During the NFC Championship Game, Gary Anderson missed a field goal for the first time that season. Had the field goal been converted, it would have given the Vikings a nearly insurmountable 10-point lead late in the game. Instead, the Falcons tied the game on their ensuing
drive and won by a field goal in
sudden deathovertime.
The 1998 Vikings were the first NFL team to compile a regular season record of 15–1 and not reach the
Super Bowl. Their loss in the NFC Championship Game is also considered by their fans to be one of the most devastating losses in NFL history.
The 1998 Vikings are widely regarded as the greatest team in NFL history to not make the
Super Bowl.[2][3][4][5][6]
Despite the team's dominance during the regular season, the Vikings only faced three teams that finished with a winning record: the
Packers, the
Jaguars (each of whom finished 11–5) and the
Cowboys (who finished 10–6).
Prior to the start of the 1998 season, the Vikings were sold to
Red McCombs. The NFL had not been happy with the Vikings' ownership arrangement of 10 owners with none owning more than 30 per cent. The ownership decided to sell the club. At first it appeared that
Tom Clancy would become the new owner. However, his attempt to buy the team fell through. So in July 1998, the team was sold to McCombs, who was from San Antonio, Texas.
1998 was a year to remember for the
Minnesota Vikings. With a spectacular offense led by quarterback
Randall Cunningham, who had the best year of his NFL career, running back
Robert Smith, veteran wide receiver
Cris Carter, and explosive rookie
Randy Moss, the Vikings set a then-NFL record by scoring a total of 556 points, never scoring fewer than 24 in a game. The Vikings finished the season 15–1, their only loss by three points to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week nine. 12 of their 15 wins came by a margin of at least 10 points.
According to
Football Outsiders, "The Vikings led the league with 52 plays of 25+ yards. They had 22 offensive plays of 40+ yards; no other team had more than 16 plays of that length."[9]
Brad Johnson was intercepted twice and eventually knocked out of the game; his replacement
Randall Cunningham threw a late touchdown to
Cris Carter.
Robert Smith rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns as the Rams stayed within a touchdown despite four
Tony Banks interceptions. A last-minute goalline stand by the Vikings sealed a 38–31 win.
Week 3: vs. Detroit Lions
Week 3: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Lions
3
3
0
0
6
Vikings
0
6
13
10
29
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cunningham made his first start of the season and threw for 220 yards and a five-yard score to Randy Moss. The game was mostly a
Gary Anderson field goal exhibition as he booted five field goals plus two PATs, the second on
Leroy Hoard's 11-yard rushing touchdown in the Vikings 29–6 win.
Week 4: at Chicago Bears
Week 4: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears – Game summary
CHI –
Bobby Engram – 6 receptions, 123 yards, 2 TD
Cunningham and
Erik Kramer of the Bears squared off in a spirited duel. Cunningham's four touchdowns (to Smith,
Andrew Glover, Carter, and Moss) were answered by Kramer's four scores (to
Bobby Engram,
Chris Penn, and
Ryan Wetnight). The Vikings got the better of the duel as they intercepted Kramer once and won 31–28.
Week 5: at Green Bay Packers
Week 5: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Randall Cunningham and
Randy Moss unleashed a passing clinic on
Monday Night at
Lambeau Field as Cunningham tossed for 442 yards and Moss caught five passes for 190 yards and two scores (Moss also had a 75-yard touchdown reception called back due to holding).
Cris Carter added eight for 119 yards as the Vikings also intercepted
Brett Favre three times; backup
Doug Pederson took over and threw two scores in the fourth quarter, but they did nothing to assuage a 37–24 Vikings win.
Week 7: vs. Washington Redskins
Week 7: Washington Redskins at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Redskins
7
0
0
0
7
Vikings
14
7
3
17
41
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Vikings' quest for perfection ended as
Warrick Dunn and
Mike Alstott ran for 243 rushing yards and two scores. Two Cunningham touchdown throws put the Vikings up 24–17 until Alstott's score in the fourth quarter proved the key to Tampa's 27–24 upset of the Vikings. The win was the third in six tries for Bucs coach
Tony Dungy over his former boss
Dennis Green.
Week 10: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 10: New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Saints
0
7
10
7
24
Vikings
7
10
7
7
31
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cunningham threw only two passes against New Orleans and
Brad Johnson came off the bench to throw for 316 yards and a touchdown despite two picks;
Sammy Knight ran back one pick for a 91-yard touchdown in the fourth. Robert Smith rushed for 137 yards; he and Leroy Hoard accounted for three touchdowns in Minnesota's 31–24 win.
Week 11: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Bengals
0
3
0
0
3
Vikings
7
0
7
10
24
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cunningham and Moss led a wild 46–36 win at Dallas as Moss caught just three passes – for 163 yards and three touchdowns.
Cris Carter snagged seven passes for 135 yards and a score and
Leroy Hoard ran in two more touchdowns.
Troy Aikman threw for a career-high 455 yards and a score to
Patrick Jeffers while
Emmitt Smith ran in three scores; despite 513 total yards the Cowboys could not keep pace with the Vikings. The game was also a penalty-laden affair with a combined 23 fouls eating 230 yards.
Week 14: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 14: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Bears
0
0
14
8
22
Vikings
14
13
7
14
48
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Vikings offensive coordinator
Brian Billick faced his employer for
the following season as the two teams combined for just 143 rushing yards. This unusual game featured three kick-off returns for TDs and four fumbles (all in their own half by the Ravens) in just the first 21 minutes of play. Overall, the Ravens coughed up five fumbles but the Vikings offense was largely held in check, with
Gary Anderson booting six field goals and
Randall Cunningham held to two touchdowns, one to
Randy Moss. Future
49ers coachJim Harbaugh threw a 42-yard touchdown to
his former Colts teammateFloyd Turner while
Corey Haris,
David Palmer on kick returns and
Priest Holmes on a two-yard run gave the Ravens the rest of their points scored in a 38–28 Vikings win.
Week 16: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 16: Jacksonville Jaguars at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Period
1
2
3
4
Total
Jaguars
0
3
0
7
10
Vikings
3
9
14
24
50
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Despite giving up 108 penalty yards, the Vikings reached 50 points for only the sixth time in franchise history and the first time since
1974 in a 50–10 win over the
AFC Central champion
Jacksonville Jaguars.
Randall Cunningham threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns, then gave way to
Brad Johnson who added a touchdown of his own. Cunningham was one of three Vikings players who rushed for 161 yards and a
Chuck Evans touchdown while
Jimmy Hitchcock intercepted
Jonathan Quinn and scored from 30 yards out.
Week 17: at Tennessee Oilers
Week 17: Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Oilers – Game summary
The Vikings became the final club to play against Tennessee before they officially became the
Titans. The Oilers clawed to a 13–8 halftime lead despite an intentional grounding penalty against
Steve McNair that led to a safety. Two
Randall Cunningham touchdowns in the third quarter put the game away to a 26–16 Vikings win, the 15th of the season. With this loss the Oilers became the first team in NFL history to have three straight 8–8 seasons.
In the playoffs, the Vikings rolled past the
Arizona Cardinals 41–21, and came into the
Metrodome heavily favored for their NFC title showdown with the Atlanta Falcons, who had finished 14–2. Leading 20–7 just before halftime, the Vikings controversially called a deep pass play on third down, which led to a Cunningham fumble deep in Minnesota territory. Shortly thereafter, the Falcons scored to cut the lead to 20–14. The Vikings were again leading 27–20 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter and had a chance to potentially put the game out of reach with a field goal. However, kicker
Gary Anderson, who had gone 35 for 35 in the regular season, missed a 39-yard attempt from the left hash. He pulled it left. With multiple defensive injuries for the Vikings the Falcons subsequently marched downfield and scored the game-tying touchdown several plays later.
Dennis Green instructed quarterback Randall Cunningham to take a knee on a third down deep in Viking territory with about 30 seconds remaining rather than risk having to punt back to Atlanta following their game-tying touchdown. Minnesota won the coin toss in overtime but failed to score in two overtime possessions. Atlanta eventually won 30–27 in overtime after
Morten Andersen's 38-yard field goal.
The 16–1 Vikings, boasting the league's first post-merger, 500-point offense since the 1983 Washington Redskins, were heavy favorites at
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and raced to a 20–7 lead in the second quarter off two
Randall Cunningham touchdowns (one rushing and a throw to
Randy Moss), but at the end of the first half
Chris Chandler found
Terance Mathis for a 14-yard score. After a
Morten Andersen field goal made it 20–17 in the third, the Vikings moved back out to a 10-point lead on another Cunningham TD throw (this one to
Matthew Hatchette). In the final 10 minutes of regulation, the Falcons were forced to turn the ball over on downs, but the Vikings fumbled it right back and Andersen kicked another field goal for a 27–20 score. In the final four minutes,
Gary Anderson, who had not missed a field goal all season, shanked a 39-yarder, to give the Falcons a chance. Chandler led the Falcons downfield and connected with Mathis in the end zone with 49 seconds remaining. The Vikings got the ball in overtime but
Eugene Robinson stopped a deep pass to Moss and the Falcons got it back on a punt. Chandler led the Falcons downfield again and Andersen nailed a 38-yard field goal at 11:52 of the extra quarter; the 30–27 final sent the Falcons to
Super Bowl XXXIII.
Randy Moss, led rookies in receiving yards (1,313 yards).[10] Moss also set the record for most receiving touchdowns for a rookie, 17, a record that still stands today.[12]
The Vikings became just the third team to post a 15–1 win–loss record since the implementation of the 16-game schedule in 1978. They joined the
1984 San Francisco 49ers and the
1985 Chicago Bears, but became the first of those teams to fail to win the Super Bowl.
The Vikings' high-powered offense set a record, which stood until the 2007 season, for most points scored in a season with 556. They eclipsed the
1983 Washington Redskins, who scored 541. The
2007 New England Patriots beat the record by scoring 589 points. The 1998 Vikings now rank fifth all time, behind the 606 points scored by the
2013 Denver Broncos. It is worth noting that the 1998 Vikings followed in the footsteps of the 1983 Redskins and set a mark the 2007 Patriots and 2013 Broncos matched: none of these teams won the Super Bowl (in fact, the Vikings are the only one of these four squads not to have won their conference championship).