The Minnesota Vikings could also be recognized for dropping in all 4 of their Super Bowl appearances. But they’ve additionally performed in a few of the most well-known video games in league historical past, together with on Saturday, once they roared again from a document 33-point deficit in the second half to beat the Indianapolis Colts, 39-36, in additional time.
The Vikings surpassed the earlier document comeback set by the Buffalo Bills in 1993, who overcame a 32-point deficit to beat the Houston Oilers in additional time.
The Vikings, who clinched the N.F.C. North with the victory, secured the win when kicker Greg Joseph’s 40-yard discipline purpose break up the uprights with seconds remaining in additional time. The Vikings (11-3) have now received 10 of their video games by one rating, and none in extra dramatic style than on Saturday.
The Indianapolis-Minnesota showdown was purported to be the sleepiest of the three N.F.L. video games on Saturday, with the groups six wins aside in the standings. But the frantic end was one other reminder that even seemingly irrelevant video games in the nation’s hottest league can produce a few of the most compelling outcomes.
It could also be a cliché, however the sport was actually two video games. The Colts (4-9-1), who’ve endured teaching and quarterback turmoil all season, regarded like a playoff-bound group in the primary half. They returned one blocked punt for a landing and returned an interception for one other rating. Quarterback Matt Ryan threw a 1-yard landing cross to Deon Jackson as properly.
Heading into halftime, the Vikings regarded like they have been going to soak up their second blowout loss in their previous 5 video games.
Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell said that at halftime, cornerback Patrick Peterson stated, “All we need is five touchdowns.”
The Vikings did that with a method that has labored all season: Let quarterback Kirk Cousins throw the ball. About halfway via the third quarter, Cousins hit receiver Ok.J. Osborn for a 2-yard rating for the Vikings’ first factors. After the Colts added a discipline purpose to push their result in 36-7, the Vikings added one other landing on a 1-yard run by C.J. Ham with simply over a minute remaining in the quarter.
The Colts’ offense repeatedly stalled, permitting Cousins and the Vikings time to maintain chipping away at their deficit. Cousins threw an 8-yard rating to receiver Justin Jefferson — the league’s main receiver — early in the fourth quarter to slender the hole to 36-21 after the additional level.
Cousins was intercepted, however the Colts couldn’t convert the turnover into factors. The Vikings got here again but once more when Cousins threw a 1-yard cross to receiver Adam Thielen to slender the Colts’ result in 8 factors after one other profitable additional level.
On the next drive, the Vikings appeared to tie the sport when cornerback Chandon Sullivan snagged a fumble and bumped into the top zone. But the officers had dominated that the runner was down by contact. Though a evaluation confirmed that the runner had fumbled the ball and Sullivan had recovered it, Minnesota was not awarded the landing. The Vikings took over, however their drive stalled.
The Colts appeared in good place to expire the clock, however Ryan didn’t convert a quarterback sneak on fourth down, giving the Vikings one other shot with simply over two minutes remaining.
“We would have closed the game out and ended the game,” Colts Coach Jeff Saturday stated after the sport. “I’m in. Everybody’s in. We didn’t convert.”
Ryan’s incapacity to seize a primary down was harking back to Super Bowl LI, when he and the Falcons didn’t convert a primary down that allowed the New England Patriots to erase a 28-3 deficit, the biggest comeback in Super Bowl historical past.
After the Vikings took over with simply over two minutes remaining, working again Dalvin Cook sprinted 64 yards for a rating. Cousins then hit tight finish T.J. Hockenson for a two-point conversion to tie the sport. In all, Cousins was 34 for 54 for 460 yards, with 417 yards accumulated after halftime.
It wasn’t fairly the “Minneapolis Miracle” — when the Vikings beat the New Orleans Saints on a Stefon Diggs landing as time expired in a 2018 playoff sport — however it was thrilling nonetheless.
After the sport, Cousins stated that he thought Peterson was “being sarcastic” when he referred to as for 5 touchdowns. But, in the top, he was pleased to create a miracle of his personal.
Discussion about this post