The Minnesota Vikings are NFC North champs!! I couldn’t be more impressed with the no quit in this team. Down at the half 33-0 and they turn around and win 39-36. This week I’m going to look at the tale of two halves.
In the first half, not one thing went the Vikings’ way the offense was bland and couldn’t get down the field. Dalvin fumbled for the second week in a row. Kirk threw a pick-6, which was more Jalen Reagors fault than Kirk’s. Special Teams let up a long kick return and a blocked punt returned for a TD. The defense was on the field for 19 minutes, they only allowed 1 TD. The line wasn’t blocking anyone. To be frank the team came out flat and almost seemed like they forgot they had a game, going into the half down 33-0.
In the second half, it was like a completely different football team showed up and played for the Vikings. The Colts have the 8th-ranked defense in yards allowed and the Vikings put up 518 and were 4/4 in the Red Zone today. The Vikings’ offense went off in the second half, putting up over 400 yards passing. Kirk threw for a career-high 460 yards, and 4 TDs today. Dalvin quietly rushed and received for a combined 190 yards and a TD. KJ Osborn had a career day with 157 yards and a TD. The line still struggled, giving up 7 sacks, but they did well enough to help win the game. The defense slowed down the Colts’ offense and held them to 3 points for the whole second half and OT. The defense finally held a team to under 400 yards after giving up 400 in 5 straight games. The defense was able to get after Matt Ryan for 3 sacks.
WR KJ Osborn has 103 receiving yards, marking the first game of his career with 100-plus receiving yards.
Dalvin Cook has 1,000 yards for the 4th season in a row.
This was the 1,000th game in Minnesota Vikings history.
Entering today, teams that trailed by 30+ points at the half were 0-132 in the Super Bowl era (incl. playoffs)
WR Justin Jefferson (23) passed WR Anthony Carter (22) for the third-most career 100-yard receiving games in franchise history.
The Vikings have completed the greatest comeback in NFL history, overcoming a 33-point deficit at halftime. The previous comeback record was 32 points by the Bills over the Oilers in the wild-card round of the 1992 playoffs.
With that 1-yard touchdown reception, WR Adam Thielen (55) passes Anthony Carter (54) for the sixth-most total touchdowns in franchise history.
Teams that have led by 30 points at any point of the game had been 1,548-1-1 in the regular season and playoffs since 1930.
Photo Credit goes to Jim Udenberg, you can find his work on Instagram at imaginariumai.
Phil Kujawa