Welcome to the 25 SKOL’s of Christmas!
In a similar vein to how Freeform has done the 25 days of Christmas, we will look back at different moments in Vikings history to bring a little extra joy to you this holiday season.
It’s that simple. The holidays can be a trying time for some people and we want to put a smile on people’s faces by reminiscing about some truly joyous times in Vikings’ history.
On the fourteenth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: The Miracle at the Met.
The current generation of Vikings fans will never forget Case Keenum’s 61-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs as time expired in the fourth quarter that gave the Vikings a 29-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints in an NFC Divisional playoff game on Jan. 14, 2018. Dubbed “The Minneapolis Miracle” that ending sent the Vikings to the NFC title game.
Exactly 33 years and one month earlier, another improbable finish left Vikings fans rocking the erector set that was Met Stadium in Bloomington, Minn. I was among those in attendance and a month earlier had turned 11 years old. Already in love with sports, the end of this game was the first time I realized just how special a moment of sports pandemonium could be whether young and old.
The temperature at kickoff on Dec. 14, 1980, was 20 degrees but the wind chill made it feel like 11. The Vikings entered with an 8-6 record and a chance to clinch the NFC Central with a victory. The Browns, who were favored by 3 points, were 10-4 and needed a win to secure a playoff berth.
The Browns held a 13-0 halftime lead, but quarterback Tommy Kramer’s 31-yard touchdown pass to tight end Joe Senser early in the third quarter cut Cleveland’s lead to 13-6. The Vikings’ Rick Danmeier, who had missed the extra point, traded field goals with the Browns’ Don Cockroft and a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Cleo Miller in the fourth quarter gave Cleveland a 23-9 lead early in the final quarter.
The Vikings began to rally as Kramer connected with running back Ted Brown on a 7-yard touchdown pass with just over 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter, but Danmeier again missed the extra point. (This is confirmation of just how far back the Vikings’ kicking issues go.)
This left the Browns up by eight points — which was two scores because the two-point conversion had yet to be adopted by the NFL — and in possession of the ball. It was on this Browns drive that it became clear this might be the Vikings’ day after all.
Cleveland was keeping the ball on the ground, and running clock, until quarterback Brian Sipe threw a pass on second-and-9 from his own 41-yard line that was intended for Reggie Rucker at midfield. It never got to him. Bobby Bryant intercepted the pass from the quarterback who would be named the 1980 NFL MVP.
Kramer, known as “Two-Minute Tommy” for his ability to lead comebacks, wasted no time in leading the Vikings on a five-play, 47-yard drive that took 37 seconds and ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ahmad Rashad. It was Rashad’s first touchdown in 10 games. Danmeier didn’t miss this extra point but the Vikings still trailed by one with 1:35 remaining.
The Browns recovered the onside kick at the Vikings’ 44-yard line, but an illegal motional penalty backed up Cleveland and linebacker Scott Studwell stopped Mike Pruitt a yard short on third-and-9.
There were 23 seconds left when the Browns punted and Minnesota took over on its own 20-yard line with 14 seconds remaining. Kramer threw a pass to Senser at the Vikings 30; the tight end lateraled to Brown, who gained 39 yards before going out of bounds to stop the clock with 5 seconds left.
The play call that came into the huddle was known as “Squadron Right,” sending three wide receivers (Terry LeCount, Sammy White and Rashad) to line up on the right side of the formation. All ran go routes to the end zone and Kramer aired it out.
Kramer dropped back and threw a Hail Mary pass from his own 47-yard line. Browns safety Thom Darden tipped the ball at the Cleveland 5. Rashad was able to sort through the chaos to haul it in with one hand at the 1-yard line. There was no time remaining on the clock when he backed into the end zone for a 28-23 victory.
“A flea flicker is what beat us as much as anything,” Cleveland’s Calvin Hill told reporters afterward. “A damn good flea flicker, that Senser-to-Brown play.”
That gave Grant had his 11th NFC Central title as the Met erupted. The euphoria wouldn’t last long. The Vikings opened the playoffs in Philadelphia and were beaten 31-16 by an Eagles team that would go on to lose to Oakland in the Super Bowl.
Nonetheless, the Met had its miracle and Kramer, Rashad and Vikings fans had a memory for a lifetime.
Judd Zulgad is co-host of the Purple Daily Podcast and Mackey & Judd podcast at www.skornorth.com
Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:
Drafting Randy Moss
Vikings 1997 Wild Card Comeback
Jarius Wright Walks Off the Jets
Jared Allen traded to Vikings
Adrian Peterson Sets Rushing Record
Brett Favre Revenge Tour
Bud Grant Rocks a Polo in Freezing Temperatures
Adrian Peterson Stiff Arms Defender to Oblivion
Anthony Carter Dominates the 1987 Playoffs
Kirk Cousins’ First Major Comeback
Randy Moss Dominates Monday Night Football
Tuesday Night Joe Webb
Randy Moss Laterals to Moe Williams
