The Curse Of Winning 15 Games: Part 1: Vikings
15 wins in an NFL regular season. That's pretty hard.
Before the schedule expanded to 17 games, you would have to win 93.75% of your games. That's the equivalent of an MLB team winning 152 games. Yet, 9 teams have done it.
First, it had to be possible. The league expanded to 16 games in 1978. However, hold your horses. We have to wait until 1984.
Enter: San Fransisco 49ers.
Now, the 49ers were in the midst of a fantastic dynasty. Having bested the Bengals 3 years earlier in 1981, they knew what they were getting themselves into. But not how dominatly they would do it.
They would win the first 6 weeks. Close, but won. Fun fact: against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5, the Falcons scored the rare 5 points.
They would lose their only game to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gary Anderson kicked the game winning field goal in the 4th quarter to send San Fransisco home with a 20-17 loss.
Keep the name Gary Anderson in mind.
Some highlights were them beating the Vikings 51-7, the Browns 41-7 and the Rams 33-0.
In the final week, they had a real scare. The Rams lost by only 3. Crowning the first ever 15 win team in NFL history.
The 49ers would have a dominant run in the playoffs including a 21-10 win over the Giants, a 23-0 win over Chicago, and the infamous 38-16 win over the Miami Dolphins for the Super Bowl crown.
Now, when's the next 15 win team? Well, we only have to wait a year.
Enter: the Chicago Bears.
Yes, those Chicago Bears that lost 23-0 in the playoffs to the 49ers.
Those Chicago Bears.
Hall of famer and Packers running back Johnny McNally dies at the age of 82 due to complications from a stroke.
Anyway.
The 1985 Chicago Bears. Well... it's the 1985 Chicago Bears.
There's not much to say here. I'd much rather you watch a full documentary about this team, because we do have to get to the point of this. It is about the 1998 Minnesota Vikings.
They lost to the Miami Dolphins, went 15-1, won the conference, beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl 46-10. Capisce? Okay.
Now the 1998 Minnesota Vikings. Guess who's on this team? The place kicker Gary Anderson from the 1984 Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Minnesota Vikings would go 5-0 before their BYE WEEK in Week 6. The lowest points total they scored during that stretch was 29. Yes, 29.
After that they would score 41 and 34 in the next two weeks respectively, before losing to the Tampa Bay Bucaneers.
The Bucs were down 24-20. Then, Mike Alsott had a 6 yard run into the end zone with 5:48 to go in the 4th quarter. The Vikings couldn't respond, and they lost their first and only game of the regular season.
Now, the next EIGHT WEEKS.
Wk10: W 31-24
Wk11: W 24-3
Wk12: W 28-14
Wk13 (Thanksgiving): W 46-36
Wk14: W 48-22
Wk15: W 38-28
Wk16: W 50 TO 10.
Wk17: W 26-16
That's not a lie.
Their offense was that good.
They lead the leauge and broke an NFL record with FIVE HUNDERED AND SIXTY SIX POINTS IN 16 GAMES.
Randy Moss caught 17 touchdown passes AS A ROOKIE.
Gary Anderson completed EVERY SINGLE PAT AND FIELD GOAL HE ATTEMPTED THAT YEAR. Spoiler alert: that is going to get ironic real fast.
There's nothing much to say about the first game against the Cardinals. A dominant 41-21 win.
Then the NFC Championship.
#1 Vikings.
#2 Falcons.
It was a pretty competitive game.
27-20.
Gary Anderson lines up to kick a field goal. He's been perfect all year. This would put the Vikings up by 10 and certainly take them to the Super Bowl.
"...and Gary Anderson lines up to kick, he's been perfect all yea- OH NO! AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME, GARY ANDERSON HAS MISSED HIS FIRST KICK OF THE YEAR!!! With a chance to send them to the super bowl, he misses it wide..."
The Falcons would lead a game tying drive and win on a field goal in overtime.
And such started the curse of winning 15 games.