Following a strike-interrupted regular season, two teams
with 5-4 records met in a NFC First Round playoff game in Minneapolis on January
9, 1983. The 57-day work stoppage had limited the 1982 NFL season to nine
games, resulting in the league eliminating divisions and having the top eight
clubs in each conference make the playoffs. Minnesota was the fourth seeded
team and Atlanta ranked fifth.
While the Vikings were coached by Bud Grant for the 16th
season, there was a significant change in terms of venue. Rather than being a
rugged outdoor team that made the most of cold conditions at old Metropolitan
Stadium, especially in the postseason, Minnesota had moved into the domed
confines of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, which took the elements out of
the equation. Still, they had won four of their five games at the new stadium.
QB Tommy Kramer provided emotional leadership as well as passing ability and FB
Ted Brown (pictured above) paced the ground attack. Star DE Doug Martin had been joined by NT
Charlie Johnson, who was obtained from the Eagles, and LB Matt Blair had a Pro
Bowl year.
The Falcons, under Head Coach Leeman Bennett, seemed to
be going in the wrong direction. They were an inconsistent team that had been
badly beaten in each of their last two regular season games with the offense struggling
in particular, having managed just one touchdown in those two contests. QB
Steve Bartkowski was a classic dropback passer with a strong and accurate arm,
but the deep passing game was lacking. However, RB William Andrews was
outstanding at both running the ball and catching out of the backfield. The
linebacking corps was the strength of the defense, but ILB Buddy Curry was out
for the playoff game with a knee injury.
There were 60,560 fans in attendance for the first
postseason game at the Metrodome. The Falcons scored at just over a minute into
the game when the Vikings were forced to punt following their first series.
Punter Greg Coleman fumbled the snap and, while he got the kick off, it was
blocked by LB Paul Davis. DE Doug Rogers recovered the ball in the end zone for
an Atlanta touchdown. Mick Luckhurst kicked the extra point and the visitors
had an early 7-0 lead.
Late in the first period, the Vikings benefited from a
25-yard pass interference call on FS Tom Pridemore. It set up a 33-yard field
goal by Rick Danmeier that finished off a 33-yard drive in six plays and the
score was 7-3 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Vikings drove 82 yards in
seven plays to put more points on the board. HB Darrin Nelson had a 14-yard run
and Tommy Kramer connected with WR Sammy White for a 25-yard gain. The series
ended with Kramer again throwing to White for an 11-yard touchdown. Danmeier’s
extra point put Minnesota ahead by three.
Down by 10-7, a promising drive by the Falcons came up
empty when FS John Turner intercepted a Bartkowski pass at the Minnesota two
and returned it 17 yards.
Minnesota added to its lead with a 30-yard Danmeier field
goal in the last 30 seconds before the end of the half that capped a four-play
series and made the score 13-7. It was set up by a 20-yard punt return by DB
Rufus Bess and helped along by Ted Brown’s 14-yard run.
It had been a rough first half for both clubs. Bartkowski
had only three pass completion against the tough Minnesota defense, which
pressured him relentlessly. Meanwhile, the Vikings had injury problems as Ted
Brown missed time with a sore shoulder and John Turner hurt his ankle to the
extent that he was carried off the field and taken to a hospital for x-rays, although
both returned to make big plays in the second half.
In the third quarter, Atlanta finally put together a
solid drive, with Bartkowski completing three passes, including one for 25
yards to WR Floyd Hodge and another to WR Alfred Jenkins that picked up 22
yards. The series reached the Minnesota 17 before stalling and the Falcons
lined up for a field goal attempt. However, QB Mike Moroski, the holder, took
the snap and sprinted around right end, lateraling to PK Mick Luckhurst (pictured below), who
ran the last 17 yards for a touchdown. It was the Englishman’s only
career rushing attempt and capped an eight-play, 71-yard possession.
Two minutes later, SS Bob Glazebrook intercepted a Kramer
pass at the Minnesota 35 and returned it for a touchdown. Despite their woes on
offense, the Falcons were ahead by eight points at 21-13.
Minnesota drove to another score before the third quarter
was over, going 70 yards in 13 plays, ending with a 39-yard Danmeier field
goal. Along the way, an offside penalty in a third-and-four situation gave the
Vikings a first down and Kramer completed a pass to TE Joe Senser for 18 yards.
The Falcons had to punt on their next series and, as the
contest entered the fourth quarter, Minnesota responded with a ten-play possession
that advanced 61 yards. Brown converted a fourth-and-inches situation with a
three-yard run and Kramer completed a pass to WR Sam McCullum for 15 yards. The
drive ended with Kramer throwing to WR Sam McCullum for an 11-yard TD and
Danmeier again added the PAT to put the Vikings up by two at 23-21.
The Falcons moved back in front thanks to a 50-yard,
seven-play drive that concluded with a 41-yard Luckhurst field goal with 6:45
left in regulation to make it 24-23. The big play was a Bartkowski pass to Jenkins
that picked up 30 yards.
The Vikings, taking over with six minutes left in the
game, put together a 72-yard drive. Ted Brown was the key player, running for
gains of 11 and 10 yards along the way. In addition, Kramer threw to WR Terry
LeCount for 19 yards. Brown finished off the series with a five-yard carry that
was helped along by a block thrown by HB Rickey Young. The TD put the Vikings
in front once more with 1:44 remaining.
There was still time for the Falcons to respond, but
after advancing to the Minnesota 45, a pass by Bartkowski was intercepted by
Turner to seal the win with 57 seconds left on the clock. The Vikings came out
on top by a final score of 30-24.
Atlanta’s offense failed to score a touchdown, and the
Vikings easily outgained the Falcons by 378 yards to 235. Minnesota also had an
edge of 30 to 24 in first downs. The Vikings registered the game’s only three
sacks and forced two Atlanta turnovers, to one for Minnesota. There were a
total of 17 penalties, with the Vikings flagged 10 times at a cost of 84 yards.
Tommy Kramer completed 20 of 34 passes for 253 yards and
a touchdown, also giving up an interception. Ted Brown ran for 81 yards and a
TD on 23 carries. Joe Senser had 6 catches for 81 yards to lead the team’s
receivers. Defensively, John Turner contributed two interceptions, with a trip
to the hospital in between.
For the Falcons, Steve Bartkowski was successful on only
9 of 23 throws for 134 yards and no TDs while tossing two interceptions.
William Andrews had 48 yards on 11 attempts and rookie RB Gerald Riggs added 38
yards on 9 carries and was one of three Atlanta receivers who led the club with
two catches apiece, gaining 16 yards. Alfred Jenkins had 52 yards on his two
receptions and Floyd Hodge gained 29 on his.
“It shows what we can do, but I sure don’t like to have
to do it every week,” said Tommy Kramer. “We gave them 14 points. They really
shouldn’t have been in the game.”
“We got beat today by a defensive football team that I
thought whipped our offensive football team,” said Atlanta’s Coach Bennett. “I
thought our offense left a lot to be desired.”
The Vikings went on to play Washington in the second
round and lost 21-7. They dropped to 8-8 in 1983 and went into a period of
decline, not returning to the postseason again until 1987. As for the Falcons,
the loss to Minnesota proved to be the end for Leeman Bennett, who was fired
and replaced by Dan Henning. They had an even longer period in the doldrums, not
reaching the playoffs again until 1991.
