-winning 38-yard field goal, propelling the Dirty Birds to the Super Bowl.
The Vikings have never been that close since.
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