Highlighted Year: Cris Carter, 1994

Wide Receiver, Minnesota Vikings

Age: 29 (Nov. 25)

8^th season in pro football, 5^th with Vikings

College: Ohio State

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 197

Prelude:

Carter caught 168 passes for 2725 yards (16.2 avg.) and 27 touchdowns in college, including 69 receptions for 1127 yards and 11 TDs in 1986, when he was a consensus first-team All-American. Declared ineligible for the 1987 season due to having signed a contract with an agent, he was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the ’87 NFL supplemental draft. He saw little action as a rookie but caught 39 passes for 761 yards (19.5 avg.) and six TDs in 1988 and scored 11 touchdowns among his 45 receptions for 605 yards in ’89. However, he had off-field substance abuse issues, clashed with Head Coach Buddy Ryan, and was waived in 1990. Picked up by the Vikings, Carter backed up wide receivers Anthony Carter (no relation) and Hassan Jones that year but had a 72-catch, 962-yard season in 1991. While missing four games due to a broken collar bone in ’92, Carter still led the club with 53 catches and in 1993 he caught 86 passes for 1071 yards and 9 TDs, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. Lacking speed, Carter provided height, excellent jumping ability, and reliable hands.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 122 [1]          

Most receptions, game – 14 (for 167 yds.) at Arizona 10/2

Yards – 1256 [7]

Most yards, game – 167 (on 14 catches) at Arizona 10/2

Average gain – 10.3

TDs – 7 [11, tied with four others]

100-yard receiving games – 5

Scoring

TDs – 7

2-pt conversions – 2 [4, tied with six others]

Points – 46

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff vs. Chicago)

Pass receptions – 8

Pass receiving yards – 61

Average yards per reception – 7.6

Pass Receiving TDs – 1

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-NFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Vikings went 10-6 to finish first in the NFC Central while leading the conference in passing yards (4324). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Chicago Bears (35-18).

Aftermath:

Carter’s record-breaking 1994 season was the second of eight in which he both exceeded a thousand pass receiving yards and was selected to the Pro Bowl. He matched his total of 122 catches in ’95, when he achieved career highs with 1371 yards and a league-leading 17 touchdowns – his first of five consecutive seasons reaching double figures in receiving TDs. Carter had 90 or more catches three more times and departed the Vikings after the 2001 season, having caught 1004 passes for 12,383 yards (12.3 avg.) and 110 TDs with Minnesota, all franchise highs. He finished up with the Miami Dolphins in 2002. Overall, Carter had 1101 pass receptions for 13,899 yards (12.6 avg.) and 130 TDs; the receptions and receiving TDs ranked second in NFL history at the time, and the yards placed fourth. He received first-team All-NFL honors twice, second-team All-NFL or All-NFC recognition after two other seasons, and was chosen to eight Pro Bowls. His #80 was retired by the Vikings and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2013.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1994: Marino & Dolphins Rally but Moon & Vikings Prevail

The Miami Dolphins were off to a 3-0 start as they traveled to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Vikings on September 25, 1994. Under the guidance of Head Coach Don Shula for the 25^th year, the Dolphins had a potent passing attack directed by 33-year-old QB Dan Marino, who was coming off an Achilles tendon injury that had sidelined him for most of ’93. However, the ground game was a different story and while the defense was effective against the run, injuries in the defensive backfield made the Dolphins vulnerable.

Minnesota, coached by Dennis Green, was 2-1 and also had a prolific veteran passer in QB Warren Moon (pictured above), who had been obtained from the Houston Oilers the previous offseason. Wide receivers Cris Carter and Jake Reed made for a good tandem and RB Terry Allen was back after missing all of ’93 due to a knee injury that required surgery. The tough defense had not given up more than 16 points in any of the first three games.

There were 64,035 fans in attendance at the Metrodome. Both teams went three-and-out to start the game. The Vikings then put together an 84-yard drive in eight plays. Terry Allen (pictured below) started it off with a 45-yard run to the Miami 39, and Warren Moon completed three passes, the last to Cris Carter for a two-yard touchdown. Fuad Reveiz added the extra point.

Another short Miami series ended with a punt and this time Minnesota advanced 66 yards in 10 plays. Moon completed five passes, three of them to Jake Reed for 13, 17, and 15 yards, and Allen capped the series with an eight-yard run for a TD. Reveiz converted to stake the Vikings to a 14-0 lead that they carried into the second quarter.

The Dolphins, who had been quiet on offense thus far, finally began to move the ball and Dan Marino threw to WR Irving Fryar for a 43-yard gain to the Minnesota 23. However, the drive bogged down at that point and the visitors came up empty when Pete Stoyanovich was wide to the left on a 40-yard field goal attempt.

The Vikings punted but got the ball back when LB Jack Del Rio intercepted a Marino pass to give them possession at their own 47. Minnesota made the most of the turnover, going 53 yards in five plays. The biggest was a pass from Moon to Carter that covered 44 yards for a touchdown. Reveiz again added the extra point.

Now down 21-0 midway through the second quarter, Marino filled the air with passes. A third-and-13 throw to WR Mike Williams picked up 15 yards and another third down toss was complete to Fryar for 17 yards to the Minnesota 45. But after getting down to the 28, the Dolphins again came up empty when Marino was picked off by DB Lamar McGriggs.

Now it was Minnesota’s turn to go to the air, and Moon hit on five passes, the longest to RB David Palmer for 39 yards to the Miami eight and, from there, the last was to Carter for a TD. It was 28-0 with less than a minute remaining in the half, but the Dolphins responded by taking advantage of a short kickoff and going 49 yards in three plays. Marino finally got Miami on the board with a throw to WR O.J. McDuffie for a 26-yard touchdown. The try for a two-point conversion failed (and starting RB Terry Kirby suffered a season-ending injury on the play), and the Vikings took a 28-6 lead into halftime.

The Dolphins had the first possession in the third quarter and Marino (pictured at right) completed six passes in an 11-play, 74-yard series that included a fourth-and-ten throw to Williams for 19 yards and concluded with a three-yard TD toss to TE Greg Baty. Marino then connected with Fryar for a two-point conversion that made the score 28-14.

On Minnesota’s next possession, Moon completed a pass to WR Qadray Ismail for 34 yards, but the Vikings came up empty when Reveiz was short on a 52-yard field goal attempt. They got the ball back when Del Rio again intercepted a Marino pass at his own 27. This time the Vikings went three-and-out and had to punt, and the Dolphins weren’t stopped this time. Marino started off with a pass to Fryar for 19 yards to get into Minnesota territory and, facing third-and-14 after being sacked by DE James Harris, he connected with FB Keith Byars for six yards and converted the resulting fourth down with a 15-yard completion to Fryar. Two plays later, Marino hit TE Keith Jackson for a 25-yard touchdown and, with Stoyanovich booting the extra point, the Dolphins were down by only 28-21 heading into the final period.

The Vikings reached midfield on their next series before having to punt, and Miami came surging back with a 76-yard drive in six plays. Marino had a 25-yard completion to Jackson, converted a third-and-ten play with a throw to Byars for the necessary 10 yards, and a pass interference penalty moved the ball to the Minnesota ten, from where RB Bernie Parmalee ran for a TD. Stoyanovich kicked the game-tying PAT to make the tally 28-28, capping a franchise-record rally.

There were still over ten minutes remaining in regulation as the Vikings regained possession, and Moon moved them quickly down the field with throws to Reed for 13 and 21 yards. From the Miami 36, Allen ran 30 yards up the middle and, two plays later, RB Scottie Graham rushed for a three-yard touchdown. Reveiz converted and the home team was back in front by 35-28.

Reveiz then squibbed the kickoff which was fumbled and LB Dave Garnett recovered for the Vikings at the Minnesota 49. With Graham running the ball, the Vikings reached the Miami 42 before a series of three penalties – the first on Miami, the last two on Minnesota – had them facing first-and-27 at the Miami 41. Moon threw two completions that covered 18 yards, Graham ran for three, and Reveiz kicked a 38-yard field goal to extend the lead to ten points.

The Dolphins appeared anything but done when McDuffie returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards to the Minnesota 49 with 3:37 to play. Marino passed to Byars for 11 yards and then Fryar for a big gain of 35 yards that, with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty added on, placed the ball on the two yard line. Parmalee was held to no gain on a running play, and then it was three straight passes, the last falling incomplete on fourth down to give the ball back to the Vikings.

A short series had Minnesota punting the ball back to the Dolphins, who started off at the 50 with the clock now down to 1:47. Once again Marino passed them down the field, and again it was a toss to Fryar that was good for a big gain of 31 yards to the Minnesota eight. This time Miami didn’t come up empty as Byars finished off the five-play, 50-yard drive with a one-yard scoring carry. Stoyanovich added the extra point to make it a three-point contest.

However, there was only a little over a minute remaining and, when the onside kick attempt was recovered by Minnesota WR Chris Walsh, the Vikings finally clinched a 38-35 win.

Miami, playing from behind for almost the entire game, led in total yards (473 to 458) and first downs (27 to 24). However, the Dolphins also turned the ball over four times, to none suffered by Minnesota, while the Vikings were penalized 10 times to just two flags thrown on Miami. Failing to come out on top after erasing the 28-point deficit cost the Dolphins a share of the NFL record for most points overcome to win a game.

Warren Moon completed 26 of 37 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Terry Allen ran for 113 yards and a TD on 15 carries. Jake Reed topped the Minnesota receivers with 9 catches for 127 yards and Cris Carter contributed 7 receptions for 81 yards and three scores. On defense, Jack Del Rio accounted for two interceptions.

For the Dolphins, Dan Marino was successful on 29 of 54 throws for 431 yards and three TDs as well as three interceptions. Keith Byars caught 10 of those passes for 79 yards and Irving Fryar (pictured below) gained 160 yards on 6 receptions. Bernie Parmalee topped the miniscule ground attack with 22 yards on six carries. Terry Kirby gained 13 yards on 9 attempts before being lost with torn knee ligaments.  

Minnesota lost the next week but then went on to win four straight on the way to topping the NFC Central with a 10-6 record. The Vikings lost to the division-rival Bears in the Wild Card playoff round. The Dolphins won the AFC East, also with a 10-6 tally, and reached the Divisional round of the postseason before being edged by San Diego.

Warren Moon led the NFC in pass attempts (601), completions (371), and yards (4264), although his interceptions (19) outnumbered his touchdown passes (18). He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the seventh straight year. Dan Marino came in ahead of Moon with 615 attempts, 385 completions, and 4453 yards, which all ranked second in the NFL to New England’s Drew Bledsoe. Marino led the AFC with 30 TD passes while giving up 17 interceptions. He received second-team All-NFL honors from the Associated Press as well as All-AFC and Pro Bowl recognition for the eighth time.

Cris Carter set a short-lived NFL record by catching 122 passes (Detroit’s Herman Moore broke it the following year). He gained 1256 yards (10.3 avg.), scored seven TDs, and was a consensus first-team All-NFL honoree as well as being chosen to the Pro Bowl for a second year in a row (of an eventual string of eight). Jake Reed ended up with a career-high 85 receptions for 1175 yards (13.8 avg.) and four scores. Terry Allen, successfully coming back from his severe injury, rushed for 1031 yards on 255 carries (4.0 avg.) and accumulated eight touchdowns.

Irving Fryar gained Pro Bowl recognition for the second consecutive year by catching 73 passes for 1270 yards (17.4 avg.) and seven TDs. Keith Byars went down with an injury nine weeks into the season, having caught 49 passes for 418 yards (8.5 avg.) and five touchdowns.

1997: Vikings Rally to Edge Giants in Wild Card Playoff Game

The NFC Wild Card Playoff game on December 27, 1997 featured the New York Giants, who had gone from last to first in the NFC East, against the visiting Minnesota Vikings, a team that had been to the postseason in four of the previous five years but had failed to win at that level in any of them.

Four of the five teams in the NFC Central had qualified for the playoffs in ’97, with the fourth-place Vikings having grabbed the final Wild Card slot. Under sixth-year Head Coach Dennis Green (pictured at right), the team had gotten off to an 8-2 start before losing five straight contests and just making it into the playoffs at 9-7. Oft-injured RB Robert Smith finally realized his potential with a rushing output of 1266 yards and wide receivers Cris Carter and Jake Reed were highly capable. QB Brad Johnson had played very well before suffering a season-ending neck injury, but veteran QB Randall Cunningham, back in the NFL after a year of retirement, filled in ably in his absence. The defense had a star in DT John Randle but was lacking elsewhere, in particular the backfield. Moreover, there was uncertainty regarding the possible sale of the team and Minnesota had yet to win a playoff game under Coach Green, who was not on the best terms with the current owners who were angered by comments made in his autobiography that was published during the season.

New York had a first-year head coach in Jim Fassel and had gone from 6-10 to 10-5-1. Second-year QB Danny Kanell took over the starting job from the disappointing Dave Brown with favorable, if far from spectacular, results. Versatile FB Charles Way was the team’s top rusher while rookie RB Tiki Barber was splitting time with Tyrone Wheatley. Chris Calloway was the most productive of the wide receivers. The defense had All-Pros in DE Michael Strahan, with his 14 sacks, and LB Jessie Armstead.

There were 77,497 fired-up fans in attendance on a snowy day at Giants Stadium – not a good situation for a team like that Vikings that played its home games in a domed stadium. The weather made it very difficult on both offenses throughout the contest. The teams traded punts until Randall Cunningham fumbled and DT Bernard Holsey recovered for the Giants at the Minnesota 23. New York lost ground from there but Brad Daluiso (pictured below) kicked a 43-yard field goal for the early lead.

No sooner did the Vikings get the ball back when Cunningham fumbled it away again, this time with Michael Strahan recovering at the Minnesota 46. The Giants had more success on offense this time, driving to the four yard line with the big play a completion by Danny Kanell to Charles Way for 27 yards. Still, they settled for another Daluiso field goal of 22 yards but took a 6-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Giants had possession as the game moved into the second quarter and this time drove 56 yards in seven plays to a touchdown. Kanell threw to Tiki Barber for 11 yards in a third-and-four situation at midfield and then passed to WR David Patten for a 37-yard gain to the Minnesota two. A running play lost a yard but Kanell connected with TE Aaron Pierce for the two-yard TD. Daluiso’s extra point made it 13-0 in favor of the home team.

After the teams again traded punts another turnover by the Vikings led to more New York points. Cunningham’s long pass was intercepted by CB Jason Sehorn, who returned it 36 yards to the Minnesota 47. The ensuing six-play, 23-yard series ended with a third Daluiso field goal, this time from 41 yards, that made the score 16-0.

The Vikings finally got a break on a turnover when, following a punt on a three-and-out possession, WR Amani Toomer fumbled and Minnesota got the ball at the New York 26. Cunningham threw to Cris Carter for 19 yards to the seven yard line, but the Vikings were unable to move the ball any further. 41-year-old Eddie Murray kicked a 26-yard field goal to get the visitors on the board.

With less than two minutes remaining in the half as the Giants got the ball again, the scoring was not yet over. New York, starting at the 40 thanks to Minnesota’s kickoff going out of bounds, put together a 10-play drive that gained 26 yards and led to Daluiso kicking a 51-yard field goal to make the halftime score 19-3. While the Giants hadn’t been overly impressive offensively in the first half, Minnesota had gained just 21 rushing yards and Cunningham (pictured at right) completed only 5 of 16 passes. In addition, Cunningham’s two fumbles and an interception all led to points for New York.

The Vikings had the first possession of the third quarter and had to punt, but a fumble by Barber gave them the ball again at the New York four. From there, RB Leroy Hoard ran for a touchdown that, with the point after, narrowed the margin for the Giants to 19-10.

Following a short possession by the Giants, Minnesota drove into New York territory on a series highlighted by a Cunningham pass to Jake Reed for 33 yards. However, Murray’s field goal attempt from 48 yards was unsuccessful. The Vikings got the ball back at their 40 after another short series for the Giants capped by a short punt by Brad Maynard. Minnesota advanced the ball 52 yards in 11 plays culminating in a Murray field goal from 26 yards early in the fourth quarter.

The Giants finally came back alive on offense as Kanell completed six passes, with one to Patten for 18 yards in a third-and-9 situation and the longest to Calloway for 21 yards. The 13-play, 74-yard drive reached the Minnesota five and Daluiso booted his fifth field goal of the day from 22 yards. It was a nine-point contest at 22-13 with just over seven minutes to go and things looked very favorable for the Giants.

After the teams traded punts, the Vikings, getting the ball back with the clock now down to 2:06, struck quickly following another short kick by Maynard. Cunningham connected with Reed for a 30-yard touchdown and Murray added the PAT to narrow the margin to two points. Minnesota successfully executed an onside kick that New York’s Calloway muffed and WR Chris Walsh recovered at his own 39.

Following a false start that moved the Vikings five yards farther back, Cunningham threw an incomplete pass but then hit TE Andrew Glover for 11 yards and Carter for 21 on a third down play. A pass interference penalty on the Giants advanced the ball to the New York 16 and Robert Smith gained 16 yards to set up a 24-yard field goal by Murray. In stunning fashion, the Vikings won by a score of 23-22.

It was the biggest comeback by a NFL road team in the postseason since 1972 and the first playoff win for the Vikings in nine years. Minnesota led in total yards (293 to 266) and first downs (16 to 13). Indeed, the Giants rushed for only 76 yards in 36 attempts, a factor in their inability to control the ball longer. The Vikings turned the ball over three times, all in the first half, to two for New York.

Randall Cunningham, who had such great difficulty in the first half, completed 15 of 36 passes for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception and also rushed for 38 yards on 7 carries. Cris Carter had 6 catches for 83 yards and Jake Reed (pictured below) gained 89 yards and scored a TD on his 5 receptions. Robert Smith rushed for 40 yards on 16 attempts.

For the Giants, Danny Kanell was successful on 16 of 32 throws for 199 yards with a TD and none intercepted. Chris Calloway caught 6 passes for 53 yards while David Patten gained 86 yards on his 5 receptions. Brad Daluiso was a key performer with his five field goals in as many attempts.

“It was amazing how things unfolded for us at the end,” said Minnesota’s John Randle. “I’ve never been in a game where we’ve come back like this.”

The first win for the Vikings under Dennis Green didn’t lead immediately to a second – they were badly beaten by the 49ers the following week in the Divisional round. With Green still coaching the team, they surged to 15-1 in 1998 and made it to the NFC Championship game. New York fell back to 8-8 in ’98 and didn’t return to the postseason until 2000. By that time, Danny Kanell and Chris Calloway were long gone but Tiki Barber and Amani Toomer had become prominent contributors.

1999: Favre’s Fourth-Down TD Pass Gives Packers Win Over Vikings

Some things had changed for the Green Bay Packers as they entered the 1999 NFL season. Most notably, Head Coach Mike Holmgren had departed for Seattle and was replaced by Ray Rhodes, once the team’s defensive coordinator and most recently the coach of the Eagles. All-time great DE Reggie White had retired following a 16-sack season at age 37. But 30-year-old QB Brett Favre (pictured at right), a three-time league MVP, was still behind center and the key to an offense that also included RB Dorsey Levens and WR Antonio Freeman.

The Packers had gone 11-5 in ’98 and split their first two games in 1999 before hosting the Minnesota Vikings on September 26 at Lambeau Field. The Vikings, coached by Dennis Green, were coming off of a brilliant 15-1 season in 1998 that ended up with an overtime loss to Atlanta in the NFC Championship game. QB Randall Cunningham made a spectacular comeback after a year of retirement followed by a season on the bench, and rookie WR Randy Moss was equally impressive in tandem with veteran Cris Carter. They had beaten the Falcons by three points in the opening game of ‘99 but had lost to Oakland the previous week.

Minnesota scored on its first possession of the game, driving 94 yards in 14 plays that ended with RB Leroy Hoard running for a two-yard touchdown. Along the way, Cunningham completed passes of 23 and 27 yards to Carter.

The Packers responded with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that was capped early in the second quarter by a 28-yard Ryan Longwell field goal. Favre, who accounted for 61 of those yards with five pass completions, connected with Freeman for 12 yards on a third-and-seven play and on a 37-yard pass play to WR Bill Schroeder that put the ball on the Minnesota four.

Midway through the period, Cunningham threw a pass intended for Moss, who was being triple-covered, and DB Antuan Edwards (the first of three rookie defensive backs drafted by the Packers with Minnesota’s passing game in mind) intercepted and returned it for a 26-yard touchdown, putting Green Bay ahead at 10-7. However, inside the last minute before halftime, Gary Anderson evened the score at 10-10 with a 34-yard field goal that was set up by a pass interference call on Edwards, a two-yard run by RB Moe Williams on a fourth-and-one play, and an 18-yard Cunningham completion to WR Jake Reed in a third-and-nine situation to the Packers’ 24.

The Vikings started off the second half with a 13-play possession that went 61 yards. Cunningham completed a six-yard pass to RB David Palmer on a third-and-five play and converted a fourth-and-one situation with a five-yard run to the Green Bay 40. The drive ended with a 22-yard Anderson field goal that put Minnesota back in front at 13-10. The Packers responded with a long drive of their own. Favre completed four of his eight passes, including two that converted third downs, along the way as Green Bay’s offense went 66 yards in 14 plays for a game-tying 35-yard field goal by Longwell.

Less than five minutes into the fourth quarter, Longwell put the Packers in the lead with a 34-yard field goal to cap a 13-play possession. The Minnesota passing game, which had devastated Green Bay in both meetings in ’98, had been well-defensed this time. Randy Moss had caught just one pass for three yards thus far.

But as the game edged down to the final two minutes, the Vikings went 80 yards in just five plays. Cunningham completed a 50-yard pass to Reed to the Green Bay 28. RB Robert Smith ran for 11 yards, and then Moss caught a pass between FS Darren Sharper and CB Tyrone Williams in the middle of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. With the successful extra point, Minnesota was up by 20-16 and it appeared that the Cunningham-to-Moss combination had once again done in the Packers.

Taking possession at the Green Bay 23 yard line, Favre fired a pass down the middle to WR Corey Bradford for a 22-yard gain and followed with short throws to Levens that got the ball to the Minnesota 32. An incompletion was followed by a six-yard pass to Schroeder with the clock now down to 43 seconds. The Packers took their last timeout and Favre again threw to Levens, who gained just three yards – not only was it too short for a first down, but he failed to get out of bounds.

Moving quickly up to the line without time to huddle on a fourth-and-one play, Favre took the snap, pump-faked to his right, and instead of looking for a short sideline pass to get a first down and stop the clock, went to Bradford down the middle. The wide receiver caught the pass, ran past CB Jimmy Hitchcock, and scored a 23-yard touchdown that sent the home crowd into delirium.

With the exhausted Favre getting oxygen on the sideline, the Vikings had time for just one play, which was a long “Hail Mary” pass by Cunningham that was intercepted by Edwards at the Green Bay five yard line to nail down the stunning 23-20 win for the Packers.

Green Bay outgained the Vikings (360 yards to 328) but Minnesota had the edge in first downs (21 to 20). Neither team was particularly effective on the ground, with the Vikings rushing for 97 yards on 29 attempts and the Packers running the ball 22 times for 71 yards. Green Bay also didn’t turn the ball over at all, while the Vikings did so twice.


Brett Favre completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards and the one touchdown. Dorsey Levens gained just 49 yards on 18 carries but also caught a team-leading 9 passes that gained another 84 yards. Bill Schroeder (pictured at left) accumulated 85 yards on his 5 catches and Corey Bradford had four receptions for 72 yards and the game-winning TD.

For the Vikings, Randall Cunningham went to the air 32 times and completed 18 of those passes for 244 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Jake Reed caught 6 passes for 108 yards while Cris Carter contributed 4 receptions for 85 yards. Randy Moss ended up with just two catches for 13 yards and the one TD. Robert Smith was the leading rusher with 85 yards on 21 carries.

“That was close to a miracle, if not a miracle,” said Ray Rhodes afterward.

Despite the thrilling win over the Vikings, the Packers remained an inconsistent team, finishing at 8-8 and in fourth place in the NFC Central, although still nearly qualifying for a wild card spot in the playoffs (two other .500 teams, the Cowboys and Lions, beat them out based on tiebreakers). Minnesota did go to the playoffs, ending up in second place in the division with a 10-6 record and the top wild card slot. The Vikings defeated Dallas in the Wild Card round and lost to the eventual-champion Rams at the Divisional level.

Brett Favre’s statistics reflected his team’s struggles and his own as he dealt with an injured thumb on his passing hand. He led the NFL in pass attempts (595), ranked second in completions (341) as well as interceptions (23), which outnumbered his TD passes (22). While his 4091 yards through the air placed fourth, his completion percentage of 57.3 was his lowest since becoming a starting quarterback in 1992.

Randall Cunningham (pictured below) had a far more disappointing season. Coming off an MVP year in 1998, he lost his starting job to Jeff George and threw for just 1475 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. It marked the end of his three-year tenure in Minnesota.

Cris Carter and Randy Moss were still top receivers, however. Carter caught 90 passes for 1241 yards (13.8 avg.) and 13 touchdowns and was a consensus first-team All-Pro selection as well as Pro Bowl choice. Moss, in his second year, had 80 catches for 1413 yards (17.7 avg.) and 11 TDs and also was chosen for the Pro Bowl.

1994: Vikings Prevail Over Bears with Moon-to-Carter TD in Overtime

The Minnesota Vikings had obtained 37-year-old QB Warren Moon (pictured at right) from the Houston Oilers after the 1993 season, with the hope that, having fallen short in the postseason in 1992 and ’93, the addition of the prolific passer would take them deeper into the playoffs. For sure, the addition of Moon, who had been operating in a pass-heavy run-and-shoot offense in Houston, changed the complexion of the offense and Head Coach Dennis Green’s team got off to a 7-2 start in ’94. But coming into the December 1 game against the Chicago Bears, the Vikings had lost three straight and were 7-5.

The Bears, under second-year Head Coach Dave Wannstedt, had won four consecutive games and were 8-4, putting them ahead of Minnesota in the NFC Central division. QB Erik Kramer had been brought in as a free agent to direct the offense, but struggled when he wasn’t injured. Fifth-year veteran Steve Walsh had been effective in his place – a career backup with a notoriously weak arm, he was also a smart game manager who could be effective in a conservative offense. Chicago was a team of no-names, but it was in the thick of the playoff race and had not lost with Walsh starting at quarterback.

There were 61,483 fans for the Thursday night game at the Metrodome. Things started off well for the Vikings when, on the game’s third play from scrimmage, CB Dewayne Washington intercepted a Walsh pass and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown. The Bears came right back, however, driving 67 yards in nine plays with Walsh throwing to RB Robert Green for a 39-yard TD to tie the score at 7-7.

The teams traded punts until midway through the second quarter when Fuad Reveiz kicked a 45-yard field goal that put the Vikings ahead again at 10-7. After LB Ashley Sheppard recovered a Walsh fumble with just under two minutes left in the half, Minnesota put more points on the board as Reveiz booted a 41-yard field goal on the last play of the half. It was 13-7 in favor of the Vikings at the intermission.

Minnesota went three-and-out in the first possession of the third quarter, and the ensuing punt was returned 60 yards for a touchdown by WR Jeff Graham. With the successful extra point, the Bears were in front for the first time at 14-13. The Vikings responded by driving 55 yards in 10 plays, and Reveiz kicked his third field goal, of 29 yards, to put Minnesota back in the lead at 16-14.

Chicago came back to score again. An 11-play, 64-yard drive that was highlighted by a 30-yard pass completion from Walsh to WR Greg McMurtry resulted in a 29-yard field goal by Kevin Butler and renewed lead of 17-16. That one-point margin expanded quickly when Minnesota WR Qadry Ismail fumbled the kickoff return and LB Barry Minter recovered for the Bears at the Vikings’ 33 yard line. Three plays later Walsh passed to McMurtry for a 15-yard touchdown and Chicago had a 24-16 lead after three quarters.

Early in the fourth quarter, Reveiz kicked a fourth field goal for the Vikings, from 38 yards, to narrow the score to 24-19. The teams traded punts, but a fumble by Bears RB Lewis Tillman gave Minnesota the ball at the Chicago 15 yard line. The Vikings capitalized when Moon tossed a one-yard touchdown pass to WR Cris Carter. Following a successful two-point conversion on a Moon pass to TE Andrew Jordan, Minnesota was back in front at 27-24.

Still, the Bears came back as WR Nate Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards and Butler tied the game just after the two-minute warning on a 33-yard field goal. Both teams had opportunities to win in regulation, but after trading punts, a long bomb by Moon was intercepted by CB Donnell Woolford at the Chicago three yard line.

The Bears won the toss in the overtime period and appeared set to win as they drove to the Minnesota 22 in nine plays. But Butler’s 40-yard field goal attempt was wide to the left, and two plays later Moon connected with Carter for a 65-yard touchdown that produced a 33-27 win for the Vikings.


Minnesota outgained the Bears, 385 yards to 312, and had 21 first downs to Chicago’s 15. Warren Moon completed 27 of 48 passes for 306 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Cris Carter (pictured at left) caught 9 passes for 124 yards and two TDs. RB Terry Allen gained 74 yards rushing on 18 carries.

For the Bears, Steve Walsh was successful on 24 of 33 passes for 233 yards with two TDs and one picked off. Robert Green led the receivers with 6 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield, and ran the ball three times for 15 more yards. Lewis Tillman led the running attack with just 49 yards on 21 attempts.

Minnesota went on to place first in the NFC Central with a 10-6 record while the 9-7 Bears, along with Green Bay and Detroit, made it into the playoffs as a wild card team (officially, due to tiebreakers, they finished fourth in the division). Chicago had lost both of its games against the Vikings during the season, but avenged the losses in the Wild Card playoff by a score of 35-18. The Bears lost to the 49ers in the Divisional playoff game.

Warren Moon became the first 4000-yard passer in Vikings history, with an NFC-leading 4264. However, while he threw 18 touchdown passes, he also ranked second in the league with 19 interceptions.

Cris Carter set a new NFL record with 122 pass receptions and ranked seventh in the NFL in receiving yards with 1256. While he would duplicate the pass receiving total in ’95, Detroit’s Herman Moore broke the record with 123 catches.

Steve Walsh (pictured below) went 8-3 as the starting quarterback for the Bears, and while Moon outranked him in the passing rankings (79.9 to 77.9), Walsh had the lower interception percentage (2.3 to 3.2). However, he threw just 10 TD passes to his 8 interceptions and averaged a lowly 6.1 yards per attempt. He went back on the bench in ’95 and started a total of three games (all in 1996 with the Rams) in the remaining five years of his career.

1999: Falcons Stun Vikings in Overtime for NFC Championship

The 1998 Minnesota Vikings certainly appeared to be a championship team in the making as they rode a powerful offense to a 15-1 record that easily topped the NFC Central and set a mark with 556 points scored along the way (since topped by the 2007 Patriots). Head Coach Dennis Green’s team had benefited from the revival of 36-year-old QB Randall Cunningham’s career; after a year’s retirement and a season as a backup, he took over for the injured Brad Johnson and proceeded to lead the NFL in passing, with 3704 yards and 34 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions. He had outstanding targets in veteran WR Cris Carter (78 catches, 1011 yards) and rookie sensation Randy Moss (69 receptions, 1313 yards, and a rookie-record 17 TD catches) at the other wide receiver spot. RB Robert Smith accounted for 1187 rushing yards as well.


The Vikings easily disposed of the upstart Arizona Cardinals in the Divisional round and hosted the Atlanta Falcons at the Metrodome on January 17, 1999 for the NFC Championship.

The Falcons had won the NFC West with a 14-2 tally under Head Coach Dan Reeves. They didn’t dazzle in the ways that Minnesota did, with a run-oriented offense keyed by RB Jamal Anderson (1846 yards). Veteran QB Chris Chandler had a steady season in which he achieved career highs in passing yards (3154) and touchdown passes (25) as well as a 100.9 passer rating. Wide receivers Terance Mathis and Tony Martin both had over 60 catches and 1100 yards. The defense was unspectacular but opportunistic, leading the league in takeaways (44). Atlanta defeated the 49ers in the Divisional round to move to the NFC Championship game, where they were an 11-point underdog.

The Falcons scored on their first possession, marching 76 yards in 15 plays and getting a touchdown on a five-yard pass from Chandler to Anderson. Minnesota came right back with a 31-yard TD pass from Cunningham to Moss, evening the score at 7-7 after one quarter. The Vikings appeared to take control of the game in the second quarter, taking advantage of fumbles by Atlanta RB Harold Green and TE O.J. Santiago as they added two field goals by Gary Anderson and a one-yard touchdown run by Cunningham for a 20-7 lead.

Momentum shifted back to the Falcons late in the second quarter, however, when Cunningham fumbled the ball away. Chandler threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Mathis on the first play after the turnover and the deficit was cut to 20-14 at the half.

Atlanta pulled closer in the third quarter thanks to a 27-yard Morten Andersen field goal. But the Vikings got on the board again early in the fourth quarter after a 15-play, 82 yard drive that ended with a 5-yard TD pass from Cunningham to WR Matthew Hatchette.

The Falcons came back quickly thanks to Chandler’s 70-yard pass to Martin that set up a 24-yard Andersen field goal. The Minnesota offense stalled in its next two possessions, but when they went 55 yards to set up a potentially game-clinching field goal with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, it appeared that they were on the way to the Super Bowl. However, Gary Anderson, who had not missed any of his 35 field goal attempts during the season or his four thus far in the postseason, was wide to the left on the 38-yard attempt.

Atlanta’s offense had shown great poise throughout the game, particularly in the loud Metrodome venue, and with the Vikings fans in full roar, proceeded to drive 71 yards in eight plays that culminated in Chandler’s 27-yard pass to Mathis that tied the score at 27-27 and sent the contest into overtime (pictured at top).

Minnesota received the kickoff in “sudden death”, but in two possessions was unable to effectively move the ball. Mitch Berger punted 52 yards to the Atlanta nine yard line after the second possession. Chandler, now limping from an ankle injury, provided more heroics as he hit Santiago on passes of 15 and 26 yards to move the Falcons to the Minnesota 48. The offense drove the ball in deliberate fashion down to the Vikings 21, and Morten Andersen kicked a 38-yard field goal (pictured at bottom) to give Atlanta a 30-27 win and the conference title.


The Falcons offense accounted for 427 yards to Minnesota’s 356 in the stunning victory. Chris Chandler (pictured at left) had an outstanding performance as he completed 27 of 43 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Tony Martin gained 129 yards on 5 pass receptions, while Terance Mathis caught 6 passes for 73 yards and two scores and Jamal Anderson, who also led the running attack with 67 yards on 23 carries, also caught 6 passes, for 33 yards and a TD.

Randall Cunningham (pictured above right) completed 29 of his 48 passes for 266 yards and two TDs, also having none picked off. Randy Moss and Cris Carter both caught 6 passes, with Moss gaining 75 yards and scoring once, and Carter accumulating 67 yards. Robert Smith rushed 21 times for 71 yards against the tough Falcon defense.

Afterward, many of the comments pertained to the shocking missed field goal attempt by Gary Anderson. “There's no such thing as a guarantee in football in any way, shape or form,” said Coach Dennis Green. “We had such tremendous expectations. That makes it ten times more disappointing,” added Anderson, who had not only had an outstanding season prior to the miss but was one of the great placekickers in NFL history over the course of his long career (the same could be said of Atlanta’s Morten Andersen).

Jubilant Atlanta LB Jessie Tuggle, leader of the defensive unit that performed so well, exclaimed, “We shocked the world! No one thought we would be where we are right now, playing in the NFC Championship. But not only did we come here to play in it, we came here to win it.”

The jubilation failed to extend into the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos – the Falcons lost convincingly, 34-19. They dropped to 5-11 in 1999 and didn’t return to the playoffs until the 2002 season.

The stunning loss in the ’98 NFC Championship game cast a pall over what had arguably been the Minnesota franchise’s greatest season. The Vikings were back in ’99, but the team wasn’t as dominating and made it into the postseason as a wild card, losing in the Divisional round.

1995: Young to Rice Leads 49ers Over Vikings

The Monday night matchup at San Francisco’s 3Com Park on December 18, 1995 promised to be a good one. The host 49ers, defending league champions, were 10-4 and leading the NFC West by two games, while the visiting Minnesota Vikings had an 8-6 record and were fighting for a playoff spot.

San Francisco started fast, with three first quarter touchdowns. QB Steve Young hit WR Jerry Rice for an eight-yard score, although the PAT attempt failed. RB Dexter Carter returned a punt 78 yards for a TD, and RB Derek Loville ran for a successful two-point conversion. It was Young to Rice again, this time on a 46-yard pass play that staked the 49ers to a 21-0 lead.

The Vikings fought back in the second quarter. Placekicker Fuad Reveiz got them on the board with a 29-yard field goal, and then QB Warren Moon threw a six-yard scoring pass to WR Cris Carter that cut the 49ers margin to 21-10. With just over six minutes left in the half, Rice scored for the third time on a Young pass play that covered 31 yards (for the second time, the extra point attempt failed). Minnesota got a break with a 42-yard return of an interception by CB Donald Frank that set up Moon’s second TD pass of the game, again to Carter for two yards. When Reveiz hit on a 43-yard field goal as time ran out, the San Francisco lead was just seven points (27-20).

Once again in the third quarter the Vikings got a break thanks to the defense as they recovered a fumble by the 49ers on the San Francisco 19 yard line. A six-yard Moon touchdown pass to WR Jake Reed evened the score at 27-27. The 49ers roared back on a 67-yard drive highlighted by a 41-yard Young to Rice pass play and regained the lead with a 20-yard Jeff Wilkins field goal.


It was Young and Rice figuring prominently on the 80-yard fourth quarter drive that, in effect, put the game away for the Niners. Rice caught two passes totaling 62 yards, and Young ran in from five yards out for the touchdown. While Reveiz kicked one more field goal for the Vikings, the game ended up a 37-30 win for San Francisco.

Young put up big passing numbers, accumulating 425 yards while completing 30 of 49 passes that included three TDs and two interceptions. Rice was the chief target, catching 14 passes for a career-high 289 yards (a Monday Night Football record), with three touchdowns. The running game had been negligible – the 49ers gained a total of just 43 yards on 23 carries, with Loville leading the way at 21 yards on 12 attempts.

Minnesota’s Moon couldn’t keep pace, completing 22 of 39 passes for 224 yards with three touchdowns and none picked off. Carter was his top receiver, catching 12 passes for 88 yards and the two scores. The Vikings weren’t much better running the ball, with 75 yards on 18 attempts; RB Amp Lee led all runners with 44 yards on five carries, with a 24-yard gain assisting his total.

San Francisco lost the season finale the next week to end at 11-5 and at the top of the division. However, they didn’t repeat as champions - while they won in the wild card round over Philadelphia, they lost the ensuing divisional playoff to the Green Bay Packers. Minnesota lost in the last week as well to finish at 8-8 and in fourth place in the NFC Central Division.

Steve Young missed five games during the season, but still threw for 3200 yards and led the NFL in completion percentage (66.9); however, for the only time in the seven years from 1991 through ’97, he failed to lead the NFL in passing. Jerry Rice caught a career-high 122 passes, placing him one behind the league leader, Detroit’s Herman Moore. He had his tenth consecutive thousand-yard receiving season while setting a league record with 1848 yards (for a per-game average of 115.5 yards; he averaged 15.5 yards per catch). He also reached double figures in touchdown receptions (15) for the seventh straight year and tenth time in 11 seasons. Rice was a consensus 1st team All-NFL selection for the ninth time; he and Young both went to the Pro Bowl.

On the other side, the passing combination of Warren Moon to Cris Carter had a pretty good year, too. The 39-year-old Moon, in his last season with Minnesota, led the league in passing attempts (377) and accumulated 4228 yards (his fourth – and last – NFL 4000-yard passing season) with 33 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. Carter had his second consecutive 122-reception season, tying him with Rice behind Moore, with 1371 yards and a league-leading 17 scoring receptions. Like Young and Rice, they both were Pro Bowl selections.