2014 Minnesota Vikings season

54th season in franchise history From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2014 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 54th in the National Football League (NFL) and their first under head coach Mike Zimmer. It was the first of two seasons in which the Vikings played at the outdoor TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Construction of U.S. Bank Stadium began on the site of the team's former home, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with a target of opening for the 2016 season. The opening day roster did not feature Kevin Williams for the first time since 2002, and Jared Allen for the first time since 2007; they both left in free agency.

OwnerZygi Wilf
General managerRick Spielman
Head coachMike Zimmer
Home stadiumTCF Bank Stadium
Quick facts Minnesota Vikings season, Owner ...
2014 Minnesota Vikings season
OwnerZygi Wilf
General managerRick Spielman
Head coachMike Zimmer
Home stadiumTCF Bank Stadium
Results
Record7–9
Division place3rd NFC North
PlayoffsDid not qualify
Pro BowlersNone
Uniform
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Though the Vikings were eliminated from postseason contention after a loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 15, they improved on 2013's 5–10–1 record, which saw them go through a quarterback carousel and one of the worst defenses in the league that year, and arguably in Vikings' history.[1]

Offseason

2014 draft

Main article: 2014 NFL draft
Pro Bowler
More information Draft order, Player name ...
2014 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order Player name Position College Contract Notes
Round Overall
18 Traded to the Cleveland Browns[A]
9 Anthony BarrLinebackerUCLA4 years, $12.74 million[3]from Bills via Browns[A]
32 Teddy BridgewaterQuarterbackLouisville4 years, $7.59 million[3]from Seahawks[B]
240 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks[B]
372 Scott CrichtonDefensive endOregon State4 years, $3 million[5]
96 Jerick McKinnonRunning backGeorgia Southern4 years, $2.75 million[6]from Seahawks[C]
4108 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks[B]
5145 David YankeyGuardStanford4 years, $2.43 million[8]from Browns[A]
148 Traded to the Carolina Panthers[D]
168 Traded to the Atlanta Falcons[E]from Panthers[D]
6182 Antone ExumCornerbackVirginia Tech4 years, $2.34 million[10]from Falcons[E]
184 Kendall JamesCornerbackMaine4 years, $2.33 million[8]
7220 Shamar StephenDefensive tackleUConn4 years, $2.29 million[11]from Falcons[E]
223 Brandon WattsLinebackerGeorgia Tech4 years, $2.28 million[11]
225 Jabari PriceCornerbackNorth Carolina4 years, $2.28 million[8]from Giants via Panthers[D]
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Draft trades

  1. [A]
    The Vikings traded their original first-round selection (8th overall) to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the Browns' fifth-round selection (145th overall) and the first-round selection they had received from the Buffalo Bills.[2]
  2. [B]
    The Vikings traded their second- and fourth-round selections (40th and 108th overall) to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Seattle's first-round selection (32nd overall).[4]
  3. [C]
    The Vikings traded WR Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for Seattle's third-round selection.[7]
  4. [D]
    The Vikings traded their original fifth-round selection (148th overall) to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for the Panthers' fifth-round selection (168th overall) and the seventh-round selection they acquired from the New York Giants (225th overall).[9]
  5. [E]
    The Vikings traded the fifth-round selection they received from the Panthers to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Atlanta's sixth- and seventh-round selections (182nd and 220th overall).[9]

Roster changes

More information Date, Player name ...
Re-signings
Date Player name Position Contract terms
December 30, 2013 Adam ThielenWR2 years / $930,000
[RFC][12][11]
March 7, 2014Marcus SherelsCB2 years / $2.2 million[13][14]
March 11, 2014Matt CasselQB2 years / $10 million[15]
Everson GriffenDE5 years / $42.5 million[16]
March 12, 2014Joe BergerG1 year / $985,000[17]
March 14, 2014Jerome SimpsonWR1 year / $1 million[18][19]
March 15, 2014Charlie JohnsonG2 years / $5 million[20]
April 7, 2014Matt AsiataRB1 year / $570,000[21]
August 31, 2014Joe BanyardRB[22][PS]
Kain ColterWR
Isame FacianeDT
Chase FordTE
Zac KerinC
Justin TrattouDE
September 2, 2014Austin WentworthOT[23][PS]
September 16, 2014Zach LineFB[24][PS]
October 7, 2014Donte FosterWR[25][PS]
Chandler HarnishQB
November 12, 2014Ryan OttenTE[26][PS]
November 18, 2014Dominique WilliamsRB[27][PS]
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^[RFC] Denotes this is a reserve/future contract.
^[PS]Denotes a signing to the Practice Squad.
More information Date, Player name ...
Departures
Date Player name Position Note New team
February 7, 2014Erin HendersonMLBReleased[28]
March 5, 2014John CarlsonTEReleased[29]Arizona Cardinals[30]
March 6, 2014Greg ChildsWRReleased[31]Toronto Argonauts (CFL)[32]
Letroy GuionDEGreen Bay Packers[33]
March 11, 2014Desmond BishopLBUFAArizona Cardinals[34]
Marvin MitchellLB
March 12, 2014Toby GerhartRBJacksonville Jaguars[35]
March 14, 2014Chris CookCBSan Francisco 49ers[36]
March 21, 2014Joe WebbQB/WRCarolina Panthers[37]
March 26, 2014Jared AllenDEChicago Bears[38]
April 16, 2014Josh FreemanQBNew York Giants[39]
June 16, 2014Kevin WilliamsDTSeattle Seahawks[40]
August 25, 2014Robert SteeplesCBReleased[41]Kansas City Chiefs[42]
August 30, 2014Jeff BacaGReleased[43]Cincinnati Bengals[44]
Chase BakerDT
September 8, 2014Jamarca SanfordFSInjury settlement[45]Washington Redskins[46]
September 18, 2014Jerome SimpsonWRReleased[47]San Francisco 49ers (2015)
October 2, 2014Rodney SmithWRReleased[48]Cleveland Browns[49]
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More information Date, Player name ...
Additions
Date Player name Position Previous team Contract terms
January 3, 2014Josh SamudaGMiami Dolphins (2012)1 year / $495,000 [RFC][50][51]
March 12, 2014Jasper BrinkleyMLBArizona Cardinals1 year / $830,000[52][53]
Linval JosephDTNew York Giants5 years / $31.5 million[54]
March 13, 2014Captain MunnerlynCBCarolina Panthers3 years / $14.25 million[55]
March 20, 2014Tom JohnsonDTNew Orleans Saints1 year / $845,000[56]
March 21, 2014Corey WoottonDEChicago Bears1 year / $1.5 million[57]
March 27, 2014Vladimir DucasseGNew York Jets1 year / $795,000[58][59]
April 8, 2014Lestar JeanWRHouston Texans1 year / $635,000[60][61]
May 13, 2014Antonio RichardsonOTTennesseeUndrafted FA[62]
May 19, 2014Dom DeCiccoLBChicago Bears[63][64]
August 31, 2014Mike HarrisOTSan Diego Chargers[22]
September 9, 2014Josh KadduLBPhiladelphia Eagles[65][PS]
September 20, 2014Charles JohnsonWRCleveland Browns[47]
November 3, 2014Pat DevlinQBMiami Dolphins[66][PS]
December 6, 2014Ahmad DixonSMiami Dolphins[67]
December 10, 2014Carter BykowskiOTSan Francisco 49ers[68]
December 17, 2014Jordan McCrayGGreen Bay Packers[69][PS]
December 24, 2014Justin AndersonLBNew York Giants[70][PS]
Henry JoseyRBJacksonville Jaguars[70]
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More information Date signed, Player name ...
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Staff

2014 Minnesota Vikings staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head athletic trainer – Eric Sugarman
  • Head strength and conditioning – Evan Marcus
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Jeff Hurd

Roster

2014 Minnesota Vikings roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

 Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

 Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams (ST)

 Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 10 reserve, 9 practice squad

Preseason

Schedule

More information Week, Date ...
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance NFL.com
recap
1 August 8 Oakland Raiders W 10–6 1–0 TCF Bank Stadium 51,752 Recap
2 August 16 Arizona Cardinals W 30–28 2–0 TCF Bank Stadium 51,763 Recap
3 August 23 at Kansas City Chiefs W 30–12 3–0 Arrowhead Stadium 73,442 Recap
4 August 28 at Tennessee Titans W 19–3 4–0 LP Field 69,143 Recap
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Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Oakland Raiders

Preseason Week 1: Oakland Raiders at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Raiders 0 0 066
Vikings 10 0 0010
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Coming off a season in which the Vikings let almost every team score at least 20 points on them (including the preseason), the Vikings showcased a defense that held the Raiders to a single digit score and kept them scoreless until the last 90 seconds of the 4th quarter, when they eventually scored a touchdown. This was the first time the Vikings' defense held any team to a single digit score since week 16 of the 2012 season. Rookie Anthony Barr recorded half a sack, and Kurt Coleman intercepted Raiders quarterback Derek Carr once.

On the offense, Matt Cassel started and shined on his sole drive, leading the team down the field, where Matt Asiata scored the Vikings' only touchdown of the game from a yard out. After Cassel's drive, rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater entered the game and played a few drives, completing 6 of 13 pass attempts for 49 yards, getting sacked twice, and fumbling once (fellow Viking Matt Kalil recovered the fumble). The Vikings got a field goal on the second drive. Shortly after the half, the signal calling was turned to Christian Ponder, who managed a pair of first-down passes of 17 and 15 yards early on, but produced little thereafter.

Week 2: vs. Arizona Cardinals

Preseason Week 2: Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cardinals 7 7 7728
Vikings 3 10 01730
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: August 16
  • Game time: 7:30 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 85 °F (29 °C)
  • Game attendance: 51,763
  • Referee: Craig Wrolstad (4)
  • TV: KARE-11
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
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The Vikings faced a Cardinals team that shut the Texans out 32–0 in week 1. The Cardinals strained the Vikings' defense, but the offense, headed by Matt Cassel in the first half, was able to keep pace with their scoring to see the Vikings trailing 14–13 at halftime. The Vikings switched to Teddy Bridgewater after the half, and the rookie quarterback orchestrated a pair of drives that put the Vikings back in the lead 24–21. A few drives later, the Vikings' defense would end up being penalized three straight times, allowing the Cardinals to score a touchdown through a botched snap that was recovered by the Cardinals and run into the end zone. The Vikings were given the ball with around a minute to score. Bridgewater led the Vikings down field in comeback fashion to score the game-winner with a pass to Rodney Smith, sealing another preseason victory for the Vikings.

Week 3: at Kansas City Chiefs

Preseason Week 3: Minnesota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 7 3 17330
Chiefs 2 3 0712
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at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

  • Date: August 23
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Sunny, 97 °F (36 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,442
  • Referee: Walt Coleman (65)
  • TV: KARE-11
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
Game information
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The Vikings traveled to Kansas City to play against Matt Cassel's former team. The defense played remarkably well, with Captain Munnerlyn, Chad Greenway and Shaun Prater each recording an interception. The Vikings' defense managed to hold the Chiefs to five points for a majority of the game until they got a touchdown in the final minute for a total of 12. For the third game running, Cassel was the starting quarterback and he played the majority of this game; he gained 152 passing yards with a touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson, and threw a pick, the Vikings' only turnover of their preseason. Bridgewater also saw a little action; though he made few pass attempts, he gained 40 passing yards and made two touchdown passes to Allen Reisner.

Week 4: at Tennessee Titans

Preseason Week 4: Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 7 9 3019
Titans 0 0 033
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at LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

  • Date: August 28
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 80 °F (27 °C)
  • Game attendance: 69,143
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman (34)
  • TV: KARE-11
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
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The Vikings traveled to Tennessee to face the Titans in the preseason finale. The Vikings' defense excelled in keeping the Titans to a minimal score, and recorded a strip sack by Corey Wootton and an interception by Julian Posey. Teddy Bridgewater was the starter for this game, and led the Vikings to score 10 points in their first two drives. Christian Ponder then took over for the rest of the game, leading three more scoring drives, though he and the offense were unable to score any touchdowns.

Regular season

Schedule

More information Week, Date ...
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance NFL.com
recap
1 September 7 at St. Louis Rams W 34–6 1–0 Edward Jones Dome 55,919 Recap
2 September 14 New England Patriots L 7–30 1–1 TCF Bank Stadium 52,350 Recap
3 September 21 at New Orleans Saints L 9–20 1–2 Mercedes-Benz Superdome 73,005 Recap
4 September 28 Atlanta Falcons W 41–28 2–2 TCF Bank Stadium 52,173 Recap
5 October 2 at Green Bay Packers L 10–42 2–3 Lambeau Field 78,054 Recap
6 October 12 Detroit Lions L 3–17 2–4 TCF Bank Stadium 52,213 Recap
7 October 19 at Buffalo Bills L 16–17 2–5 Ralph Wilson Stadium 68,477 Recap
8 October 26 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 19–13 (OT) 3–5 Raymond James Stadium 56,577 Recap
9 November 2 Washington Redskins W 29–26 4–5 TCF Bank Stadium 52,252 Recap
10 Bye
11 November 16 at Chicago Bears L 13–21 4–6 Soldier Field 61,792 Recap
12 November 23 Green Bay Packers L 21–24 4–7 TCF Bank Stadium 52,386 Recap
13 November 30 Carolina Panthers W 31–13 5–7 TCF Bank Stadium 52,016 Recap
14 December 7 New York Jets W 30–24 (OT) 6–7 TCF Bank Stadium 52,152 Recap
15 December 14 at Detroit Lions L 14–16 6–8 Ford Field 62,490 Recap
16 December 21 at Miami Dolphins L 35–37 6–9 Sun Life Stadium 66,203 Recap
17 December 28 Chicago Bears W 13–9 7–9 TCF Bank Stadium 52,364 Recap
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Note: Division rivals are marked with bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at St. Louis Rams

Week 1: Minnesota Vikings at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 3 10 71434
Rams 0 0 336
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at Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

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The Vikings opened their season on the road against the St. Louis Rams and took the lead in the first half with a field goal in each quarter from 52 yards and 46 yards, respectively, from third-year kicker Blair Walsh and an eight-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Greg Jennings with 21 seconds left in the half, set up by an interception from Josh Robinson at the Rams' 35-yard line. The Rams struck back early in the third quarter with a field goal from Greg Zuerlein before Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson made the play of the game with a 67-yard touchdown run. The Vikings secured the game late in the fourth quarter as TE Kyle Rudolph connected with Cassel on a seven-yard touchdown pass, while Rudolph's former Notre Dame teammate Harrison Smith took an interception 81 yards for the Vikings' fourth touchdown of the game. Zuerlein added another field goal late in the game to make the final score 34–6 to the Vikings, their first road victory since week 16 of the 2012 season against the Houston Texans.

Week 2: vs. New England Patriots

Week 2: New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Patriots 10 14 3330
Vikings 7 0 007
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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The Vikings began their opening home game of the season without Adrian Peterson, who was deactivated after being charged with negligent injury of a child for allegedly beating his four-year-old son with a tree branch.[105] He was replaced in the starting lineup by Matt Asiata, who got the Vikings off to a good start with a 25-yard touchdown reception from Matt Cassel on the game's opening possession. The defense then forced the Patriots into a three-and-out, only for Cassel to throw an interception attempting to find Jarius Wright deep downfield. Devin McCourty returned the ball 60 yards to the Minnesota 1-yard line, and two plays later, Stevan Ridley ran in to tie the scores. A second interception early in the second quarter resulted in another scoring drive for New England, as Tom Brady connected with Julian Edelman on a nine-yard TD catch. As the first half drew to a close, the Vikings drove downfield to give Blair Walsh a 48-yard field goal attempt with 19 seconds on the clock; however, Patriots DE Chandler Jones was able to burst through the Minnesota offensive line and block the kick before scooping up the ball and returning it 58 yards for the Patriots' third TD of the half.

After the break, Cassel threw another two interceptions, one in each quarter, with the first resulting in a 47-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal. The second occurred with six minutes left in the game, and the Patriots were able to hang onto possession until the two-minute warning before turning the ball over on downs at the Minnesota 19-yard line. Aided by two pass interference penalties, Cassel led the Vikings down the field and thought he had managed to cut into the New England lead with a 16-yard pass to Greg Jennings with 41 seconds to play, only for Jennings to be ruled out of bounds before gaining possession of the ball. Cassel was then sacked for a 14-yard loss on the next play and the game finished as a 30–7 Patriots win.

Week 3: at New Orleans Saints

Week 3: Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 6 309
Saints 13 0 0720
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at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

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After initially stating that Adrian Peterson would return to the active roster for their Week 3 game at New Orleans, the Vikings later placed the running back on the inactive list indefinitely, pending the outcome of the court case against him. Despite coming into the game at 0–3, the Saints started well, scoring two touchdowns on their first two drives, although DE Everson Griffen was able to block the extra point attempt on the second. The Vikings responded to going 13–0 down with two field goals from 25 and 30 yards respectively, but an injury to Matt Cassel meant a debut for rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater.

K Blair Walsh hit a 40-yard field goal to open the second half for the Vikings, but New Orleans closed the game out with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Marques Colston early in the fourth quarter. They were aided on the drive by a penalty for unnecessary roughness against CB Captain Munnerlyn for a tackle on Brees, but many thought that Brees should also have been penalized for his reaction and the penalties offset. Regardless, the Vikings were forced to punt on their next possession and the Saints were able to run out the clock for a 20–9 win.

Week 4: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Week 4: Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Falcons 7 7 14028
Vikings 14 10 31441
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: September 28
  • Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 82 °F (28 °C)
  • Game attendance: 52,173
  • Referee: Ron Torbert (62)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
Game information
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Having lost Matt Cassel for the season, the Vikings gave Teddy Bridgewater his first career start at home to the Falcons in week 4, but it was running back Matt Asiata who opened the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run. Roddy White leveled the scores with a 24-yard catch from Matt Ryan, but a 49-yard kickoff return from Cordarrelle Patterson set the Vikings up with a short field on the next drive, which Asiata finished with a 6-yard run to restore Minnesota's seven-point lead. Steven Jackson thought he had tied the scores again on a 3-yard run with six minutes to go in the half, only for the touchdown call to be overturned on review; however, Ryan was able to find FB Patrick DiMarco in the flat on the next play. However, Bridgewater himself restored Minnesota's advantage on the ensuing possession, capping an 80-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run as the game entered its first two-minute warning. After forcing Atlanta into a quick three-and-out, Bridgewater led the Vikings downfield to the brink of another touchdown, but a lack of time meant they had to settle for an 18-yard Blair Walsh field goal to give them a 24–14 lead at the half.

Walsh scored another field goal on the opening drive of the second half, but long touchdowns for Devin Hester and Antone Smith gave the Falcons a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Those would prove to be Atlanta's last points of the game as Asiata picked up his third TD run early in the fourth quarter, with Bridgewater adding two points with a pass to Rhett Ellison. Bridgewater was injured on that drive, meaning that third-string QB Christian Ponder came in for his first appearance of the season. However, his job was simply to hand the ball off to rookie running back Jerick McKinnon, who set up a 55-yard field goal attempt for Walsh. An interception by Harrison Smith led to another field goal from 33 yards, before Josh Robinson closed the game out with another interception.

Week 5: at Green Bay Packers

Week 5: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 0 01010
Packers 14 14 14042
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at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

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With only four days between games, Teddy Bridgewater had insufficient time to recover from the injury he picked up in week 4 and Christian Ponder made his first start since week 12 of the 2013 season. The Vikings defense forced Green Bay to punt on the first possession of the game, but soon kicked the ball back to the Packers, allowing Eddie Lacy's running to set up an 8-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Randall Cobb. The Vikings' ensuing possession again ended with a punt, and Rodgers punished them with a 66-yard TD pass to Jordy Nelson. The teams traded possession as the game moved into the second quarter, until Ponder threw the ball directly to Packers DE Julius Peppers, who returned the interception 49 yards for his team's third TD of the game. Two plays later, Ponder was picked off again, this time by LB Jamari Lattimore, leaving a short field for Rodgers to work into before throwing an 11-yard TD pass to WR Davante Adams.

The second half began in much the same vein, as the Packers forced a Vikings punt on the first possession before marching downfield to set Lacy up for an 11-yard scoring run. The running back went into the end zone again at the end of the Packers' next possession with a 10-yard run, giving the home team a 42–0 lead. CB Marcus Sherels returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards, and Ponder was able to pass downfield to the Green Bay 6-yard line, from where he ran into the end zone for the Vikings' first points of the game. Three plays later, Harrison Smith picked off a pass from Matt Flynn at the Green Bay 30-yard line, but the Vikings were unable to get into the end zone despite the short field and had to settle for a 26-yard Blair Walsh field goal. As the game drew to a close, the Vikings regained possession and drove down to the Packers' 8-yard line, only to be denied on 4th-and-goal, allowing Green Bay to end the game with a kneeldown.

Week 6: vs. Detroit Lions

Week 6: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Lions 7 3 0717
Vikings 0 0 033
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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The Vikings were defeated at home by the Lions 17-3. This game, while not broadcast nationally, gained widespread attention due to play by play announcer Mike Goldberg's commentating style, which was received quite negatively due to his botching of several plays and getting players and coaches names wrong. As it turned out, this would be the only game Goldberg ever broadcast on FOX. He was originally going to broadcast the Vikings next game at Buffalo, but he was replaced by Tim Brando instead.

Week 7: at Buffalo Bills

Week 7: Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 3 10 0316
Bills 0 10 0717
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at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York

  • Date: October 19
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 41 °F (5 °C)
  • Game attendance: 68,477
  • Referee: Ed Hochuli (85)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Tim Brando, Brendon Ayanbadejo and Peter Schrager
  • Recap, Game Book
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Week 8: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 8: Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
More information Quarter, OT ...
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Vikings 0 3 73619
Buccaneers 0 0 013013
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at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

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Week 9: vs. Washington Redskins

Week 9: Washington Redskins at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Redskins 3 7 10626
Vikings 0 7 71529
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: November 2
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 50 °F (10 °C)
  • Game attendance: 52,252
  • Referee: Gene Steratore (114)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
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With the close win over the Redskins, the Vikings improved to 4–5. Teddy Bridgewater's third win as a starting rookie quarterback breaks the franchise record (two wins) shared by both Fran Tarkenton and Christian Ponder.[106]

Week 10: Bye

The Vikings took their bye week in week 10, along with the Texans, Colts, Patriots, Chargers and Redskins.

Week 11: at Chicago Bears

Week 11: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 10 0 0313
Bears 0 14 0721
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at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

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Week 12: vs. Green Bay Packers

Week 12: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Packers 7 7 3724
Vikings 0 10 3821
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Week 13: vs. Carolina Panthers

Week 13: Carolina Panthers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Panthers 3 3 7013
Vikings 14 14 0331
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: November 30
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 12 °F (−11 °C)
  • Game attendance: 52,016
  • Referee: Brad Allen (122)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
Game information
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Week 14: vs. New York Jets

Week 14: New York Jets at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, OT ...
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Jets 12 3 36024
Vikings 14 7 03630
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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With the overtime win, the Vikings improve to 6–7 and have therefore improved on last year's record.

Week 15: at Detroit Lions

Week 15: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 7 7 0014
Lions 0 10 3316
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at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

  • Date: December 14
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 62,490
  • Referee: Pete Morelli (135)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
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The loss resulted in the Vikings being officially eliminated from playoff contention.

Week 16: at Miami Dolphins

Week 16: Minnesota Vikings at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 7 10 01835
Dolphins 0 7 72337
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at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: December 21
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Partly cloudy, 80 °F (27 °C)
  • Game attendance: 66,203
  • Referee: Tony Corrente (99)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
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Week 17: vs. Chicago Bears

Week 17: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 3 339
Vikings 3 0 7313
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at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: December 28
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 15 °F (−9 °C)
  • Game attendance: 52,364
  • Referee: Jeff Triplette (42)
  • TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Brady Quinn and Kristina Pink
  • Recap, Game Book
More information Game information ...
Game information
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Standings

Division

More information NFC North, W ...
NFC North
 W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(2) Green Bay Packers 12 4 0 .750 5–1 9–3 486 348 W2
(6) Detroit Lions 11 5 0 .688 5–1 9–3 321 282 L1
Minnesota Vikings 7 9 0 .438 1–5 6–6 325 343 W1
Chicago Bears 5 11 0 .313 1–5 4–8 319 442 L5
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Conference

More information #, Team ...
NFC[107]
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1[a] Seattle Seahawks West 12 4 0 .750 5–1 10–2 .525 .513 W6
2[a] Green Bay Packers North 12 4 0 .750 5–1 9–3 .482 .440 W2
3[a] Dallas Cowboys East 12 4 0 .750 4–2 8–4 .445 .422 W4
4 Carolina Panthers South 7 8 1 .469 4–2 6–6 .490 .357 W4
Wild Cards
5[b] Arizona Cardinals West 11 5 0 .688 3–3 8–4 .523 .477 L2
6[b] Detroit Lions North 11 5 0 .688 5–1 9–3 .471 .392 L1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Philadelphia Eagles East 10 6 0 .625 4–2 6–6 .490 .416 W1
8 San Francisco 49ers West 8 8 0 .500 2–4 7–5 .527 .508 W1
9[c] New Orleans Saints South 7 9 0 .438 3–3 6–6 .486 .415 W1
10[c] Minnesota Vikings North 7 9 0 .438 1–5 6–6 .475 .308 W1
11[d] New York Giants East 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 .512 .323 L1
12[d] Atlanta Falcons South 6 10 0 .375 5–1 6–6 .482 .380 L1
13[d] St. Louis Rams West 6 10 0 .375 2–4 4–8 .531 .427 L3
14 Chicago Bears North 5 11 0 .313 1–5 4–8 .529 .338 L5
15 Washington Redskins East 4 12 0 .250 2–4 2–10 .496 .422 L1
16 Tampa Bay Buccaneers South 2 14 0 .125 0–6 1–11 .486 .469 L6
Tiebreakers[e]
  1. [a]
    Seattle, Green Bay and Dallas were ranked in seeds 1–3 based on conference record.
  2. [b]
    Arizona defeated Detroit head-to-head (Week 11, 14–6).
  3. [c]
    New Orleans defeated Minnesota head-to-head (Week 3, 20–9).
  4. [d]
    The NY Giants defeated both Atlanta and St. Louis head-to-head (Atlanta: Week 5, 30–20; St. Louis: Week 16, 37–27), while Atlanta finished ahead of St. Louis based on conference record.
  5. [e]
    When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.
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Statistics

Team leaders

More information Category, Player(s) ...
Category Player(s) Value
Passing yardsTeddy Bridgewater2,919
Passing touchdownsTeddy Bridgewater14
Rushing yardsMatt Asiata570
Rushing touchdownsMatt Asiata9
ReceptionsGreg Jennings59
Receiving yardsGreg Jennings742
Receiving touchdownsGreg Jennings6
PointsBlair Walsh107
Kickoff return yardsCordarrelle Patterson871
Punt return yardsMarcus Sherels297
TacklesRobert Blanton106
SacksEverson Griffen12
InterceptionsHarrison Smith5
Forced fumblesAnthony Barr2
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Source for this section: Minnesota Vikings' official website.[108]

League rankings

More information Category, Total yards ...
Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 32)
Passing offense3,244202.828th
Rushing offense1,804112.814th
Total offense5,048315.527th
Passing defense3,572223.37th
Rushing defense1,943121.425th
Total defense5,515344.714th
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Source for this section: NFL.com.[109]

References

External links

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