Are Our Vikings Cursed? (Minnesota’s Top-10 Forgettable Moments)
I'm a born & raised, lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan. (Insert sarcastic sympathy jabs here.) Teddy's injury yesterday got me looking back at my years of cheering for the Vikes -- and one could argue that not much else could go wrong for one team. Here are my top-ten forgettable moments.
- 1
Gary Anderson Misses FG Against Atlanta
1998-99 NFC Championship GameFinal ATL 30, MIN 27
Since the last of four Super Bowl losses in 1977, the Vikes have gone 0-5 in NFC Championship games (two of them in overtime). Randall Cunningham, Randy Moss & crew lead the Vikings to the highest scoring offense in NFL history in 1998 on their way to a 15-1 record. Gary Anderson made it all meaningless, missing a 38-yard field goal -- eventually sending the game to overtime, and the Falcons to the Super Bowl.
- 2
Blair Walsh Misses Game Winning FG
2015-16 Wildcard in Minneapolis vs. SeattleFinal SEA 10, MIN 9
On a frigid day at TCF Bank Stadium, Minnesota kicker Blair Walsh had only to make a 27-yard field goal to advance the Vikings past the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks into the Divisional round. Did he make it? It's #2 on my list for a reason. (We'll at least it wasn't -6˚ for the fans to endure that crap.) Oh wait, yes it was.
- 3
Bounty Gate Loss to Saints in NFC Title Game
2009 NFC Championship GameFinal NO 31, MIN 28
The Vikings under the lead of retired-not retired Brett Favre rolled to a 12-4 regular season record, only to fall to the Saints in New Orleans in the NFC title game. The score was tied 28-28 late in the game -- looking like Minnesota was destined to hit a game-wining field goal; Brett threw a stupid pass that was intercepted. The result? Please don't make me say it.
- 4
Vikings Spanked by Giants in 2000 Playoffs
2000 Playoff Game at the MeadowlandsFinal NYG 41, MIN 0
This game was suck-city for Vikings fans from start to finish. I came down from a day of skiing in the Montana mountains to watch this train wreck. Can't even really call this one a heartbreaker. It was a good ol' fashioned ass kicking.
- 5
Two Words: Herschel Walker
The Trade That Built the Cowboys......and Crushed the Vikings
I can't even remember what the Vikings gave up to get Walker from Dallas, but it's safe to say...EVERYTHING! Sure Herschel ran out of his shoe once and scorched the Packers in an early game in his Minnesota career, but that was it. (The laughing you can hear in the background is Jerry Jones.)
- 6
The 'Hail Mary' Game
1975 Divisional PlayoffsFinal DAL 17, MIN 10
The Purple People Eaters went 12-2 in the regular season, and advanced to face the Cowboys in the Divisional round of the playoffs. Minnesota led 14-10 in the fourth quarter with just 37 seconds on the clock, when Roger Staubach lofted a long prayer into the end zone to Drew Pearson. Do you see a pattern here?
- 7
Four Super Bowl Losses
Tied with Buffalo for that Distinction1969, 1973, 1974, 1976
Four Super Bowl losses in eight years mind you. That's hard to do. Many sports writers and fans fully expected that the Vikings to beat the Chiefs in 1970. The Vikes had the NFL's best record and outscored their opponents by 246 points, while KC had not even won their own division. Nope. Chiefs 23, Vikings 7. The Vikes were the first team to make it to 4 Super Bowls (and lose 4 Super Bowls).
- 8
2005 (aka The Love Boat)
October 2005 Lake Minnetonka Sex Party(Yes, really!)
2005 might be best remembered for the 'Love Boat.' An alleged sex party that took place on Lake Minnetonka with seventeen Vikings players including quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Two houseboats were rented and some of the players performed sexual acts in front of crew members. Prostitutes from Atlanta and Florida were flown in for the party. Four of the players were charged with misdemeanors related to the events.
- 9
Teddy Bridgewater's Knee Injury
In Mike Zimmer's (and Teddy's) third year, things seemed to really to be coming together. Nice defense, improving QB play, better outside playmakers, and Adrian Peterson -- fans had reason to hope. Sure there are no guarantees, but only the Packers, Steelers, and Patriots had better Super Bowl odds than the Vikes before the injury. Sigh.
- 10
Everything Else
Because Ten is Just Not Enough1961-Present
From Jim Marshall running the ball back the wrong way in 1964, to trading Moss at the peak of his career to save a buck. The Metrodome roof ripped pouring snow onto the turf. We missed a couple of draft pick opportunities in 2002 and 2003 because we weren't watching the clock (WTF). Oh, and Les Steckel went 1-13 as head coach in 1984.