2015 Minnesota Vikings season
55th season in franchise history From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2015 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 55th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their second under head coach Mike Zimmer. It marked the last season in which the Vikings played their home games at the University of Minnesota's on-campus TCF Bank Stadium, before moving into U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in July 2016, located on the site of the now-demolished Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
| 2015 Minnesota Vikings season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Zygi Wilf |
| General manager | Rick Spielman |
| Head coach | Mike Zimmer |
| Home field | TCF Bank Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 11–5 |
| Division place | 1st NFC North |
| Playoff finish | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Seahawks) 9–10 |
| Pro Bowlers | |
| All-Pros | 2
|
| Uniform | |
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The Vikings improved on their 7–9 record from 2014 and clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2012. They also won their first NFC North title since 2009 with a Week 17 victory at the Packers. As a result, they hosted the Seattle Seahawks in the wild card round of the 2015–16 NFL playoffs, but lost 10–9 after kicker Blair Walsh missed a potential game-winning 27-yard field goal in the final seconds.[1]
Offseason
2015 draft
| Pro Bowler |
| 2015 Minnesota Vikings Draft | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draft order | Player name | Position | College | Contract | Notes | ||
| Round | Selection | ||||||
| 1 | 11 | Trae Waynes | CB | Michigan State | 4 years / $12.944 million | ||
| 2 | 45 | Eric Kendricks | LB | UCLA | 4 years / $5.156 million | ||
| 3 | 76 | Traded to the Kansas City Chiefs[A] | |||||
| 80 | Traded to the Detroit Lions[B] | from Chiefs[A] | |||||
| 88 | Danielle Hunter | DE | LSU | 4 years / $3.077 million | from Lions[B] | ||
| 4 | 110 | T. J. Clemmings | OT | Pittsburgh | 4 years / $2.804 million | ||
| 5 | 137 | Traded to the Atlanta Falcons[C] | from Buccaneers via Bills[D] | ||||
| 143 | MyCole Pruitt | TE | Southern Illinois | 4 years / $2.51 million | from Lions via Broncos and Bears[B] | ||
| 146 | Stefon Diggs | WR | Maryland | 4 years / $2.5 million | from Falcons[C] | ||
| 149 | Traded to the Miami Dolphins[E] | ||||||
| 6 | 185 | Tyrus Thompson | OT | Oklahoma | 4 years / $2.4 million | from Falcons[C] | |
| 187 | Traded to the Buffalo Bills[D] | ||||||
| 193 | B. J. Dubose | DE | Louisville | 4 years / $2.399 million | from Chiefs[A] | ||
| 7 | 228 | Austin Shepherd | OT | Alabama | 4 years / $2.349 million | ||
| 232 | Edmond Robinson | OLB | Newberry | 4 years / $2.34 million | from 49ers via Dolphins[E] | ||
Roster changes
| Date | Player name | Position | Contract terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 8, 2015 | Tom Johnson | DE | 3 years / $7 million[5] |
| March 10, 2015 | Matt Asiata | RB | 1 year / $800,000[6] |
| March 11, 2015 | Joe Berger | C | 2 years / $2.155 million[7] |
| Cullen Loeffler | LS | 1 year / $1.05 million[8] | |
| March 17, 2015 | Mike Harris | OT | 1 year / $1.542 million[9] |
| July 4, 2015 | John Sullivan | C | 3 years / $16.7 million[10] |
| July 26, 2015 | Blair Walsh | K | 4 year / $14 million[11] |
| Date | Player name | Position | Previous team | Contract terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 18, 2015 | Brandon Bostick | TE | Green Bay Packers | Claimed off waivers[20] |
| March 11, 2015 | Shaun Hill | QB | St. Louis Rams | 2 years / $6.5 million[21] |
| March 13, 2015 | Mike Wallace | WR | Miami Dolphins | Acquired in trade[E] |
| March 19, 2015 | DuJuan Harris | RB | Green Bay Packers | 1 year / $660,000[22] |
| March 24, 2015 | Casey Matthews | LB | Philadelphia Eagles | 1 years / $825,000[23] |
| Taylor Mays | S | Cincinnati Bengals | 1 year / $795,000[23] | |
| March 26, 2015 | Babatunde Aiyegbusi | OL | Dresden Monarchs (GFL) | 3 years / $1.575 million[24] |
| March 27, 2015 | Terence Newman | CB | Cincinnati Bengals | 1 year / $2.25 million[23] |
| April 2, 2015 | Mike Kafka | QB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers[15] | 1 year / $660,000[25] |
| Caesar Rayford | DE | Montreal Alouettes (CFL) | 1 year / $660,000[26] | |
| April 6, 2015 | Kevin McDermott | LS | Baltimore Ravens | 2 years / $1.26 million[27] |
| May 11, 2015 | Isaac Fruechte | WR | Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA) | 3 years / $1.575 million[28] |
| June 9, 2015 | Chrishon Rose | DT | East Carolina Pirates (NCAA) | [29] |
| July 24, 2015 | Josh Thomas | CB | Detroit Lions | [30] |
| August 1, 2015 | Ryan Whalen | WR | Cincinnati Bengals | [31] |
| August 14, 2015 | Greg Hickman | DT | Detroit Lions | [32] |
| October 6, 2015 | Nick Easton | C | San Francisco 49ers | Acquired in trade[19] |
Preseason
Summarize
Perspective
Schedule
On February 11, 2015, the National Football League announced that the Vikings would play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The game was played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Sunday, August 9.[33] The remainder of the Vikings' preliminary preseason schedule was announced on April 9. The Vikings first hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders before road games against the Dallas Cowboys and the Tennessee Titans,[34] making this the third consecutive year in which the Vikings face the Titans in the preseason.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | NFL.com recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOF | August 9 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 14–3 | 1–0 | Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton, Ohio) | 22,364 | Recap |
| 1 | August 15 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 26–16 | 2–0 | TCF Bank Stadium | 50,610 | Recap |
| 2 | August 22 | Oakland Raiders | W 20–12 | 3–0 | TCF Bank Stadium | 50,656 | Recap |
| 3 | August 29 | at Dallas Cowboys | W 28–14 | 4–0 | AT&T Stadium | 86,082 | Recap |
| 4 | September 3 | at Tennessee Titans | L 17–24 | 4–1 | Nissan Stadium | 61,294 | Recap |
Game summaries
Hall of Fame Game: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Vikings | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Hall of Fame Game: Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton, Ohio
- Date: August 9
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Overcast, 79 °F (26 °C)
- Game attendance: 22,364
- Referee: Carl Cheffers (51)
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Paul Burmeister
- Recap, Game Book
Week 1: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
| Vikings | 9 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 26 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Preseason Week 1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: August 15
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 86 °F (30 °C)
- Game attendance: 50,610
- Referee: Walt Coleman (65)
- Recap, Game Book
Week 2: vs. Oakland Raiders
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 |
| Vikings | 0 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Preseason Week 2: Oakland Raiders at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: August 22
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 79 °F (26 °C)
- Game attendance: 50,656
- Referee: Ed Hochuli (85)
- Recap, Game Book
Week 3: at Dallas Cowboys
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 3 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 28 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Preseason Week 3: Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Date: August 29
- Game time: 6:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 86,082
- Referee: Ron Torbert (62)
- Recap, Game Book
Week 4: at Tennessee Titans
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Titans | 14 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Preseason Week 4: Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
- Date: September 3
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 90 °F (32 °C)
- Game attendance: 61,294
- Referee: Brad Allen (122)
- Recap, Game Book
Regular season
Summarize
Perspective
Schedule
The Vikings' 2015 schedule was announced on April 21.[35]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | NFL.com recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 14 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 3–20 | 0–1 | Levi's Stadium | 70,499 | Recap |
| 2 | September 20 | Detroit Lions | W 26–16 | 1–1 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,319 | Recap |
| 3 | September 27 | San Diego Chargers | W 31–14 | 2–1 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,400 | Recap |
| 4 | October 4 | at Denver Broncos | L 20–23 | 2–2 | Sports Authority Field at Mile High | 77,029 | Recap |
| 5 | Bye | ||||||
| 6 | October 18 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 16–10 | 3–2 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,480 | Recap |
| 7 | October 25 | at Detroit Lions | W 28–19 | 4–2 | Ford Field | 60,231 | Recap |
| 8 | November 1 | at Chicago Bears | W 23–20 | 5–2 | Soldier Field | 62,311 | Recap |
| 9 | November 8 | St. Louis Rams | W 21–18 (OT) | 6–2 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,406 | Recap |
| 10 | November 15 | at Oakland Raiders | W 30–14 | 7–2 | O.co Coliseum | 54,700 | Recap |
| 11 | November 22 | Green Bay Packers | L 13–30 | 7–3 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,529 | Recap |
| 12 | November 29 | at Atlanta Falcons | W 20–10 | 8–3 | Georgia Dome | 70,610 | Recap |
| 13 | December 6 | Seattle Seahawks | L 7–38 | 8–4 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,430 | Recap |
| 14 | December 10 | at Arizona Cardinals | L 20–23 | 8–5 | University of Phoenix Stadium | 64,784 | Recap |
| 15 | December 20 | Chicago Bears | W 38–17 | 9–5 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,421 | Recap |
| 16 | December 27 | New York Giants | W 49–17 | 10–5 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,455 | Recap |
| 17 | January 3 | at Green Bay Packers | W 20–13 | 11–5 | Lambeau Field | 78,412 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 49ers | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 20 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 1: Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
- Date: September 14
- Game time: 9:20 p.m. CDT/7:20 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 70 °F (21 °C)
- Game attendance: 70,499
- Referee: Ed Hochuli (85)
- TV announcers (ESPN): Chris Berman, Trent Dilfer and Lindsay Czarniak
- Recap, Game Book
The Vikings opened their 2015 season on the road against the San Francisco 49ers. Despite allowing San Francisco to start with the ball, the Vikings made a positive start, as Andrew Sendejo blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt from Phil Dawson, which Marcus Sherels returned 44 yards to the San Francisco 26-yard line. Minnesota QB Teddy Bridgewater was unable to complete a single pass on the next drive, forcing Blair Walsh to attempt a 44-yard field goal; however, he pushed it wide right. After forcing the 49ers to punt on the next series, the Vikings were themselves forced to punt immediately afterwards, only for the 49ers' rookie former rugby league star Jarryd Hayne to muff the catch, allowing the Vikings to recover the ball. The next drive saw the Vikings attempt to convert on 4th-and-3, but Bridgewater's completed pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph fell a yard short of a fresh set of downs.
Both sides exchanged punts at the start of the second quarter, with the 49ers eventually returning one 85 yards for a touchdown, only for it to be called back for an illegal block by a San Francisco player. However, the ensuing possession ended with a 49ers touchdown, as they drove 93 yards in just under 5 minutes, before Carlos Hyde finished the series with a 10-yard touchdown run; after finding nowhere to go on his initial run to the right, he beat a Minnesota defender with a spin move and ran back to the left side of the field, where quarterback Colin Kaepernick led him into the end zone. With the Vikings unable to score in the remaining 47 seconds, the first half ended 7–0 to San Francisco.
Minnesota started the third quarter with the ball, but they were unable to make it out of their half before being forced to punt. The 49ers then extended their lead on the ensuing possession, driving 73 yards to the Minnesota 11-yard line to set up a 30-yard field goal attempt for Dawson. The Vikings finally got on the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter, as Walsh finished off a 66-yard drive with a 37-yard field goal, but the 49ers pulled further ahead with a second touchdown for Hyde on a 17-yard run. Bridgewater attempted to spark the Vikings back into the game, but a deep pass intended for Rudolph was intercepted by Tramaine Brock, setting up a 25-yard field goal for Dawson. The next drive saw the Vikings go for it again on 4th-and-8, but Bridgewater was sacked for a loss of 14 yards, allowing the 49ers to kneel out the game.
Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lions | 0 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 16 |
| Vikings | 7 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 26 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 2: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: September 20
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 67 °F (19 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,319
- Referee: Bill Vinovich (52)
- TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Kirk Morrison and Peter Schrager
- Recap, Game Book
Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chargers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Vikings | 3 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 31 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 3: San Diego Chargers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: September 27
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 75 °F (24 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,400
- Referee: Terry McAulay (77)
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Game Book
Week 4: at Denver Broncos
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Broncos | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 4: Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos – Game summary
at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: October 4
- Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT/2:25 p.m. MDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 77,029
- Referee: Walt Coleman (65)
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
- Recap, Game Book
Week 6: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Vikings | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 6: Kansas City Chiefs at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: October 18
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 54 °F (12 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,480
- Referee: Jerome Boger (23)
- TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and Stacey Dales
- Recap, Game Book
Week 7: at Detroit Lions
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 3 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 28 |
| Lions | 14 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 19 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 7: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
- Date: October 25
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
- Game attendance: 60,231
- Referee: Ed Hochuli (85)
- TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale
- Recap, Game Book
Week 8: at Chicago Bears
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 23 |
| Bears | 3 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 8: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears – Game summary
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
- Date: November 1
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
- Game attendance: 62,311
- Referee: John Hussey (35)
- TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Holly Sonders
- Preview, Game Book
Week 9: vs. St. Louis Rams
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | 6 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| Vikings | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 21 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 9: St. Louis Rams at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: November 8
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Sunny, 51 °F (11 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,406
- Referee: Ron Torbert (62)
- TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis and Tony Siragusa
- Recap, Game Book
Week 10: at Oakland Raiders
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 30 |
| Raiders | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 10: Minnesota Vikings at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
at O.co Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: November 15
- Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST/1:05 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
- Game attendance: 54,700
- Referee: Tony Corrente (99)
- TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Ronde Barber and Holly Sonders
- Preview, Game Book
Week 11: vs. Green Bay Packers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 6 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 30 |
| Vikings | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 11: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: November 22
- Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 30 °F (−1 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,529
- Referee: Walt Coleman (65)
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
- Preview, Game Book
Week 12: at Atlanta Falcons
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 20 |
| Falcons | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 12: Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
- Date: November 29
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
- Game attendance: 70,610
- Referee: Clete Blakeman (34)
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
- Recap, Game Book
Week 13: vs. Seattle Seahawks
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | 7 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 38 |
| Vikings | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 13: Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Week 14: at Arizona Cardinals
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Cardinals | 10 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 14: Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
- Date: December 10
- Game time: 7:25 p.m. CST/6:25 p.m. MST
- Game weather: Mostly clear, 68 °F (20 °C) (retractable roof open)
- Game attendance: 64,784
- Referee: Gene Steratore (114)
- TV announcers (NFLN): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
- Recap, Game Book
Week 15: vs. Chicago Bears
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| Vikings | 7 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 38 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 15: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: December 20
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 36 °F (2 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,421
- Referee: Brad Allen (122)
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
- Recap, Game Book
Teddy Bridgewater's best game of his career, going 17/20, 231 yards, and 4 touchdowns, along with a rushing touchdown on the ground. Before this game, Bridgewater had only 9 passing touchdowns, and afterwards, he had 13. Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears were stopped to 17 points, while Cutler also having a good game with 26/37 for 231 and 2 touchdowns.
Week 16: vs. New York Giants
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Vikings | 3 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 49 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 16: New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: December 27
- Game time: 7:30 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 13 °F (−11 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,455
- Referee: Tony Corrente (99)
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Game Book
Week 17: at Green Bay Packers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 3 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 20 |
| Packers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 17: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Standings
Division
| NFC North | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (3) Minnesota Vikings | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | 365 | 302 | W3 |
| (5) Green Bay Packers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 7–5 | 368 | 323 | L2 |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 6–6 | 358 | 400 | W3 |
| Chicago Bears | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 335 | 397 | L1 |
Conference
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Leaders | |||||||||||
| 1 | Carolina Panthers | South | 15 | 1 | 0 | .938 | 5–1 | 11–1 | .441 | .438 | W1 |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 4–2 | 10–2 | .477 | .457 | L1 |
| 3 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .504 | .449 | W3 |
| 4 | Washington Redskins | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .465 | .403 | W4 |
| Wild Cards | |||||||||||
| 5[a] | Green Bay Packers | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .531 | .450 | L2 |
| 6[a] | Seattle Seahawks | West | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .520 | .431 | W1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
| 7 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .480 | .453 | L1 |
| 8[b] | St. Louis Rams | West | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .527 | .482 | L1 |
| 9[b] | Detroit Lions | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .535 | .429 | W3 |
| 10[b] | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .508 | .473 | W1 |
| 11[b] | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .504 | .402 | W2 |
| 12[c] | New York Giants | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .500 | .396 | L3 |
| 13[c] | Chicago Bears | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .547 | .469 | L1 |
| 14[c] | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .484 | .406 | L4 |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .539 | .463 | W1 |
| 16 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 3–3 | 3–9 | .531 | .438 | L4 |
| Tiebreakers[d] | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Postseason
Summarize
Perspective
Schedule
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | NFL.com recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | January 10, 2016 | Seattle Seahawks (6) | L 9–10 | 0–1 | TCF Bank Stadium | 52,090 | Recap |
Game summaries
NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. #6 Seattle Seahawks
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| Vikings | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
NFC Wild Card Playoffs: #6 Seattle Seahawks at #3 Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: January 10, 2016
- Game time: 12:05 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Clear, −6 °F (−21 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,090
- Referee: Walt Coleman (65)
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Game Book
The Vikings' only points in this game came from the foot of kicker Blair Walsh, whose three field goals put them 9–0 up by the end of the third quarter; however, Seattle outscored them 10–0 in the final period, with a touchdown catch from Doug Baldwin being followed by a 46-yard Steven Hauschka field goal in the first seven minutes of the quarter. The Vikings had a chance to win it with 20 seconds remaining, but Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal, reminding Vikings fans of Gary Anderson's missed field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship Game.
Pro Bowl
Running back Adrian Peterson was the only Minnesota Viking selected for the 2016 Pro Bowl. It was Peterson's seventh Pro Bowl selection, tying him for the fourth-most in Vikings franchise history with offensive tackle Ron Yary.[36] After Houston Texans DE J. J. Watt suffered an injury in the wildcard round game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen was called up to replace him, his first career Pro Bowl selection.[37] Griffen was followed by a fellow first-time Pro Bowler, safety Harrison Smith, on January 25, after Earl Thomas of the Seattle Seahawks was ruled out of the game due to injury.[38] The next day, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and linebacker Anthony Barr were added to the Pro Bowl roster as replacements for injured Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer and New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins respectively.[39]
Roster
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Staff
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Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Statistics
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Team leaders
| Category | Player(s) | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Passing yards | Teddy Bridgewater | 3,231 |
| Passing touchdowns | Teddy Bridgewater | 14 |
| Rushing yards | Adrian Peterson | 1,485 |
| Rushing touchdowns | Adrian Peterson | 11 |
| Receptions | Stefon Diggs | 52 |
| Receiving yards | Stefon Diggs | 720 |
| Receiving touchdowns | Kyle Rudolph | 5 |
| Points | Blair Walsh | 135 |
| Kickoff return yards | Cordarrelle Patterson | 1,019 |
| Punt return yards | Marcus Sherels | 311 |
| Tackles | Eric Kendricks | 92 |
| Sacks | Everson Griffen | 10.5 |
| Interceptions | Terence Newman | 3 |
| Forced fumbles | Anthony Barr | 3 |
Source: Minnesota Vikings' official website[40]
League rankings
| Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 32) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing offense | 2,928 | 183.0 | 31st |
| Rushing offense | 2,211 | 138.2 | 4th |
| Total offense | 5,139 | 321.2 | 29th |
| Passing defense | 3,759 | 234.9 | 12th |
| Rushing defense | 1,748 | 109.2 | 17th |
| Total defense | 5,507 | 344.2 | 13th |
Source: NFL.com.[41]
Notes
- The Vikings traded their third-round selection (76th overall) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Kansas City's third- and sixth-round selections (80th and 193rd overall).[2]
- The Vikings traded the third-round selection they received from Kansas City (80th overall) to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Detroit's third-round selection and the fifth-round selection they received from Chicago via Denver (88th and 143rd overall).[2]
- The Vikings traded the fifth-round selection they received from Tampa Bay via Buffalo (137th overall) to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Atlanta's fifth- and sixth-round selections (146th and 185th overall).[2]
- The Vikings traded their sixth-round selection (187th overall) and QB Matt Cassel to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for the fifth-round selection Buffalo received from Tampa Bay (137th overall) and a 2016 seventh-round selection (240th overall).[3]
- The Vikings traded their fifth-round selection (149th overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the seventh-round selection Miami received from San Francisco (232nd overall) and WR Mike Wallace.[4]
References
External links
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