25 SKOL’s of Christmas – Syndication Server

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: The Minneapolis Miracle

No matter what happens, Vikings fans will always have the joy of the Minneapolis Miracle. Merry Christmas from The Vikings Wire!

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 twenty-ffith SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs for 61 brilliant yards.

The Vikings have had a lot heartbreak in the playoffs over the years and the 2017 divisional-round matchup against the New Orleans Saints was set to be just that.

In the first half, the Vikings jumped out to a 17-0 lead but slowly squandered it in the second half as the Saints crawled back into it during the second half. They took a 21-20 lead with less than five minutes left and Kai Forbath hit a field goal and Wil Lutz gave the Saints a 24-23 lead with 25 seconds left.

The Vikings had only one timeout left as they got the ball back. On the first play, Keenum hit Diggs for 19 yards to the 39-yard line. Two incompletions back-to-back had everyone worried that heartbreak was coming once again.

The play will forever live in Vikings’ lore: Buffalo Right Seven Heaven. It had Diggs and Jarius Wright running seven routes (aka: corner routes) with the idea being to push the ball down the field and get out of bounds quickly.

They did just that. Diggs caught the ball but Saints safety Marcus Williams mistimed the hit. Diggs kept his balance and scored a walk-off touchdown.

The next week saw the Vikings lose, but the pure joy of this moment will live on forever. Merry Christmas and happy holidays from all of us at Vikings Wire!

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
Miracle At The Met
Cris Carter catches number 1,000
Resurgence of Randall Cunningham
Sam Bradford Opens Up U.S. Bank Stadium
Teddy Bridgewater’s Triumphant Return
Randy Moss on Thanksgiving
Bernard Berrian 99 Yard Touchdown
Jeff George’s Moonshots
Vikings Complete Largest NFL Comeback
Moss Moons Lambeau Field
Adrian Peterson gets 2,097 Yards

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Adrian Peterson gets 2,097 vs. Packers

That week 17 game against Green Bay is one of the best in team history

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 twenty-fourth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Adrian Peterson nearly sets the NFL rushing record.

It isn’t often that you see a running back challenge for the rushing title but that’s exactly what Peterson did in the 2012 season.

On Christmas Eve in 2011, Peterson suffered a brutal injury as he tore his ACL and MCL when playing Washington. It wasn’t known whether he would be ready for week one in 2012 or ever be the same. Well, Peterson proved that he was a medical marvel.

It didn’t take Peterson long to make an impact on the game and he entered the last game of the season with a chance to not only break the NFL rushing record but also send the Vikings to the playoffs by beating the rival Green Bay Packers.

That week 17 matchup was one of the best games in Vikings history. They ended up winning the game 37-34 but the performance of Peterson was the stuff of legends.

In the game, Peterson rushed 34 times and gained 199 yards and a touchdown, including a run at the end of the game that had the Metrodome in a frenzy that he was about to break the record when he ran 26 yards to set up a game-winning field goal.

The next week, the Christian Ponder-less Vikings went to Lambeau and lost in the wild card round with Joe Webb at quarterback.

Peterson finished that special season with 2,097 yards and won the 2012 MVP award, the last non-quarterback to win it. It was a special game for the Vikings and solidified Peterson’s place in NFL history.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Randy Moss moons Lambeau Field

The coolest moment in the Vikings’ history at Lambeau Field was Moss showing the crowd the moon

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 twenty-third SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Randy Moss mooning Lambeau Field.

Joe Buck’s words will forever live in the minds of Vikings fans after that fateful touchdown celebration.

“That was a disgusting act by Randy Moss.”

To understand the rationale behind the moon, you have to know about the why.

In the 2004 season, Daunte Culpepper had a magical MVP-caliber season. With 39 touchdowns and a then NFL record 5,124 yards. In their first two games against the Green Bay Packers, they lost 34-31 in both contests. They got another shot in the 3-6 wild card matchup.

The game started off really well, as the Vikings had a 14-0 lead within the first five minutes. It went back and forth and the Packers were down just seven at 24-17 early in the fourth quarter.

That’s when Culpepper found Moss wide open on a go route from 34 yards out and Moss displayed his “fake” moon for all the world.

January 9, 2005: @RandyMoss catches a TD in an NFC Wild Card Matchup in Green Bay and tops it off with a moon shot celebration that Joe Buck from finds extremely offensive. The Vikings won 31-17.

“That is a disgusting act by Randy Moss” pic.twitter.com/EJjINdkURC

— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) January 9, 2021

This came just one week after he left the field early against the Washington Commanders when the Vikings were about to attempt an onside kick. That had a sour taste in the mouths of many when talking about Moss, which led to a lot of vitriol.

The reason he ended up doing it was because of how the fans greet the Vikings’ team bus whenever they arrive at Lambeau Field: they moon them.

Moss was just getting a level of retribution on the fans that had heckled him for his entire career. It was relatively harmless that was overblown because of course it was.

I will say that for Vikings’ fans, it was one of the coolest moments in team history. I have a picture of it hanging in my basement.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Vikings complete largest comeback ever

In December of 2022, the Minnesota Vikings completed the largest comeback in the history of the National Football League

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 twenty-first SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: The biggest comeback in NFL history.

The Vikings history against the Indianapolis Colts over the last 25 years has not been kind. Prior to the 2022 season, they hadn’t beaten the Colts since the 1997 season when Jim Harbaugh, now the head coach at the University of Michigan, was the starting quarterback. They never could beat Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck.

On December 17th, 2022, the entire nation was primed to watch the game at U.S. Bank Stadium as it was broadcast at noon on NFL Network. Things didn’t start off well for the Vikings.

The first half was a disaster for the purple and gold. Multiple turnovers and failed fourth downs paired with a pick-six had the Vikings down 33-0 at halftime and things couldn’t have been worse.

Oh, but they did get worse. The Vikings went three and out on their first drive out of halftime and things felt hopeless. After forcing a punt by the Colts, the Vikings did something no other team had ever done before: come back from 33 points down and also come back from being down 30+ points at halftime while being shut out.

At halftime, cornerback Patrick Peterson famously said “All we need is five touchdowns” and the offense delivered.

The GREATEST comeback in NFL history. 🗣️

The @vikings gave us a Saturday Miracle last year.

📺: #MINvsCIN – Saturday 1pm ET on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/zrWNoovZL3

— NFL (@NFL) December 14, 2023

Kirk Cousins played the game of his life, throwing for 460 yards and four touchdowns in leading the Vikings to a comeback victory.

K.J. Osborn got the first touchdown and C.J. Ham, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen scored on consecutive fashion but the final touchdown scored by Dalvin Cook had U.S. Bank Stadium in an uproar. It came after the Vikings got a stop on a quarterback sneak on fourth and inches.

TOUCHDOWN: Kirk Cousins 64-yd TD to Dalvin Cook#Colts 36 #Vikings 34 4th pic.twitter.com/zNLqveXdYN

— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) December 17, 2022

The game ended up going to overtime and Greg Joseph hit the game-winning field goal to complete the greatest comeback in NFL history 39-36.

These kinds of things don’t normally happen to the Vikings, but they found a way and clinched the NFC North in the process. While it was both improbably and unlikely for a myriad of reasons, it was the epitome of the Vikings 2022 where anything was possible.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Jeff George’s moonshots

The mystique of Jeff George is something we got to enjoy in 1999

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 twenty-first SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Jeff George saving the 1999 season with moon shots.

The 1999 season was an interesting one for the Vikings. They were a field goal away from making the Super Bowl. Quarterback Randall Cunningham was such a renaissance with his near MVP campaign that the Vikings traded Brad Johnson to Washington for first, second and third-round picks.

Unfortunately, Cunningham couldn’t duplicate the same magic as the Vikings started out the season with a 2-4 record. Jeff George took over halfway through week six against the Detroit Lions and ended up finishing the season with an 8-2 record. It was another quarterback in the long line of journeymen that Green had success with.

Him playing well as a whole isn’t the story. It was how he played. George was the ultimate gunslinger. He had all the arm talent in the world but his attitude kept him from ever reaching his full potential. Some of the throws that he made were on another level. They are on the level of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.

I'm firmly down the wormhole now and just enjoying watching Jeff George rip 50-yard ropes down the field to Moss.

This is whose arm Mahomes reminds me of the most, not play style/demeanor or anything like that, just strictly arm talent. https://t.co/jszmXzTveq pic.twitter.com/WHKtSu1wk5

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) January 10, 2020

The arm talent was absurd and he meshed well with the Vikings’ receivers, but they chose to move on in favor of third-string quarterback and 1999 first-round pick Daunte Culpepper. The tenure was only one season, but they made that season count.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Bernard Berrian scores from 99 yards out

This was a great way to cap off a goal line stand

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 twentieth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Bernard Berrian scoring on a 99-yard touchdown pass.

Who remembers this absolute 💣 from Gus Frerotte to Bernard Berrian for a 99 Yard TD!!? #skol #minnesotavikings #nfl #vikings pic.twitter.com/pB6sHY9Rhf

— Climbing the Pocket (@Climb_ThePocket) May 30, 2020

The 2008 season was one with issues and successes, especially at the quarterback position. The Vikings tried it with Tarvaris Jackson but it didn’t work out and Gus Frerotte got an extended run as well. They finished with a 10-6 record and made the playoffs. They lost right away to the Philadelphia Eagles, but the success in 2008 gave them the platform for the special 2009 season.

One of the best parts of the 2008 season came on Sunday Night Football against division rival Chicago. They ended up winning the game 34-14, but a five-play series changed the tide of this game completely.

After a long Matt Forte run got the Bears to the Vikings’ one-yard line, they ended up getting a goal-line stop. The very next play, Frerotte hit Berrian for the longest touchdown in NFL history.

Considering how the Vikings have had so many of these types of plays go against them in their history, it was nice to see it go the other way.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Vikings’ Randy Moss torches the Cowboys

Moss took the Cowboys passing on him very personally

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 ninteenth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Randy Moss sticking it to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

The Vikings went into Thanksgiving Day with only one loss and their rookie wide receiver played with a massive vengeance.

Prior to the NFL draft, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told Moss that he was going to draft him when his pick came around. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, he went back on his word and selected pass rusher Greg Ellis instead.

When that happened, Moss took it personally and he circled that fateful Thanksgiving Day on his calendar. He wanted nothing more than to stick it to the team that misled him.

The Vikings ended up being the ones that benefitted from that mistake and Moss showed them why on Thanksgiving afternoon.

[lawrence-related id=69454]

It didn’t take long for Moss to make an impact, and while it was easier because Deion Sanders was out for the game, I don’t think that mattered because Moss was on a mission. He only caught three passes for 163 yards but they all went for touchdowns, including two in the first quarter.

The performance is still one of the best that the NFL has ever seen on Thanksgiving Day and it earned him a turkey leg from the great John Madden.

He was good two years later when the Vikings returned to Dallas on Thanksgiving where they won once again, but nothing will ever top that 1998 game.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Sam Bradford opens up U.S. Bank Stadium

Bradford had a way of delivering some memorable highlights

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 seveteenth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Sam Bradford opening up U.S. Bank in incredible fashion.

The 2016 season felt like it was primed to be a special one. The Vikings had won the NFC North the year prior and the team was gelling with a quarterback on a rookie deal. Mike Zimmer’s team was falling into place.

Unfortunately, things didn’t play out perfectly. Teddy Bridgewater tore up his knee in a freak accident just two weeks prior to opening day and the Vikings were in a pickle. Their backup plan was Shaun Hill and that’s not good enough for a team that was primed to make a Super Bowl run.

That prompted the Vikings to trade a first-round and fourth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Sam Bradford. The move was seen as a panic one at the time and, while it didn’t work on long-term for the Vikings, it did give us some incredible moments but none of them were better than his first start in a Vikings uniform.

After a 25-16 win over the Tennssee Titans, the Vikings hosted the Green Bay Packers in week two for the first regular season game at the brand new U.S. Bank Stadium.

After being acquired by the team just 17 days prior, Bradford didn’t just start the game, he looked like the future of the franchise. He operated the offense like he had been in it for years, not just a few weeks. He was slinging the ball everywhere, including touchdowns to Kyle Rudolph and Stefon Diggs, the first one is in the below clip.

What if Sam Bradford stayed healthy… pic.twitter.com/tDwFvmWEkk

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) April 8, 2021

The Vikings went onto win 17-14 in Bradford’s first start but injuries derailed the team’s ultimate path to success. Despite his short time due to his own injuries, Bradford’s highlights will always be some of the best in Vikings’ history.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Resurgence of Randall Cunningham

After a year off from football, the former Eagles star Cunningham became the catalyst for the 1998 season

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 sixteenth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: the resurgence of Randall Cunningham.

Flashback – Lions vs Vikings 1998. Gary Anderson hits 5 FGs and the Vikings take the ball away 4 times (0 turnovers for MIN) in a 29-6 laugher as the Vikings start to show a record-breaking offense under Randall Cunningham in Game 3 of 1998. pic.twitter.com/QieBoMHJxP

— VikeFans (@VikeFans) October 8, 2021

In today’s NFL, it’s not nearly as important to have a quality backup quarterback as it was in the 1990s and earlier. The game didn’t protect quarterbacks like it does now and it was commonplace for a quarterback to miss multiple games per season.

The Vikings had this happen quite a bit, especially once Brad Johnson took over as starting quarterback. Johnson had a knack for getting injured and he did so in both 1997 and 1998. The 1997 injury took him out for the rest of the year and that brought in former Philadelphia Eagles great Randall Cunningham.

After being replaced by Rodney Peete, Cunningham retired believing he was disrespected by the fanbase and organization. He spent 1996 away from football but was lured out of retirement by Dennis Green, who convinced him to come out of retirement. He ended up leading the Vikings to a massive 16-point comeback in the wild-card round against the New York Giants. That win ended up saving Dennis Green’s job and led into the events of the next year.

The big resurgence was in 1998 when Johnson got injured again. He broke his leg against the St. Louis Rams in week two and Cunningham came in and had a tremendous season. He completed 60.9% of his passes for 3,704 yards, 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was so good that he ended up getting both MVP and Offensive Player of the Year votes along with Comeback Player of the Year votes.

He also started the 1999 season as the starter but was pulled during the sixth game as he started 2-4 and Jeff George took over.

We all know the magic of 1998 with Randy Moss and the miracle playoff run, but that doesn’t happen without Cunningham ready to step in and take control of this team.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas:

25 SKOL’s of Christmas: Cris Carter catches number 1,000

The star receiver set many records and this one he did in style

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 fifteenth SKOL of Christmas, the Vikings gave to me: Cris Carter catching his 1,000th pass in the endzone.

The 2000 season was a wild one. The Vikings were coming off a 10-6 season that saw the Vikings start both Randal Cunningham and Jeff George, but they decided to go with their second-year quarterback Daunte Culpepper.

Early on, he showed struggles but as the season went on, he developed a great rapport with Randy Moss and Cris Carter.

After more than a decade in the NFL, Carter was chasing a milestone that had only been done by Jerry Rice: catching 1,000 passes.

He got closer each week and was just five catches away after a Thanksgiving Day win over the Dallas Cowboys. What was fitting is that his next opportunity was also on national television: a Thursday night special on ESPN.

He caught four passes in the first quarter and it didn’t take long for him to catch number 1,000. On the first play of the second quarter, Carter ran a simple sprint out fade to get the fateful 1,000th catch.

For a player that had dealt with a lot of demons, seeing him get number 1,000 was special. His family was on the sidelines and he celebrated with them immediately.

The Vikings won the game 24-17 and Carter etched his name in history.

Previous SKOL’s of Christmas: