2014 Minnesota Vikings season | |
---|---|
Owner | Zygi Wilf |
General manager | Rick Spielman |
Head coach | Mike Zimmer |
Home field | TCF Bank Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 7–9 |
Division place | 3rd NFC North |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | None |
Uniform | |
The 2014 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 54th in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under head coach Mike Zimmer. It was the first of two seasons in which the Vikings played at the outdoor TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Construction of U.S. Bank Stadium began on the site of the team's former home, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with a target of opening for the 2016 season. This for first time since 2002 Kevin Williams was not on the opening day roster and for first time since 2007 Jared Allen was not on the opening day roster they both left in free agency.
Though the Vikings were eliminated from postseason contention after a loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 15, they improved on 2013's 5–10–1 record, which saw them go through a quarterback carousel and one of the worst defenses in the league that year, and arguably in Vikings' history. [1]
Pro Bowler |
Draft trades
Date | Player name | Position | Contract terms |
---|---|---|---|
December 30, 2013 | Adam Thielen | WR | 2 years / $930,000 [RFC] [12] [11] |
March 7, 2014 | Marcus Sherels | CB | 2 years / $2.2 million [13] [14] |
March 11, 2014 | Matt Cassel | QB | 2 years / $10 million [15] |
Everson Griffen | DE | 5 years / $42.5 million [16] | |
March 12, 2014 | Joe Berger | G | 1 year / $985,000 [17] |
March 14, 2014 | Jerome Simpson | WR | 1 year / $1 million [18] [19] |
March 15, 2014 | Charlie Johnson | G | 2 years / $5 million [20] |
April 7, 2014 | Matt Asiata | RB | 1 year / $570,000 [21] |
August 31, 2014 | Joe Banyard | RB | [22] [PS] |
Kain Colter | WR | ||
Isame Faciane | DT | ||
Chase Ford | TE | ||
Zac Kerin | C | ||
Justin Trattou | DE | ||
September 2, 2014 | Austin Wentworth | OT | [23] [PS] |
September 16, 2014 | Zach Line | FB | [24] [PS] |
October 7, 2014 | Donte Foster | WR | [25] [PS] |
Chandler Harnish | QB | ||
November 12, 2014 | Ryan Otten | TE | [26] [PS] |
November 18, 2014 | Dominique Williams | RB | [27] [PS] |
Date signed | Player name | Position | Previous team | Contract terms | Date released |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
December 30, 2013 | Brandon Bishop | S | Minnesota Vikings (re-signed) | 2 years / $930,000 [RFC] [12] [11] | August 25, 2014 [41] |
Kip Edwards | CB | June 2, 2014 [71] | |||
Kevin Murphy | OT | August 25, 2014 [41] | |||
Spencer Nealy | DE | July 23, 2014 [72] | |||
Bradley Randle | RB | May 13, 2014 [62] | |||
January 3, 2014 | Kamar Jorden | WR | Calgary Stampeders (CFL) | 2 years / $930,000 [RFC] [50] [73] | August 25, 2014 [41] |
January 22, 2014 | Kheeston Randall | DT | Cincinnati Bengals | 2 years / $1.08 million [74] [75] | |
February 11, 2014 | Simoni Lawrence | LB | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) | 3 years / $1.54 million [76] [77] | May 13, 2014 [62] |
March 10, 2014 | Larry Dean | LB | Minnesota Vikings (re-signed) | 2 years / $2 million [78] [79] | August 31, 2014 [22] |
March 13, 2014 | Fred Evans | DT | 1 year / $1 million [80] [81] | August 30, 2014 [43] | |
March 14, 2014 | Derek Cox | CB | San Diego Chargers | 1 year / $780,000 [82] | August 25, 2014 [41] |
April 15, 2014 | Terrell Manning | OLB | 1 year / $570,000 [83] [84] | May 13, 2014 [62] | |
Allen Reisner | TE | Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 year / $645,000 [83] [85] | August 30, 2014 [43] | |
April 17, 2014 | Kurt Coleman | FS | Philadelphia Eagles | 1 year / $900,000 [86] [87] | |
May 13, 2014 | Conor Boffeli | G | Iowa | Undrafted free agents [62] | May 19, 2014 [63] |
Pierce Burton | OT | Ole Miss | August 25, 2014 [41] | ||
Kain Colter | WR | Northwestern | August 30, 2014 [43] | ||
Rakim Cox | DE | Villanova | August 4, 2014 [88] | ||
Isame Faciane | DT | FIU | August 30, 2014 [43] | ||
Donte Foster | WR | Ohio | |||
Matt Hall | OT | Belhaven | July 25, 2014 [89] | ||
Zac Kerin | C | Toledo | August 30, 2014 [43] | ||
A.C. Leonard | TE | Tennessee State | August 6, 2014 [90] | ||
Erik Lora | WR | Eastern Illinois | August 25, 2014 [41] | ||
Travis Partridge | QB | Missouri Western | May 19, 2014 [63] | ||
Tyler Scott | DE | Northwestern | August 25, 2014 [41] | ||
Jake Snyder | DE | Virginia | |||
Dominique Williams | RB | Wagner | August 30, 2014 [43] | ||
May 16, 2014 | Austin Wentworth | OT | Fresno State | August 31, 2014 [22] | |
May 19, 2014 | Mike Zimmer | LB | Jacksonville Jaguars | [63] | August 30, 2014 [43] |
June 2, 2014 | Julian Posey | CB | Cleveland Browns | [71] | |
June 13, 2014 | Josh Cooper | WR | Cleveland Browns | [91] | July 25, 2014 [89] |
July 23, 2014 | Michael Higgins | TE | New Orleans Saints | [72] | August 26, 2014 [92] |
July 25, 2014 | Andy Cruse | WR | Houston Texans | [89] | August 25, 2014 [41] |
Ty Walker | WR | Seattle Seahawks | |||
August 4, 2014 | Chris Crocker | SS | Cincinnati Bengals | [88] | August 30, 2014 [43] |
August 10, 2014 | Kory Sperry | TE | Arizona Cardinals | [93] | August 25, 2014 [41] |
August 18, 2014 | Justin Jackson | LB | Detroit Lions | [64] | August 30, 2014 [43] |
August 31, 2014 | Donte Foster | WR | Minnesota Vikings | [22] [PS] | September 29, 2014 [94] |
Kendall James | CB | September 2, 2014 [23] | |||
Mike Remmers | OT | September 3, 2014 [95] | |||
MarQueis Gray | TE | Cleveland Browns | November 19, 2014 [96] | ||
September 1, 2014 | Chris Greenwood | CB | Detroit Lions | [97] [PS] | December 17, 2014 [69] |
September 3, 2014 | Ahmad Dixon | SS | Dallas Cowboys | [95] [PS] | September 8, 2014 [98] |
September 24, 2014 | McLeod Bethel-Thompson | QB | New England Patriots | [99] [PS] | October 7, 2014 [25] |
Ryan Otten | TE | Cincinnati Bengals | November 3, 2014 [66] | ||
September 29, 2014 | Chandler Harnish | QB | Indianapolis Colts | [94] [PS] | October 3, 2014 [100] |
October 7, 2014 | Pierre Warren | S | New Orleans Saints | [25] [PS] | November 18, 2014 [27] |
November 3, 2014 | RaShaun Allen | TE | Seattle Seahawks | [66] [PS] | November 11, 2014 [101] |
November 19, 2014 | Ben Tate | RB | Cleveland Browns | [96] | December 23, 2014 [102] |
November 25, 2014 | J'Marcus Webb | OT | Minnesota Vikings | [103] | December 16, 2014 [104] |
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | NFL.com recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 8 | Oakland Raiders | W 10–6 | 1–0 | TCF Bank Stadium | 51,752 | Recap |
2 | August 16 | Arizona Cardinals | W 30–28 | 2–0 | TCF Bank Stadium | 51,763 | Recap |
3 | August 23 | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 30–12 | 3–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 73,442 | Recap |
4 | August 28 | at Tennessee Titans | W 19–3 | 4–0 | LP Field | 69,143 | Recap |
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Vikings | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Coming off a season in which the Vikings let almost every team score at least 20 points on them (including the preseason), the Vikings showcased a defense that held the Raiders to a single digit score and kept them scoreless until the last 90 seconds of the 4th quarter, when they eventually scored a touchdown. This was the first time the Vikings' defense held any team to a single digit score since week 16 of the 2012 season. Rookie Anthony Barr recorded half a sack, and Kurt Coleman intercepted Raiders quarterback Derek Carr once.
On the offense, Matt Cassel started and shined on his sole drive, leading the team down the field, where Matt Asiata scored the Vikings' only touchdown of the game from a yard out. After Cassel's drive, rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater entered the game and played a few drives, completing 6 of 13 pass attempts for 49 yards, getting sacked twice, and fumbling once (fellow Viking Matt Kalil recovered the fumble). The Vikings got a field goal on the second drive. Shortly after the half, the signal calling was turned to Christian Ponder, who managed a pair of first-down passes of 17 and 15 yards early on, but produced little thereafter.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cardinals | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
Vikings | 3 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 30 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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The Vikings faced a Cardinals team that shut the Texans out 32–0 in week 1. The Cardinals strained the Vikings' defense, but the offense, headed by Matt Cassel in the first half, was able to keep pace with their scoring to see the Vikings trailing 14–13 at halftime. The Vikings switched to Teddy Bridgewater after the half, and the rookie quarterback orchestrated a pair of drives that put the Vikings back in the lead 24–21. A few drives later, the Vikings' defense would end up being penalized three straight times, allowing the Cardinals to score a touchdown through a botched snap that was recovered by the Cardinals and run into the end zone. The Vikings were given the ball with around a minute to score. Bridgewater led the Vikings down field in comeback fashion to score the game-winner with a pass to Rodney Smith, sealing another preseason victory for the Vikings.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 7 | 3 | 17 | 3 | 30 |
Chiefs | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 12 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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The Vikings traveled to Kansas City to play against Matt Cassel's former team. The defense played remarkably well, with Captain Munnerlyn, Chad Greenway and Shaun Prater each recording an interception. The Vikings' defense managed to hold the Chiefs to five points for a majority of the game until they got a touchdown in the final minute for a total of 12. For the third game running, Cassel was the starting quarterback and he played the majority of this game; he gained 152 passing yards with a touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson, and threw a pick, the Vikings' only turnover of their preseason. Bridgewater also saw a little action; though he made few pass attempts, he gained 40 passing yards and made two touchdown passes to Allen Reisner.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 7 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
Titans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
at LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee
Game information | ||
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The Vikings traveled to Tennessee to face the Titans in the preseason finale. The Vikings' defense excelled in keeping the Titans to a minimal score, and recorded a strip sack by Corey Wootton and an interception by Julian Posey. Teddy Bridgewater was the starter for this game, and led the Vikings to score 10 points in their first two drives. Christian Ponder then took over for the rest of the game, leading three more scoring drives, though he and the offense were unable to score any touchdowns.
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | NFL.com recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 7 | at St. Louis Rams | W 34–6 | 1–0 | Edward Jones Dome | 55,919 | Recap |
2 | September 14 | New England Patriots | L 7–30 | 1–1 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,350 | Recap |
3 | September 21 | at New Orleans Saints | L 9–20 | 1–2 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | 73,005 | Recap |
4 | September 28 | Atlanta Falcons | W 41–28 | 2–2 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,173 | Recap |
5 | October 2 | at Green Bay Packers | L 10–42 | 2–3 | Lambeau Field | 78,054 | Recap |
6 | October 12 | Detroit Lions | L 3–17 | 2–4 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,213 | Recap |
7 | October 19 | at Buffalo Bills | L 16–17 | 2–5 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 68,477 | Recap |
8 | October 26 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 19–13 (OT) | 3–5 | Raymond James Stadium | 56,577 | Recap |
9 | November 2 | Washington Redskins | W 29–26 | 4–5 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,252 | Recap |
10 | Bye | ||||||
11 | November 16 | at Chicago Bears | L 13–21 | 4–6 | Soldier Field | 61,792 | Recap |
12 | November 23 | Green Bay Packers | L 21–24 | 4–7 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,386 | Recap |
13 | November 30 | Carolina Panthers | W 31–13 | 5–7 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,016 | Recap |
14 | December 7 | New York Jets | W 30–24 (OT) | 6–7 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,152 | Recap |
15 | December 14 | at Detroit Lions | L 14–16 | 6–8 | Ford Field | 62,490 | Recap |
16 | December 21 | at Miami Dolphins | L 35–37 | 6–9 | Sun Life Stadium | 66,203 | Recap |
17 | December 28 | Chicago Bears | W 13–9 | 7–9 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,364 | Recap |
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 3 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 34 |
Rams | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
Game information | ||
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The Vikings opened their season on the road against the St. Louis Rams and took the lead in the first half with a field goal in each quarter from 52 yards and 46 yards, respectively, from third-year kicker Blair Walsh and an eight-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Greg Jennings with 21 seconds left in the half, set up by an interception from Josh Robinson at the Rams' 35-yard line. The Rams struck back early in the third quarter with a field goal from Greg Zuerlein before Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson made the play of the game with a 67-yard touchdown run. The Vikings secured the game late in the fourth quarter as TE Kyle Rudolph connected with Cassel on a seven-yard touchdown pass, while Rudolph's former Notre Dame teammate Harrison Smith took an interception 81 yards for the Vikings' fourth touchdown of the game. Zuerlein added another field goal late in the game to make the final score 34–6 to the Vikings, their first road victory since week 16 of the 2012 season against the Houston Texans.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 10 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 30 |
Vikings | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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The Vikings began their opening home game of the season without Adrian Peterson, who was deactivated after being charged with negligent injury of a child for allegedly beating his four-year-old son with a tree branch. [105] He was replaced in the starting lineup by Matt Asiata, who got the Vikings off to a good start with a 25-yard touchdown reception from Matt Cassel on the game's opening possession. The defense then forced the Patriots into a three-and-out, only for Cassel to throw an interception attempting to find Jarius Wright deep downfield. Devin McCourty returned the ball 60 yards to the Minnesota 1-yard line, and two plays later, Stevan Ridley ran in to tie the scores. A second interception early in the second quarter resulted in another scoring drive for New England, as Tom Brady connected with Julian Edelman on a nine-yard TD catch. As the first half drew to a close, the Vikings drove downfield to give Blair Walsh a 48-yard field goal attempt with 19 seconds on the clock; however, Patriots DE Chandler Jones was able to burst through the Minnesota offensive line and block the kick before scooping up the ball and returning it 58 yards for the Patriots' third TD of the half.
After the break, Cassel threw another two interceptions, one in each quarter, with the first resulting in a 47-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal. The second occurred with six minutes left in the game, and the Patriots were able to hang onto possession until the two-minute warning before turning the ball over on downs at the Minnesota 19-yard line. Aided by two pass interference penalties, Cassel led the Vikings down the field and thought he had managed to cut into the New England lead with a 16-yard pass to Greg Jennings with 41 seconds to play, only for Jennings to be ruled out of bounds before gaining possession of the ball. Cassel was then sacked for a 14-yard loss on the next play and the game finished as a 30–7 Patriots win.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
Saints | 13 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Game information | ||
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After initially stating that Adrian Peterson would return to the active roster for their Week 3 game at New Orleans, the Vikings later placed the running back on the inactive list indefinitely, pending the outcome of the court case against him. Despite coming into the game at 0–3, the Saints started well, scoring two touchdowns on their first two drives, although DE Everson Griffen was able to block the extra point attempt on the second. The Vikings responded to going 13–0 down with two field goals from 25 and 30 yards respectively, but an injury to Matt Cassel meant a debut for rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater.
K Blair Walsh hit a 40-yard field goal to open the second half for the Vikings, but New Orleans closed the game out with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Marques Colston early in the fourth quarter. They were aided on the drive by a penalty for unnecessary roughness against CB Captain Munnerlyn for a tackle on Brees, but many thought that Brees should also have been penalized for his reaction and the penalties offset. Regardless, the Vikings were forced to punt on their next possession and the Saints were able to run out the clock for a 20–9 win.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcons | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
Vikings | 14 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 41 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Having lost Matt Cassel for the season, the Vikings gave Teddy Bridgewater his first career start at home to the Falcons in week 4, but it was running back Matt Asiata who opened the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run. Roddy White leveled the scores with a 24-yard catch from Matt Ryan, but a 49-yard kickoff return from Cordarrelle Patterson set the Vikings up with a short field on the next drive, which Asiata finished with a 6-yard run to restore Minnesota's seven-point lead. Steven Jackson thought he had tied the scores again on a 3-yard run with six minutes to go in the half, only for the touchdown call to be overturned on review; however, Ryan was able to find FB Patrick DiMarco in the flat on the next play. However, Bridgewater himself restored Minnesota's advantage on the ensuing possession, capping an 80-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run as the game entered its first two-minute warning. After forcing Atlanta into a quick three-and-out, Bridgewater led the Vikings downfield to the brink of another touchdown, but a lack of time meant they had to settle for an 18-yard Blair Walsh field goal to give them a 24–14 lead at the half.
Walsh scored another field goal on the opening drive of the second half, but long touchdowns for Devin Hester and Antone Smith gave the Falcons a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Those would prove to be Atlanta's last points of the game as Asiata picked up his third TD run early in the fourth quarter, with Bridgewater adding two points with a pass to Rhett Ellison. Bridgewater was injured on that drive, meaning that third-string QB Christian Ponder came in for his first appearance of the season. However, his job was simply to hand the ball off to rookie running back Jerick McKinnon, who set up a 55-yard field goal attempt for Walsh. An interception by Harrison Smith led to another field goal from 33 yards, before Josh Robinson closed the game out with another interception.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
Packers | 14 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 42 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Game information | ||
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With only four days between games, Teddy Bridgewater had insufficient time to recover from the injury he picked up in week 4 and Christian Ponder made his first start since week 12 of the 2013 season. The Vikings defense forced Green Bay to punt on the first possession of the game, but soon kicked the ball back to the Packers, allowing Eddie Lacy's running to set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb. The Vikings' ensuing possession again ended with a punt, and Rodgers punished them with a 66-yard TD pass to Jordy Nelson. The teams traded possession as the game moved into the second quarter, until Ponder threw the ball directly to Packers DE Julius Peppers, who returned the interception 49 yards for his team's third TD of the game. Two plays later, Ponder was picked off again, this time by LB Jamari Lattimore, leaving a short field for Rodgers to work into before throwing an 11-yard TD pass to WR Davante Adams.
The second half began in much the same vein, as the Packers forced a Vikings punt on the first possession before marching downfield to set Lacy up for an 11-yard scoring run. The running back went into the end zone again at the end of the Packers' next possession with a 10-yard run, giving the home team a 42–0 lead. CB Marcus Sherels returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards, and Ponder was able to pass downfield to the Green Bay 6-yard line, from where he ran into the end zone for the Vikings' first points of the game. Three plays later, Harrison Smith picked off a pass from Matt Flynn at the Green Bay 30-yard line, but the Vikings were unable to get into the end zone despite the short field and had to settle for a 26-yard Blair Walsh field goal. As the game drew to a close, the Vikings regained possession and drove down to the Packers' 8-yard line, only to be denied on 4th-and-goal, allowing Green Bay to end the game with a kneeldown.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lions | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
Vikings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
Bills | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Game information | ||
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Game information | ||
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Redskins | 3 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 26 |
Vikings | 0 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 29 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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With the close win over the Redskins, the Vikings improved to 4–5. Teddy Bridgewater's third win as a starting rookie quarterback breaks the franchise record (two wins) shared by both Fran Tarkenton and Christian Ponder. [106]
The Vikings took their bye week in week 10, along with the Texans, Colts, Patriots, Chargers and Redskins.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
Bears | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
Game information | ||
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Packers | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
Vikings | 0 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 21 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Panthers | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
Vikings | 14 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 31 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jets | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 24 |
Vikings | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 30 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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With the overtime win, the Vikings improve to 6–7 and have therefore improved on last year's record.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Lions | 0 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
Game information | ||
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The loss resulted in the Vikings being officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 7 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 35 |
Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 23 | 37 |
Game information | ||
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
Vikings | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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NFC North | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
(2) Green Bay Packers | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 486 | 348 | W2 |
(6) Detroit Lions | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 321 | 282 | L1 |
Minnesota Vikings | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1–5 | 6–6 | 325 | 343 | W1 |
Chicago Bears | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | 319 | 442 | L5 |
# | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division leaders | |||||||||||
1 [a] | Seattle Seahawks | West | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .525 | .513 | W6 |
2 [a] | Green Bay Packers | North | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .482 | .440 | W2 |
3 [a] | Dallas Cowboys | East | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .445 | .422 | W4 |
4 | Carolina Panthers | South | 7 | 8 | 1 | .469 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .490 | .357 | W4 |
Wild Cards | |||||||||||
5 [b] | Arizona Cardinals | West | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .523 | .477 | L2 |
6 [b] | Detroit Lions | North | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .471 | .392 | L1 |
Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
7 | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .490 | .416 | W1 |
8 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 2–4 | 7–5 | .527 | .508 | W1 |
9 [c] | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .486 | .415 | W1 |
10 [c] | Minnesota Vikings | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 1–5 | 6–6 | .475 | .308 | W1 |
11 [d] | New York Giants | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .512 | .323 | L1 |
12 [d] | Atlanta Falcons | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 5–1 | 6–6 | .482 | .380 | L1 |
13 [d] | St. Louis Rams | West | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .531 | .427 | L3 |
14 | Chicago Bears | North | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .529 | .338 | L5 |
15 | Washington Redskins | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 2–10 | .496 | .422 | L1 |
16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 0–6 | 1–11 | .486 | .469 | L6 |
Tiebreakers [e] | |||||||||||
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Category | Player(s) | Value |
---|---|---|
Passing yards | Teddy Bridgewater | 2,919 |
Passing touchdowns | Teddy Bridgewater | 14 |
Rushing yards | Matt Asiata | 570 |
Rushing touchdowns | Matt Asiata | 9 |
Receptions | Greg Jennings | 59 |
Receiving yards | Greg Jennings | 742 |
Receiving touchdowns | Greg Jennings | 6 |
Points | Blair Walsh | 107 |
Kickoff return yards | Cordarrelle Patterson | 871 |
Punt return yards | Marcus Sherels | 297 |
Tackles | Robert Blanton | 106 |
Sacks | Everson Griffen | 12 |
Interceptions | Harrison Smith | 5 |
Forced fumbles | Anthony Barr | 2 |
Source for this section: Minnesota Vikings' official website. [108]
Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 32) |
---|---|---|---|
Passing offense | 3,244 | 202.8 | 28th |
Rushing offense | 1,804 | 112.8 | 14th |
Total offense | 5,048 | 315.5 | 27th |
Passing defense | 3,572 | 223.3 | 7th |
Rushing defense | 1,943 | 121.4 | 25th |
Total defense | 5,515 | 344.7 | 14th |
Source for this section: NFL.com. [109]
The 2010 season was the Chicago Bears' 91st season in the National Football League (NFL), and the seventh under head coach Lovie Smith.
The 2011 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 42nd in the National Football League (NFL), their 52nd overall and their third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. A 10–6 record in their 2010 season lent high expectations to their 2011 season, but the Chiefs suffered reversed fortunes. A season-ending hand injury to their starting quarterback Matt Cassel in their eighth game of the season proved especially significant. After a 4–4 record with Cassel at the helm, the Chiefs staggered to a 7–9 win–loss record by season end and failed to make the playoffs.
The 2012 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 52nd in the National Football League (NFL), as well as their second full season under head coach Leslie Frazier. They looked to improve upon their 3–13 season the year before, and did so after defeating the Tennessee Titans in Week 5; their win over the Houston Texans in Week 16 made this their first winning season since 2009. The Vikings also made the playoffs for the first time since 2009 with a Week 17 win over the Green Bay Packers to give them a 10–6 regular season record, but were defeated by the same opponents in the Wild Card playoff round the following week. Adrian Peterson was named the league's Most Valuable Player after rushing for 2,097 yards, just nine yards short of breaking the single-season record held by Eric Dickerson since 1984.
The 2013 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL). It also marked the Vikings' final season playing their home games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome; the team played their home games at TCF Bank Stadium for the 2014 and 2015 seasons while construction of U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016, took place on the site of the Metrodome. Following a Week 9 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the Vikings were no longer able to match their 10–6 record from 2012, and their loss to the Baltimore Ravens five weeks later sealed their elimination from playoff contention.
The 2014 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 85th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 81st as the Detroit Lions and the first under a new coaching staff led by head coach Jim Caldwell. The Lions suffered the passing of long-time owner William Clay Ford Sr., who died on March 9, 2014, at the age of 88, and wore patches with his initials on their jerseys in his honor. After the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Washington Redskins in Week 16, the Lions clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2011. They lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Game 24–20, ending their season. It was their eighth straight playoff loss, tying the Kansas City Chiefs for the longest postseason losing streak in NFL history.
The 2014 Green Bay Packers season was the franchise's 96th season overall, the 94th in the National Football League (NFL), and the ninth under head coach Mike McCarthy. The team tied with four other teams for a league-best 12 wins and 4 losses, while also adding a fourth consecutive NFC North division title. The club went undefeated at home for the first time since 2011. They also led the league in scoring, with 486 points, then the second-most in franchise history. It marked the first time since the 2009 season that the team had a 4,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers, and a 1,000-yard rusher.
The 2014 season was the New Orleans Saints' 48th in the National Football League (NFL), their 39th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their eighth under head coach Sean Payton.
The 2015 Green Bay Packers season was the franchise's 97th season overall, 95th in the National Football League (NFL), and the tenth under head coach Mike McCarthy. With a Week 15 win over the Oakland Raiders, the Green Bay Packers clinched a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive season, but they failed to win their fifth consecutive NFC North title after a Week 17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, the fifth-seeded Packers traveled to Washington to face the fourth-seeded Redskins in the wild-card round. They beat the Redskins 35–18, and then traveled to Arizona for a rematch against the second-seeded Arizona Cardinals, where the Packers' season ended as they lost to the Cardinals in overtime, 26–20. One highlight of the Packers' season was a stunning come-from-behind victory over their division rivals Detroit Lions, which resulted in a 61-yard game-winning Hail Mary pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to tight end Richard Rodgers II as time expired.
The 2015 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 55th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their second under head coach Mike Zimmer. It marked the last season in which the Vikings played their home games at the University of Minnesota's on-campus TCF Bank Stadium, before moving into U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in July 2016, located on the site of the now-demolished Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
The 2015 season was the St. Louis Rams' 78th in the National Football League (NFL), their fourth under head coach Jeff Fisher, and their 21st and final season in St. Louis, Missouri, their home since the 1995 season.
The 2016 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 56th in the National Football League (NFL) and their third under head coach Mike Zimmer. After starting the season with five consecutive wins prior to their bye week, the Vikings managed just three victories after the bye and were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16 with a 38–25 road loss to the Packers. They joined the 1978 Redskins, 1993 Saints, 2003 Vikings, 2009 Broncos, 2009 Giants and 2015 Falcons in missing the playoffs after starting 5–0 or better. The Vikings are the only NFL team to have more than once started 5–0 or better and missed the playoffs.
The 2017 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 57th in the National Football League (NFL), and their fourth under head coach Mike Zimmer. With the team's home stadium, U.S. Bank Stadium, scheduled to host Super Bowl LII at the end of the season, the Vikings attempted to make history as the first team to play the Super Bowl on their home field; in recording their best regular season record since 1998, they clinched a first-round bye for the first time since 2009 and became the eighth team in the Super Bowl era to qualify for the playoffs in a season in which their stadium hosted the Super Bowl. They defeated the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round 29–24 on a walk-off play referred to as the "Minneapolis Miracle", but lost 38–7 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
The 2018 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 58th in the National Football League (NFL), their third playing their home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their fifth under head coach Mike Zimmer.
The 2019 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 59th in the National Football League (NFL), their fourth playing home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their sixth under head coach Mike Zimmer. They improved on their 8–7–1 campaign from 2018 with a Week 14 win over the Detroit Lions, and returned to the playoffs following a one-year absence after the Los Angeles Rams lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16. That week, the Vikings were eliminated from contention for the NFC North division title, losing 23–10 to the Green Bay Packers. They defeated the New Orleans Saints 26–20 in overtime in the Wild Card round but lost 27–10 to the eventual NFC champion San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round.
The 2019 season was the New Orleans Saints' 53rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 44th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and their 13th under head coach Sean Payton.
The 2020 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 60th in the National Football League (NFL), their fifth playing home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their seventh under head coach Mike Zimmer. This was the Vikings' first time since 2005 that long-time assistant Kevin Stefanski was not part of the Vikings coaching staff, as he left to become the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns on January 12, 2020. After going 1–5 in their first six games for the first time since 2013, the team failed to improve upon their 10–6 record from 2019 after a Week 11 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and failed to match their 10–6 record after a Week 14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention following a week 16 loss to the New Orleans Saints, and ultimately finished 7–9, their first losing season since 2014. The Vikings conceded 475 points during the season, the third-highest total in franchise history, although they also managed to score 430 points, also the third-most in team history.
The 2020 season was the New Orleans Saints' 54th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 45th playing home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and their 14th under head coach Sean Payton. Although they failed to match their 13–3 records from 2018 and 2019, the Saints defended their NFC South title for the fourth consecutive year following a Week 16 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. After beating the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10, they won six straight games for the fourth consecutive season. With a Week 13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Saints clinched a franchise record fourth consecutive playoff appearance. After Week 17 victory over the division rival, Carolina Panthers, the Saints became the first NFC South member to sweep the division in its history. During the Wildcard round against the Chicago Bears of the 2020–21 NFL playoffs, the Saints made history as one of the first two teams to air in a post-season football game on Nickelodeon, a primarily children-related network. The Saints would defeat the Bears 21–9, advancing to the divisional round, where they were defeated by division rival and eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 30–20, despite having swept them in the regular season.
The 2021 season was the New York Giants' 97th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their second and final under head coach Joe Judge. They failed to improve on their 6–10 output from the previous season and missed the postseason for the fifth consecutive year after a Week 16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The 2022 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 62nd in the National Football League (NFL), their seventh playing home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their first under new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and new head coach Kevin O'Connell, following the firings of Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer at the end of the 2021 season.
The 2023 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 63rd in the National Football League (NFL), their eighth playing their home games at U.S. Bank Stadium and their second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Kevin O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.