56th season in franchise history
2016 Minnesota Vikings season Owner Zygi Wilf Head coach Mike Zimmer (games 1–12, 14–16) Mike Priefer (interim, game 13) General manager Rick Spielman Home field U.S. Bank Stadium Record 8–8 Division place 3rd NFC North Playoff finish Did not qualify Pro Bowlers AP All-Pros KR Cordarrelle Patterson (1st team)
The 2016 season was the Minnesota Vikings ' 56th in the National Football League and their third under head coach Mike Zimmer . After starting the season with five consecutive wins prior to their bye week, the Vikings managed just three victories after the bye and were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16 with a 38–25 road loss to the Packers.[1] They joined the 1978 Redskins , 1993 Saints , 2003 Vikings , 2009 Broncos , 2009 Giants and 2015 Falcons in missing the playoffs after starting 5–0 or better. The Vikings are the only team in NFL history to start 5–0 or better more than once and on both occasions and miss the playoffs.
The team's new stadium, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis , opened at the start of the season, with a regular season debut victory on September 18 against division rival Green Bay on NBC Sunday Night Football . It was built on the site of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome , the team's home from 1982 through 2013 . The Vikings played at the outdoor TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota in 2014 and 2015 .
On August 30, starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a season-ending ACL tear and dislocated knee on a non-contact play during team practice.[2] Originally, it was reported that Bridgewater's injury would keep him out for around a year-and-a-half, and on January 27, 2017, it was reported that it was possible he could also miss the entire 2017 season.[3] The extent of Bridgewater's injury prompted the Vikings to make a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for former number 1 draft pick Sam Bradford , giving up a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 Draft in exchange.[4] [5] Adrian Peterson 's season was also hit by injury after he tore the meniscus in his right knee in the home opener against the Packers.[6] [7] On September 22, Peterson underwent successful surgery to repair the meniscus. It was also revealed that the knee had a mild LCL sprain, but it did not need surgery.[8] He was placed on injured reserve on September 23, 2016,[9] and reactivated on December 17,[10] but only made six rushing attempts before leaving the game, ending his season. Peterson left the team at the end of the season, ending his 10-year tenure with the Vikings.
Offseason [ ]
Draft [ ]
Main article: 2016 NFL Draft
2016 Minnesota Vikings draft[11]
Draft order
Player name
Position
College
Contract
Notes
Round
Selection
1
23
Laquon Treadwell
WR
Ole Miss
4 years / $9.93 million[12]
2
54
Mackensie Alexander
CB
Clemson
4 years / $4.3 million
3
86
Traded to the Miami Dolphins [A]
4
121
Willie Beavers
G
Western Michigan
4 years / $2.88 million
5
160
Kentrell Brothers
ILB
Missouri
4 years / $2.57 million
6
180
Moritz Böhringer
WR
Schwäbisch Hall (GFL )
4 years / $2.49 million
from 49ers [B]
186
Traded to the Miami Dolphins [C]
from Dolphins [A]
188
David Morgan II
TE
UTSA
4 years / $2.47 million
from Eagles [D]
196
Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles [D]
from Texans via Patriots and Dolphins [C]
198
Traded to the San Diego Chargers [E]
7
227
Stephen Weatherly
LB
Vanderbilt
4 years / $2.42 million
from Ravens via Dolphins [C]
240
Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles [D]
from Bills [F]
244
Jayron Kearse
S
Clemson
4 years / $2.4 million
Draft trades
^ a b The Vikings traded their third-round selection (86th overall) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Miami's sixth-round selection (186th overall) and 2017 third- and fourth-round selections.[13]
^ The Vikings traded linebacker Gerald Hodges to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for San Francisco's sixth-round selection (180th) and center Nick Easton .[14]
^ a b c The Vikings traded the sixth-round selection they acquired from the Miami Dolphins (186th overall) back to the Dolphins in exchange for Miami's sixth-round selection and the seventh-round selection they acquired from the Ravens (196th and 227th overall).[15]
^ a b c The Vikings traded the sixth-round selection they acquired from Miami and their seventh-round selection (196th and 240th overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Philadelphia's sixth-round selection (188th overall).[16]
^ The Vikings traded their sixth-round selection (198th overall) to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for guard Jeremiah Sirles .[17]
^ The Vikings traded their 2015 sixth-round selection (187th overall) and quarterback Matt Cassel to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for Buffalo's 2016 sixth-round selection (240th overall) and a 2015 fifth-round selection (137th overall).[18]
Roster changes [ ]
Re-signings
Date
Player name
Position
Contract terms
March 7, 2016
Andrew Sendejo
S
4 years / $16 million[19]
Adam Thielen
WR
1 year / $600,000[20]
March 8, 2016
Audie Cole
LB
1 year / $760,000[21]
March 9, 2016
Mike Harris
G
1 year / $1.9 million[22]
March 15, 2016
Rhett Ellison
TE
1 year / $2.25 million[23]
Marcus Sherels
CB
2 years / $4 million[23]
March 16, 2016
Matt Asiata
RB
1 year / $840,000[24]
March 18, 2016
Terence Newman
CB
1 year / $3 million[23]
Justin Trattou
DE
1 year / $810,000[25]
April 11, 2016
Chad Greenway
LB
1 year / $2.75 million[26]
April 18, 2016
Zach Line
FB
1 year / $1.671 million[27]
September 9, 2016
Joe Berger
C
1-year extension[28]
Departures
Date
Player name
Position
Note
New team
March 8, 2016
Mike Wallace
WR
Released[29]
Baltimore Ravens
Austin Wentworth
OT
Waived[29]
Retired[30]
March 9, 2016
Casey Matthews
ILB
UFA
Jason Trusnik
ILB
UFA
March 14, 2016
Josh Robinson
CB
UFA
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
March 18, 2016
Robert Blanton
S
UFA
Buffalo Bills
April 13, 2016
Alex Singleton
LB
Waived
Calgary Stampeders (CFL )
May 10, 2016
Johnny Lowdermilk
S
Waived
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
July 25, 2016
Phil Loadholt
OT
Waived
Retired
August 25, 2016
Melvin White
CB
Waived
August 30, 2016
Brad Sorensen
QB
Waived[31] [32]
Terrell Sinkfield
WR
Austin Shepherd
OT
John Sullivan
C
Scott Crichton
DL
Antone Exum
S
Zach Moore
DE
September 3, 2016
C. J. Ham
HB
Waived
Blake Renaud
FB
Isaac Fruechte
WR
Moritz Böhringer
WR
Willie Beavers
OL
Isame Faciane
OG
Stephen Weatherly
DE
Toby Johnson
DT
Brandon Watts
OLB
Additions
Date
Player name
Position
Previous team
Contract terms
March 10, 2016
Alex Boone
G
San Francisco 49ers
4 years / $26.8 million[33]
Emmanuel Lamur
LB
Cincinnati Bengals
2 years / $6 million[22]
March 18, 2016
Andre Smith
OT
Cincinnati Bengals
1 year / $4.5 million[34]
May 10, 2016
C. J. Ham
HB
Augustana (NCAA )
August 1, 2016
Terrance Plummer
LB
Minnesota Vikings
September 3, 2016
Sam Bradford
QB
Philadelphia Eagles
Trade[35]
September 4, 2016
Joel Stave
QB
Wisconsin (NCAA )
Practice squad[36]
C. J. Ham
HB
Augustana (NCAA )
Moritz Böhringer
WR
Schwäbisch Hall (GFL )
Kyle Carter
TE
Penn State (NCAA )
Willie Beavers
OL
Western Michigan (NCAA )
Isame Faciane
OG
Minnesota Vikings
Stephen Weatherly
DE
Vanderbilt (NCAA )
Toby Johnson
DT
Minnesota Vikings
Tre Roberson
CB
Illinois State (NCAA )
September 4, 2016
Shamiel Gary
S
Miami Dolphins
Practice squad[37]
September 13, 2016
Tre Roberson
CB
Illinois State (NCAA )
Practice squad
Julian Wilson
CB
Philadelphia Eagles
September 23, 2016
Ronnie Hillman
HB
Denver Broncos
October 11, 2016
Jake Long
OT
Atlanta Falcons
1 year
Signed and released players
Date signed
Player name
Position
Previous team
Contract terms
Date released
March 7, 2016
Carter Bykowski
OT
Minnesota Vikings
1 year / $600,000[38]
August 30, 2016
March 9, 2016
Kenrick Ellis
DT
1 year / $810,000[39]
September 3, 2016
March 11, 2016
Travis Lewis
LB
Detroit Lions
1 year / $810,000[22]
June 16, 2016
March 14, 2016
Michael Griffin
S
Tennessee Titans
1 year / $3 million[22]
September 3, 2016
March 21, 2016
Brian Leonhardt
TE
San Francisco 49ers
1 year / $600,000[40]
August 30, 2016
May 1, 2016
Keith Baxter
CB
Marshall (NCAA )
Undrafted FA[41]
July 31, 2016
Kyle Carter
TE
Penn State (NCAA )
September 3, 2016
Joel Stave
QB
Wisconsin (NCAA )
Theiren Cockran
DE
Minnesota (NCAA )
August 30, 2016
Jake Ganus
ILB
Georgia (NCAA )
September 3, 2016
Marken Michel
WR
UMass (NCAA )
August 30, 2016
Denzell Perine
OLB
Florida Atlantic (NCAA )
September 2, 2016
Jhurell Pressley
RB
New Mexico (NCAA )
September 3, 2016
Brandon Ross
RB
Maryland (NCAA )
May 23, 2016
May 9, 2016
Tre Roberson
CB
Illinois State (NCAA )
Undrafted FA[42]
September 13, 2016
Troy Stoudermire
WR
Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL )
[42]
August 30, 2016
May 23, 2016
Travis Raciti
DT
Philadelphia Eagles
September 2, 2016
May 31, 2016
Bruce Gaston
DT
Chicago Bears
June 16, 2016
July 27, 2016
Sean Hickey
OT
New York Jets
[43]
August 30, 2016
Jason Whittingham
LB
Utah (NCAA )
[43]
July 31, 2016
July 30, 2016
Claudell Louis
DT
Buffalo Bills
[44]
August 30, 2016
April 13, 2016
Terrance Plummer
LB
Minnesota Vikings
August 31, 2016
August 20, 2016
Kevin Monangai
RB
Philadelphia Eagles
Waived[45]
August 4, 2016
August 20, 2016
Brad Sorensen
QB
San Diego Chargers
[45] [46]
August 30, 2016
August 31, 2016
Minnesota Vikings
September 2, 2016
September 6, 2016
Carter Bykowski
OT
Minnesota Vikings
Practice squad
September 13, 2016
Preseason [ ]
Schedule [ ]
The Vikings' preseason opponents and schedule were announced April 7.
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Venue
Attendance
NFL.com recap
1
at Cincinnati Bengals
W 17–16
1–0
Paul Brown Stadium
50,737
Recap
2
at Seattle Seahawks
W 18–11
2–0
CenturyLink Field
68,469
Recap
3
August 28
San Diego Chargers
W 23–10
3–0
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,143
Recap
4
Los Angeles Rams
W 27–25
4–0
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,262
Recap
Game summaries [ ]
Week 1: at Cincinnati Bengals [ ]
Week 1: Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
0
10
7 0 17
Bengals
0
7
0 9 16
at Paul Brown Stadium , Cincinnati , Ohio
Date : August 12Game time : 7:30 p.m. EDT /6:30 p.m. CDT Game weather : Cloudy, 86 °F (30 °C)Game attendance : 50,737Referee : Jerome Boger (23)Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
MIN – Charles Johnson 49-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Blair Walsh kick), 5:43. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 96 yards, 6:39.
CIN – Alex Erickson 3-yard pass from A. J. McCarron (Mike Nugent kick), 0:47. Tied 7–7. Drive: 5 plays, 54 yards, 1:26.
MIN – Blair Walsh 51-yard field goal, 0:00. Vikings 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 42 yards, 0:47.
Third quarter
MIN – C. J. Ham 10-yard run (Blair Walsh kick), 1:44. Vikings 17–7. Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards, 5:46.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Mike Nugent 23-yard field goal, 4:11. Vikings 17–10. Drive: 8 plays, 81 yards, 3:47.
CIN – Alex Erickson 80-yard punt return (pass failed), 2:45. Vikings 17–16.
Top passers
MIN – Teddy Bridgewater – 6/7, 92 yards, TD
CIN – A. J. McCarron – 11/16, 125 yards, TD
Top rushers
MIN – C. J. Ham – 12 rushes, 35 yards, TD
CIN – Giovani Bernard – 7 rushes, 21 yards
Top receivers
MIN – Charles Johnson – 1 reception, 49 yards, TD
CIN – Rashaun Simonise – 1 reception, 47 yards
Week 2: at Seattle Seahawks [ ]
Week 2: Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
0
11
0 7 18
Seahawks
0
0
0 11 11
at CenturyLink Field , Seattle , Washington
Date : August 18Game time : 9:00 p.m. CDT/7:00 p.m. PDT Game weather : Sunny, 83 °F (28 °C)Game attendance : 68,469Referee : Ed Hochuli (85)Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
MIN – Jerick McKinnon 1-yard run (Shaun Hill –Matt Asiata pass), 2:20. Vikings 8–0. Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:08.
MIN – Blair Walsh 27-yard field goal, 0:00. Vikings 11–0. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 1:09.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
SEA – Troymaine Pope 4-yard run (Trevone Boykin run), 12:49. Vikings 11–8. Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 3:13.
SEA – Steven Hauschka 49-yard field goal, 5:46. Tied 11–11. Drive: 13 plays, 58 yards, 5:50.
MIN – Marcus Sherels 53-yard interception return (Blair Walsh kick), 1:23. Vikings 18–11.
Top passers
MIN – Shaun Hill – 10/17, 129 yards
SEA – Trevone Boykin – 10/20, 127 yards, INT
Top rushers
MIN – Jhurell Pressley – 6 rushes, 28 yards
SEA – Troymaine Pope – 10 rushes, 86 yards, TD
Top receivers
MIN – Adam Thielen – 4 receptions, 61 yards
SEA – Antwan Goodley – 5 receptions, 65 yards
Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers [ ]
Week 3: San Diego Chargers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Chargers
0
10
0 0 10
Vikings
6
6
8 3 23
at U.S. Bank Stadium , Minneapolis , Minnesota
Date : August 28Game time : 12:00 p.m. CDTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,143Referee : John Hussey (35)TV announcers (Fox ) : Kevin Burkhardt , John Lynch and Pam Oliver Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 23-yard field goal, 11:04. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 3:56.
MIN – Blair Walsh 33-yard field goal, 4:18. Vikings 6–0. Drive: 9 plays, 29 yards, 4:38.
Second quarter
SD – Melvin Gordon 39-yard run (Josh Lambo kick), 9:04. Chargers 7–6. Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 3:05.
SD – Josh Lambo 32-yard field goal, 2:28. Chargers 10–6. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 4:10.
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 27-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (run failed), 1:18. Vikings 12–10. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 1:10.
Third quarter
MIN – Cordarrelle Patterson fumble recovery in the end zone (Shaun Hill –Laquon Treadwell pass), 13:12. Vikings 20–10. Drive: 2 plays, 17 yards, 0:43.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 23-yard field goal, 6:24. Vikings 23–10. Drive: 9 plays, 33 yards, 4:42.
Top passers
SD – Kellen Clemens – 9/15, 77 yards
MIN – Teddy Bridgewater – 12/16, 161 yards, TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
SD – Rasheed Bailey – 2 receptions, 37 yards
MIN – Stefon Diggs – 5 receptions, 71 yards
Week 4: vs. Los Angeles Rams [ ]
Week 4: Los Angeles Rams at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Rams
7
0
3 15 25
Vikings
0
13
7 7 27
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : September 1Game time : 7:00 p.m. CDTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,262Referee : Bill Vinovich (52)Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
LA – Kenny Britt 1-yard pass from Jared Goff (Greg Zuerlein kick), 11:37. Rams 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 62 yards, 3:23.
Second quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 30-yard field goal, 2:39. Rams 7–3. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:19.
MIN – Blair Walsh 34-yard field goal, 0:55. Rams 7–6. Drive: 4 plays, −7 yards, 0:56.
MIN – Jhurell Pressley 28-yard pass from Brad Sorensen (Blair Walsh kick), 0:33. Vikings 13–7. Drive: 1 play, 28 yards, 0:09.
Third quarter
LA – Greg Zuerlein 35-yard field goal, 4:47. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 13 plays, 59 yards, 7:31.
MIN – Jhurell Pressley 106-yard kickoff return (Blair Walsh kick), 4:32. Vikings 20–10. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:15.
Fourth quarter
MIN – C. J. Ham 1-yard run (Blair Walsh kick), 11:37. Vikings 27–10. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 1:17.
LA – Paul McRoberts 2-yard pass from Sean Mannion (Terrence Magee run), 6:14. Vikings 27–18. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 5:23.
LA – Aaron Green 26-yard run (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:53. Rams 27–25. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 2:02.
Top passers
Top rushers
LA – Aaron Green – 13 rushes, 66 yards, TD
MIN – C. J. Ham – 15 rushes, 59 yards, TD
Top receivers
LA – Temarrick Hemingway – 3 receptions, 41 yards
MIN – Jhurell Pressley – 4 receptions, 49 yards, TD
Regular season [ ]
Schedule [ ]
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Venue
Attendance
NFL.com recap
1
September 11
at Tennessee Titans
W 25–16
1–0
Nissan Stadium
63,816
Recap
2
September 18
Green Bay Packers
W 17–14
2–0
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,813
Recap
3
September 25
at Carolina Panthers
W 22–10
3–0
Bank of America Stadium
73,813
Recap
4
New York Giants
W 24–10
4–0
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,690
Recap
5
October 9
Houston Texans
W 31–13
5–0
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,683
Recap
6
Bye
7
October 23
at Philadelphia Eagles
L 10–21
5–1
Lincoln Financial Field
69,596
Recap
8
at Chicago Bears
L 10–20
5–2
Soldier Field
60,422
Recap
9
November 6
Detroit Lions
L 16–22 (OT)
5–3
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,807
Recap
10
November 13
at Washington Redskins
L 20–26
5–4
FedExField
78,216
Recap
11
November 20
Arizona Cardinals
W 30–24
6–4
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,808
Recap
12
November 24
at Detroit Lions
L 13–16
6–5
Ford Field
63,793
Recap
13
Dallas Cowboys
L 15–17
6–6
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,860
Recap
14
December 11
at Jacksonville Jaguars
W 25–16
7–6
EverBank Field
62,701
Recap
15
December 18
Indianapolis Colts
L 6–34
7–7
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,820
Recap
16
at Green Bay Packers
L 25–38
7–8
Lambeau Field
77,856
Recap
17
January 1
Chicago Bears
W 38–10
8–8
U.S. Bank Stadium
66,808
Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries [ ]
Week 1: at Tennessee Titans [ ]
Week 1: Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
0
0
12 13 25
Titans
3
7
0 6 16
at Nissan Stadium , Nashville, Tennessee
Date : September 11Game time : 12:00 p.m. CDT Game weather : Sunny, 76 °F (24 °C)Game attendance : 63,816Referee : Walt Coleman (65)TV announcers (Fox ) : Dick Stockton , Chris Spielman and Kristina PinkRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
TEN – Ryan Succop 28-yard field goal, 4:45. Titans 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 53 yards, 4:24.
Second quarter
TEN – DeMarco Murray 6-yard pass from Marcus Mariota (Ryan Succop kick), 0:41. Titans 10–0. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 4:14.
Third quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 50-yard field goal, 13:56. Titans 10–3. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:04.
MIN – Blair Walsh 33-yard field goal, 5:59. Titans 10–6. Drive: 11 plays, 58 yards, 5:31.
MIN – Eric Kendricks 77-yard interception return (kick failed, wide left), 1:24. Vikings 12–10.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 45-yard field goal, 11:17. Vikings 15–10. Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards, 4:05.
MIN – Danielle Hunter 24-yard fumble return (Blair Walsh kick), 11:03. Vikings 22–10.
MIN – Blair Walsh 30-yard field goal, 2:36. Vikings 25–10. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 3:33.
TEN – DeMarco Murray 4-yard pass from Marcus Mariota (pass failed), 0:28. Vikings 25–16. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 2:08.
Top passers
MIN – Shaun Hill – 18/33, 236 yards
TEN – Marcus Mariota – 25/41, 271 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
MIN – Adrian Peterson – 19 rushes, 31 yards
TEN – DeMarco Murray – 13 rushes, 42 yards
Top receivers
MIN – Stefon Diggs – 7 receptions, 103 yards
TEN – Tajae Sharpe – 7 receptions, 76 yards
Shaun Hill started at quarterback in the team's first game, as Sam Bradford was rested until the second game.
Week 2: vs. Green Bay Packers [ ]
Week 2: Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Packers
7
0
0 7 14
Vikings
0
10
7 0 17
at U.S. Bank Stadium , Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : September 18Game time : 7:30 p.m. CDTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,813Referee : Walt Anderson (66)TV announcers (NBC ) : Al Michaels , Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
GB – Jordy Nelson 1-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 5:39. Packers 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 3:08.
Second quarter
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 8-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Blair Walsh kick), 10:14. Tied 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 4:46.
MIN – Blair Walsh 46-yard field goal, 0:27. Vikings 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 4:14.
Third quarter
MIN – Stefon Diggs 25-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Blair Walsh kick), 2:11. Vikings 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 87 yards, 2:46.
Fourth quarter
GB – Aaron Rodgers 10-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 12:41. Vikings 17–14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:30.
Top passers
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 20/36, 213 yards, TD, INT
MIN – Sam Bradford – 22/31, 286 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
GB – Eddie Lacy – 12 rushes, 50 yards
MIN – Adrian Peterson – 12 rushes, 19 yards
Top receivers
GB – Jordy Nelson – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD
MIN – Stefon Diggs – 9 receptions, 182 yards, TD
Sam Bradford made his first start for the Vikings in week 2 against the Packers just 15 days after being traded. Despite not having much time to learn the offense, Bradford outplayed Aaron Rodgers but ended up hurting his left hand in the first half due to a hit by Clay Matthews . Bradford finished the game completing 22-of-31 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns, helping lead the Vikings to their first win in their new stadium .
Week 3: at Carolina Panthers [ ]
Week 3: Minnesota Vikings at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
2
6
8 6 22
Panthers
10
0
0 0 10
at Bank of America Stadium , Charlotte, North Carolina
Date : September 25Game time : 1:00 p.m. EDT /12:00 p.m. CDTGame weather : Partly cloudy, 80 °F (27 °C)Game attendance : 73,813Referee : Jerome Boger (23)TV announcers (Fox) : Chris Myers , Ronde Barber and Jennifer Hale Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
CAR – Graham Gano 48-yard field goal, 10:52. Panthers 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 48 yards, 4:08.
CAR – Cam Newton 3-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 5:20. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 7 plays, 57 yards, 3:51.
MIN – Cam Newton sacked in the end zone by Danielle Hunter for a safety, 1:44. Panthers 10–2.
Second quarter
MIN – Marcus Sherels 54-yard punt return (kick failed, wide right), 3:21. Panthers 10–8.
Third quarter
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 15-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Jerick McKinnon run), 9:43. Vikings 16–10. Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 5:17.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 28-yard field goal, 13:14. Vikings 19–10. Drive: 7 plays, 33 yards, 2:46.
MIN – Blair Walsh 31-yard field goal, 5:07. Vikings 22–10. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 5:55.
Top passers
MIN – Sam Bradford – 18/28, 171 yards, TD
CAR – Cam Newton – 21/35, 262 yards, 3 INT
Top rushers
Top receivers
MIN – Kyle Rudolph – 7 receptions, 70 yards, TD
CAR – Greg Olsen – 6 receptions, 64 yards
Week 4: vs. New York Giants [ ]
Week 4: New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Giants
0
3
0 7 10
Vikings
7
7
3 7 24
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : Game time : 7:30 p.m. CDTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,690Referee : Brad Allen (122)TV announcers (ESPN ) : Sean McDonough , Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
MIN – Matt Asiata 1-yard run (Blair Walsh kick), 6:28. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 41 yards, 2:42.
Second quarter
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 7-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Blair Walsh kick), 7:59. Vikings 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 4:56.
NYG – Josh Brown 40-yard field goal, 0:02. Vikings 14–3. Drive: 11 plays, 44 yards, 2:44.
Third quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 44-yard field goal, 7:39. Vikings 17–3. Drive: 6 plays, 17 yards, 2:16.
Fourth quarter
NYG – Orleans Darkwa 1-yard run (Josh Brown kick), 13:38. Vikings 17–10. Drive: 5 plays, 91 yards, 1:47.
MIN – Jerick McKinnon 4-yard run (Blair Walsh kick), 9:20. Vikings 24–10. Drive: 8 plays, 76 yards, 4:18.
Top passers
NYG – Eli Manning – 25/45, 261 yards, INT
MIN – Sam Bradford – 26/36, 262 yards, TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
NYG – Paul Perkins – 2 receptions, 72 yards
MIN – Charles Johnson – 2 receptions, 70 yards
Week 5: vs. Houston Texans [ ]
Week 5: Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Texans
0
6
0 7 13
Vikings
14
10
0 7 31
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : October 9Game time : 12:00 p.m. CDTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,683Referee : Jeff Triplette (42)TV announcers (CBS ) : Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 36-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Blair Walsh kick), 11:23. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 84 yards, 3:37.
MIN – Matt Asiata 1-yard run (Blair Walsh kick), 6:28. Vikings 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 55 yards, 3:52.
Second quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 19-yard field goal, 9:58. Vikings 17–0. Drive: 15 plays, 58 yards, 6:19.
MIN – Marcus Sherels 79-yard punt return (Blair Walsh kick), 8:46. Vikings 24–0.
HOU – Nick Novak 38-yard field goal, 5:42. Vikings 24–3. Drive: 8 plays, 55 yards, 3:04.
HOU – Nick Novak 30-yard field goal, 1:37. Vikings 24–6. Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards, 2:04.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
MIN – Cordarrelle Patterson 9-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Blair Walsh kick), 14:09. Vikings 31–6. Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 4:42.
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 1-yard pass from Brock Osweiler (Nick Novak kick), 3:46. Vikings 31–13. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 4:29.
Top passers
HOU – Brock Osweiler – 19/42, 184 yards, TD, INT
MIN – Sam Bradford – 22/30, 271 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
HOU – Alfred Blue – 6 rushes, 39 yards
MIN – Matt Asiata – 14 rushes, 55 yards, TD
Top receivers
HOU – C. J. Fiedorowicz – 4 receptions, 61 yards
MIN – Adam Thielen – 7 receptions, 127 yards, TD
Week 7: at Philadelphia Eagles [ ]
Week 7: Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
0
3
0 7 10
Eagles
0
11
7 3 21
at Lincoln Financial Field , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date : October 23Game time : 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDTGame weather : Clear, 62 °F (17 °C)Game attendance : 69,596Referee : John Hussey (35)TV announcers (Fox) : Thom Brennaman , Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 48-yard field goal, 9:01. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 50 yards, 4:57.
PHI – Josh Huff 98-yard kick return (Carson Wentz run), 8:48. Eagles 8–3. Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:13.
PHI – Caleb Sturgis 35-yard field goal, 0:07. Eagles 11–3. Drive: 10 plays, 35 yards, 2:35.
Third quarter
PHI – Dorial Green-Beckham 5-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Caleb Sturgis kick), 5:45. Eagles 18–3. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 5:51.
Fourth quarter
PHI – Caleb Sturgis 21-yard field goal, 6:09. Eagles 21–3. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 5:20.
MIN – Cordarrelle Patterson 14-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Blair Walsh kick), 0:34. Eagles 21–10. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 3:56.
Top passers
MIN – Sam Bradford – 24/41, 224 yards, TD, INT
PHI – Carson Wentz – 16/28, 138 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
Top receivers
MIN – Cordarrelle Patterson – 7 receptions, 67 yards, TD
PHI – Josh Huff – 4 receptions, 39 yards
Sam Bradford faces his former team for the first time after he was traded from the Eagles prior to the start of the season. The Vikings streak came to a halt as they lost the game 21-10.
Week 8: at Chicago Bears [ ]
Week 8: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
0
3
0 7 10
Bears
3
10
7 0 20
at Soldier Field , Chicago, Illinois
Date : Game time : 7:30 p.m. CDTGame weather : Cloudy, 58 °F (14 °C)Game attendance : 60,422Referee : Gene Steratore (114)TV announcers (ESPN) : Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden and Lisa SaltersRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
CHI – Connor Barth 30-yard field goal, 8:28. Bears 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 81 yards, 3:40.
Second quarter
CHI – Connor Barth 28-yard field goal, 12:44. Bears 6–0. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:33.
CHI – Jordan Howard 2-yard run (Connor Barth kick), 7:49. Bears 13–0. Drive: 6 plays, 43 yards, 3:36.
MIN – Blair Walsh 30-yard field goal, 0:25. Bears 13–3. Drive: 15 plays, 59 yards, 7:24.
Third quarter
CHI – Alshon Jeffery 11-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Connor Barth kick), 9:52. Bears 20–3. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:08.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Stefon Diggs 25-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Blair Walsh kick), 5:41. Bears 20–10. Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 3:10.
Top passers
MIN – Sam Bradford – 23/37, 228 yards, TD
CHI – Jay Cutler – 20/31, 252 yards, TD
Top rushers
MIN – Matt Asiata – 14 rushes, 42 yards
CHI – Jordan Howard – 26 rushes, 153 yards, TD
Top receivers
MIN – Stefon Diggs – 8 receptions, 76 yards, TD
CHI – Zach Miller – 7 receptions, 88 yards
Week 9: vs. Detroit Lions [ ]
Week 9: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 OT Total
Lions
3
7
0 6 6 22
Vikings
0
3
6 7 0 16
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : November 6Game time : 12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,807Referee : Ed Hochuli (85)TV announcers (Fox) : Kenny Albert , Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
DET – Matt Prater 47-yard field goal, 7:14. Lions 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 5:00.
Second quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 33-yard field goal, 13:20. Tied 3–3. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 4:35.
DET – Anquan Boldin 1-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 0:05. Lions 10–3. Drive: 17 plays, 84 yards, 9:45.
Third quarter
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 1-yard pass from Sam Bradford (kick hit right upright), 4:02. Lions 10–9. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 5:33.
Fourth quarter
DET – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 12:33. Lions 13–9. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:08.
MIN – Rhett Ellison 1-yard run (Blair Walsh kick), 0:23. Vikings 16–13. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 3:51.
DET – Matt Prater 58-yard field goal, 0:00. Tied 16–16. Drive: 4 plays, 35 yards, 0:23.
Overtime
DET – Golden Tate 28-yard pass from Matthew Stafford, 8:21. Lions 22–16. Drive: 11 plays, 87 yards, 6:39.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 23/36, 219 yards, 2 TD, INT
MIN – Sam Bradford – 31/40, 273 yards, TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
DET – Eric Ebron – 7 receptions, 92 yards
MIN – Stefon Diggs – 13 receptions, 80 yards
Although it was Stefon Diggs' big day, having caught 13 passes for 80 yards, it wasn't enough as the Vikings dropped 5-3.
Week 10: at Washington Redskins [ ]
Week 10: Minnesota Vikings at Washington Redskins – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
0
20
0 0 20
Redskins
7
7
6 6 26
at FedExField , Landover, Maryland
Date : November 13Game time : 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : Sunny, 58 °F (14 °C)Game attendance : 78,216Referee : Pete Morelli (135)TV announcers (Fox) : Dick Stockton, Chris Spielman and Kristina PinkRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
WAS – Vernon Davis 38-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Dustin Hopkins kick), 14:18. Redskins 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 91 yards, 4:58.
MIN – Matt Asiata 1-yard run (Blair Walsh kick), 5:39. Redskins 14–7. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 3:52.
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 20-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Blair Walsh kick), 0:58. Tied 14–14. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:40.
MIN – Adam Thielen 3-yard pass from Sam Bradford (kick wide right), 0:00. Vikings 20–14. Drive: 4 plays, 33 yards, 0:50.
Third quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 30-yard field goal, 8:53. Vikings 20–17. Drive: 12 plays, 55 yards, 6:07.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 37-yard field goal, 0:38. Tied 20–20. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 5:16.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 50-yard field goal, 9:33. Redskins 23–20. Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 3:21.
WAS – Dustin Hopkins 28-yard field goal, 2:31. Redskins 26–20. Drive: 8 plays, 32 yards, 3:13.
Top passers
MIN – Sam Bradford – 31/40, 307 yards, 2 TD, INT
WAS – Kirk Cousins – 22/33, 262 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
MIN – Stefon Diggs – 13 receptions, 164 yards
WAS – Pierre Garçon – 6 receptions, 81 yards
This was the last game for Blair Walsh in a Vikings uniform as he was released days after this game.
Week 11: vs. Arizona Cardinals [ ]
Week 11: Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Cardinals
7
10
0 7 24
Vikings
7
13
10 0 30
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : November 20Game time : 12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,808Referee : Clete Blakeman (34)TV announcers (Fox) : Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin AndrewsRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
MIN – Adam Thielen 16-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Kai Forbath kick), 10:25. Vikings 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 44 yards, 2:54.
ARI – David Johnson 1-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 4:07. Tied 7–7. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:18.
Second quarter
ARI – Chandler Catanzaro 34-yard field goal, 10:04. Cardinals 10–7. Drive: 12 plays, 78 yards, 6:26.
MIN – Matt Asiata 2-yard run (kick blocked), 7:16. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:48.
MIN – Xavier Rhodes 100-yard interception return (Kai Forbath kick), 3:07. Vikings 20–10.
ARI – Jermaine Gresham 29-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 0:50. Vikings 20–17. Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:17.
Third quarter
MIN – Cordarrelle Patterson 104-yard kickoff return (Kai Forbath kick), 14:47. Vikings 27–17.
MIN – Kai Forbath 27-yard field goal, 0:04. Vikings 30–17. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:06.
Fourth quarter
ARI – David Johnson 4-yard pass (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 7:24. Vikings 30–24. Drive: 6 plays, 27 yards, 1:46.
Top passers
ARI – Carson Palmer – 20/38, 198 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
MIN – Sam Bradford – 20/28, 169 yards, TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 6 receptions, 63 yards
MIN – Adam Thielen – 5 receptions, 65 yards, TD
Week 12: at Detroit Lions [ ]
NFL on Thanksgiving Day
Week 12: Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
7
0
3 3 13
Lions
7
3
0 6 16
at Ford Field , Detroit, Michigan
Date : Game time : 12:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. CSTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 63,793Referee : Carl Cheffers (51)TV announcers (CBS) : Jim Nantz , Phil Simms , Tracy Wolfson and Jay Feely Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
DET – Matt Prater 29-yard field goal, 6:45. Lions 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 3:05.
Third quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 30-yard field goal, 7:03. Tied 10–10. Drive: 5 plays, 49 yards, 2:42.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 28-yard field goal, 12:38. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards, 7:36.
DET – Matt Prater 48-yard field goal, 1:45. Tied 13–13. Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 3:17.
DET – Matt Prater 40-yard field goal, 0:00. Lions 16–13. Drive: 2 plays, −2 yards, 0:30.
Top passers
MIN – Sam Bradford – 31/37, 224 yards, INT
DET – Matthew Stafford – 23/40, 232 yards, TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
MIN – Kyle Rudolph – 9 receptions, 64 yards
DET – Golden Tate – 5 receptions, 77 yards
Week 13: vs. Dallas Cowboys [ ]
Week 13: Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Cowboys
0
7
0 10 17
Vikings
3
0
3 9 15
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : Game time : 7:25 p.m. CSTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,860Referee : Tony Corrente (99)TV announcers (NBC/NFLN /Twitter ) : Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Heather Cox Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 48-yard field goal, 2:28. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 32 yards, 3:17.
Second quarter
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott 1-yard run (Dan Bailey kick), 5:29. Cowboys 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 84 yards, 5:12.
Third quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 36-yard field goal, 2:10. Cowboys 7–6. Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 4:52.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 33-yard field goal, 14:11. Vikings 9–7. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 0:56.
DAL – Dez Bryant 8-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dan Bailey kick), 10:22. Cowboys 14–9. Drive: 1 play, 8 yards, 0:06.
DAL – Dan Bailey 39-yard field goal, 4:15. Cowboys 17–9. Drive: 5 plays, 33 yards, 2:22.
MIN – Jerick McKinnon 3-yard pass from Sam Bradford (pass failed), 0:25. Cowboys 17–15. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 1:44.
Top passers
DAL – Dak Prescott – 12/18, 139 yards, TD
MIN – Sam Bradford – 32/45, 247 yards, TD
Top rushers
DAL – Ezekiel Elliott – 20 rushes, 86 yards, TD
MIN – Jerick McKinnon – 9 rushes, 41 yards
Top receivers
DAL – Dez Bryant – 4 receptions, 84 yards, TD
MIN – Adam Thielen – 7 receptions, 86 yards
Head coach Mike Zimmer missed this game after undergoing emergency eye surgery the night before. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer served as interim coach for the game.[47]
Week 14: at Jacksonville Jaguars [ ]
Week 14: Minnesota Vikings at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
6
3
3 13 25
Jaguars
0
9
7 0 16
at EverBank Field , Jacksonville, Florida
Date : December 11Game time : 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : 71 °F (22 °C)Game attendance : 62,701Referee : John Hussey (35)TV announcers (Fox) : Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura OkminRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 43-yard field goal, 12:20. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 50 yards, 2:40.
MIN – Kai Forbath 32-yard field goal, 7:53. Vikings 6–0. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 2:35.
Second quarter
JAX – Jason Myers 45-yard field goal, 13:07. Vikings 6–3. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 3:00.
MIN – Kai Forbath 40-yard field goal, 10:49. Vikings 9–3. Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 2:18.
JAX – Jason Myers 55-yard field goal, 6:18. Vikings 9–6. Drive: 7 plays, 31 yards, 4:31.
JAX – Jason Myers 24-yard field goal, 0:09. Tied 9–9. Drive: 10 plays, 92 yards, 1:47.
Third quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 46-yard field goal, 8:29. Vikings 12–9. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 2:53.
JAX – Bryan Walters 14-yard pass from Blake Bortles (Jason Myers kick), 3:50. Jaguars 16–12. Drive: 11 plays, 90 yards, 4:39.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Matt Asiata 1-yard run (kick failed, wide left), 14:13. Vikings 18–16. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 4:37.
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 3-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Kai Forbath kick), 2:13. Vikings 25–16. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 2:51.
Top passers
MIN – Sam Bradford – 24/34, 292 yards, TD
JAX – Blake Bortles – 23/37, 257 yards, TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
MIN – Adam Thielen – 4 receptions, 101 yards
JAX – Marqise Lee – 5 receptions, 113 yards
Week 15: vs. Indianapolis Colts [ ]
Week 15: Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Colts
10
17
0 7 34
Vikings
0
0
3 3 6
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : December 18Game time : 12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,820Referee : Jerome Boger (23)TV announcers (CBS) : Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
IND – Adam Vinatieri 48-yard field goal, 9:01. Colts 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 46 yards, 5:59.
IND – Robert Turbin 1-yard run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 2:22. Colts 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 4:57.
Second quarter
IND – Erik Swoope 27-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 7:16. Colts 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 92 yards, 5:39.
IND – Robert Turbin 6-yard run (Adam Vinatieri kick), 0:33. Colts 24–0. Drive: 13 plays, 91 yards, 5:35.
IND – Adam Vinatieri 50-yard field goal, 0:00. Colts 27–0. Drive: 2 plays, 4 yards, 0:19.
Third quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 32-yard field goal, 3:51. Colts 27–3. Drive: 12 plays, 71 yards, 4:10.
Fourth quarter
IND – Phillip Dorsett 50-yard pass from Andrew Luck (Adam Vinatieri kick), 14:55. Colts 34–3. Drive: 7 plays, 88 yards, 3:56.
MIN – Kai Forbath 51-yard field goal, 11:57. Colts 34–6. Drive: 9 plays, 39 yards, 2:58.
Top passers
IND – Andrew Luck – 21/28, 250 yards, 2 TD
MIN – Sam Bradford – 32/42, 291 yards, INT
Top rushers
IND – Frank Gore – 26 rushes, 101 yards
MIN – Adrian Peterson – 6 rushes, 22 yards
Top receivers
IND – Phillip Dorsett – 1 reception, 50 yards, TD
MIN – Kyle Rudolph – 8 receptions, 97 yards
Adrian Peterson returned to action and had six carries for 22 yards against the Colts.[10] This was the last game he'd ever play for the Vikings.
Week 16: at Green Bay Packers [ ]
Week 16: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Vikings
3
10
0 12 25
Packers
14
14
0 10 38
at Lambeau Field , Green Bay, Wisconsin
Date : Game time : 12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : Cloudy, 37 °F (3 °C)Game attendance : 77,856Referee : Jeff Triplette (42)TV announcers (Fox) : Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin AndrewsRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
GB – Jordy Nelson 21-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 7:13. Packers 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 61 yards, 2:40.
MIN – Kai Forbath 22-yard field goal, 3:37. Packers 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 3:36.
GB – Davante Adams 20-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 1:49. Packers 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 74 yards, 1:48.
Second quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 26-yard field goal, 12:30. Packers 14–6. Drive: 12 plays, 67 yards, 4:19.
GB – Jordy Nelson 2-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 8:11. Packers 21–6. Drive: 3 plays, 42 yards, 1:36.
MIN – Adam Thielen 71-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Kai Forbath kick), 7:24. Packers 21–13. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards, 0:47.
GB – Aaron Rodgers 6-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 0:24. Packers 28–13. Drive: 5 plays, 54 yards, 0:30.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 48-yard field goal, 14:55. Packers 31–13. Drive: 10 plays, 14 yards, 4:05.
GB – Richard Rodgers II 13-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 9:02. Packers 38–13. Drive: 7 plays, 53 yards, 4:23.
MIN – Stefon Diggs 3-yard pass from Sam Bradford (kick failed, hit right upright), 4:20. Packers 38–19. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 4:42.
MIN – Adam Thielen 8-yard pass from Sam Bradford (run failed), 0:32. Packers 38–25. Drive: 10 plays, 34 yards, 3:07.
Top passers
MIN – Sam Bradford – 34/50, 382 yards, 3 TD
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 28/38, 347 yards, 4 TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
MIN – Adam Thielen – 12 receptions, 202 yards, 2 TD
GB – Jordy Nelson – 9 receptions, 154 yards, 2 TD
With the loss, the Vikings dropped to 7–8 and were officially eliminated from postseason contention. The loss also made the Vikings the first team to twice start 5–0 or better, and on both occasions miss the playoffs (they also missed the playoffs in 2003 after starting 6–0).
Week 17: vs. Chicago Bears [ ]
Week 17: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
1
2
3 4 Total
Bears
0
10
0 0 10
Vikings
7
17
0 14 38
at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date : January 1, 2017Game time : 12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : None (indoor stadium)Game attendance : 66,808Referee : Terry McAulay (77)TV announcers (Fox) : Dick Stockton, David Diehl and Kristina PinkRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
MIN – Kai Forbath 21-yard field goal, 14:53. Vikings 10–0. Drive: 14 plays, 93 yards, 7:33.
MIN – Kyle Rudolph 22-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Kai Forbath kick), 12:51. Vikings 17–0. Drive: 3 plays, 35 yards, 1:22.
CHI – Matt Barkley 2-yard pass from Cameron Meredith (Connor Barth kick), 1:48. Vikings 17–7. Drive: 17 plays, 85 yards, 7:56.
MIN – Jarius Wright 1-yard pass from Sam Bradford (Kai Forbath kick), 0:18. Vikings 24–7. Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 0:42.
CHI – Connor Barth 29-yard field goal, 0:00. Vikings 24–10. Drive: 2 plays, 31 yards, 0:18.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
MIN – Jerick McKinnon 10-yard run (Kai Forbath kick), 12:11. Vikings 31–10. Drive: 4 plays, 40 yards, 1:56.
MIN – Everson Griffen 20-yard fumble return (Kai Forbath kick), 9:51. Vikings 38–10.
Top passers
CHI – Matt Barkley – 10/14, 125 yards, 2 INT
MIN – Sam Bradford – 25/33, 250 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
CHI – Jordan Howard – 23 rushes, 135 yards
MIN – Jerick McKinnon – 16 rushes, 89 yards, TD
Top receivers
CHI – Cameron Meredith – 4 receptions, 61 yards
MIN – Kyle Rudolph – 11 receptions, 117 yards, TD
Standings [ ]
Division [ ]
NFC North
W
L
T
PCT
DIV
CONF
PF
PA
STK
(4) Green Bay Packers
10
6
0
.625
5–1
8–4
432
388
W6
(6) Detroit Lions
9
7
0
.563
3–3
7–5
346
358
L3
Minnesota Vikings
8
8
0
.500
2–4
5–7
327
307
W1
Chicago Bears
3
13
0
.188
2–4
3–9
279
399
L4
Conference [ ]
#
Team
Division
W
L
T
PCT
DIV
CONF
SOS
SOV
STK
Division leaders
1
Dallas Cowboys
East
13
3
0
.813
3–3
9–3
.471
.440
L1
2
Atlanta Falcons
South
11
5
0
.688
5–1
9–3
.480
.452
W4
3
Seattle Seahawks
West
10
5
1
.656
3–2–1
6–5–1
.441
.425
W1
4
Green Bay Packers
North
10
6
0
.625
5–1
8–4
.508
.453
W6
Wild Cards
5
New York Giants
East
11
5
0
.688
4–2
8–4
.486
.455
W1
6[a]
Detroit Lions
North
9
7
0
.563
3–3
7–5
.475
.392
L3
Did not qualify for the postseason
7[a]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
South
9
7
0
.563
4–2
7–5
.492
.434
W1
8
Washington Redskins
East
8
7
1
.531
3–3
6–6
.516
.430
L1
9
Minnesota Vikings
North
8
8
0
.500
2–4
5–7
.492
.457
W1
10
Arizona Cardinals
West
7
8
1
.469
4–1–1
6–5–1
.463
.366
W2
11[b]
New Orleans Saints
South
7
9
0
.438
2–4
6–6
.523
.393
L1
12[b]
Philadelphia Eagles
East
7
9
0
.438
2–4
5–7
.559
.518
W2
13
Carolina Panthers
South
6
10
0
.375
1–5
5–7
.518
.354
L2
14
Los Angeles Rams
West
4
12
0
.250
2–4
3–9
.504
.500
L7
15
Chicago Bears
North
3
13
0
.188
2–4
3–9
.521
.396
L4
16
San Francisco 49ers
West
2
14
0
.125
2–4
2–10
.504
.250
L1
Tiebreakers [c]
^ a b Detroit finished ahead of Tampa Bay for the No. 6 seed and qualified for the last playoff spot based on record vs. common opponents — Detroit's cumulative record against Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New Orleans was 3–2, while Tampa Bay's cumulative record against the same four teams was 2–3.
^ a b New Orleans finished ahead of Philadelphia based on better record vs. conference opponents.
^ 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.
Staff [ ]
2016 Minnesota Vikings staff
Front office
Owner/Chairman – Zygi Wilf
Owner/President – Mark Wilf
Owner/Vice Chairman – Leonard Wilf
General Manager – Rick Spielman
Executive Vice President – Football Operations – Rob Brzezinski
Assistant General Manager – George Paton
Director of College Scouting –
Director of Pro Scouting –
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Defensive Coordinator – George Edwards
Defensive Line – Andre Patterson
Assistant Defensive Line – Robert Rodriguez
Linebackers – Adam Zimmer
Defensive Backs – Jerry Gray
Assistant Defensive Backs/Defensive Quality Control – Jonathan Gannon
Defensive Assistant – Jeff Howard
Special teams coaches
Special Teams Coordinator – Mike Priefer
Assistant Special Teams – Ryan Ficken
Strength and conditioning
Head Athletic Trainer –
Head Strength and Conditioning –
Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Jeff Hurd
Assistant Strength and Conditioning –
Pro Bowl [ ]
Five Vikings were selected for the 2017 Pro Bowl : defensive end Everson Griffen , defensive tackle Linval Joseph , return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson , cornerback Xavier Rhodes and free safety Harrison Smith . Rhodes played in his first Pro Bowl, while Griffen, Patterson and Smith participated in their second; Patterson was the first return specialist in Vikings history to go to two Pro Bowls.[48]
Linval Joseph replaced Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald .[49]
Roster [ ]
2016 Minnesota Vikings final roster
Quarterbacks
8 Sam Bradford
6 Taylor Heinicke
13 Shaun Hill
Running backs
Wide receivers
14 Stefon Diggs
15
12 Charles Johnson
84 Cordarrelle Patterson
19 Adam Thielen
11 Laquon Treadwell
17 Jarius Wright
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Reserve lists
Practice squad
Rookies in italics
53 active, 13 inactive, 9 practice squad
Statistics [ ]
Team leaders [ ]
Source: Minnesota Vikings' official website[50]
League rankings [ ]
Category
Total yards
Yards per game
NFL rank(out of 32)
Passing offense
3,836
239.8
18th
Rushing offense
1,205
75.3
32nd
Total offense
5,041
315.1
28th
Passing defense
3,327
207.9
3rd
Rushing defense
1,711
106.9
20th
Total defense
5,038
314.9
3rd
Source: NFL.com.[51]
References [ ]
^ "NFL: After 5-0 Start, Vikings Eliminated From Playoff Race" . KSFY ABC . December 24, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2018 .
^ Goessling, Ben (August 30, 2016). "Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater dislocates knee, tears ACL in drill" . espn.com . Retrieved August 30, 2016 .
^ "Report: Bridgewater likely to miss 2017 season" . SI.com . January 27, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2017 .
^ Orr, Conor (September 3, 2016). "Sam Bradford traded to Vikings for two draft picks" . NFL.com . NFL Enterprises. Retrieved February 14, 2017 .
^ Smith, Alex (September 3, 2016). "Sam Bradford Traded To Minnesota" . philadelphiaeagles.com . Philadelphia Eagles. Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved February 14, 2017 .
^ Rosenthal, Gregg (September 19, 2016). "Adrian Peterson has torn meniscus" . NFL.com . NFL Enterprises. Retrieved September 19, 2016 .
^ Rosenthal, Gregg (September 21, 2016). "Will this be Adrian Peterson's last stand in Minnesota?" . NFL.com . NFL Enterprises. Retrieved September 21, 2016 .
^ Patra, Kevin (September 22, 2016). "Adrian Peterson undergoes successful knee surgery" . NFL.com . NFL Enterprises. Retrieved September 22, 2016 .
^ Gantt, Darin (September 23, 2016). "Vikings put Adrian Peterson on injured reserve" . ProFootballTalk . NBC Sports. Retrieved February 14, 2017 .
^ a b Orr, Conor (December 17, 2016). "Vikings activate RB Adrian Peterson (knee) from IR" . NFL.com . NFL Enterprises. Retrieved December 17, 2016 .
^ "2016 NFL Draft Tracker - Minnesota Vikings" . NFL.com . National Football League. Retrieved May 1, 2016 .
^ Boilard, Kevin (May 13, 2016). "Report: Laquon Treadwell's contract worth nearly $10 million" . 247Sports. Retrieved May 16, 2016 .
^ Tomasson, Chris (April 29, 2016). "Vikings trade out of third round, getting three picks from Miami" . TwinCities.com . Retrieved April 29, 2016 .
^ Alper, Josh (October 6, 2015). "Vikings trade Gerald Hodges to 49ers for Nick Easton and a pick" . NBCSports.com . Retrieved October 6, 2015 .
^ Nogle, Kevin (April 30, 2016). "Miami Dolphins pick Jakeem Grant in sixth round" . SBNation . Retrieved April 30, 2016 .
^ "Vikings trade up in 6th round, select TE Morgan out of Texas-San Antonio" . Fox Sports . April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016 .
^ Alper, Josh (September 5, 2015). "Chargers trade Jeremiah Sirles to Vikings as they hit 53 players" . ProFootballTalk . NBC Sports. Retrieved September 5, 2015 .
^ Smith, Michael David (March 4, 2015). "Bills acquire Matt Cassel in trade with Vikings" . NBC Sports . Retrieved March 4, 2015 .
^ Florio, Mike (March 5, 2016). "Vikings re-sign Andrew Sendejo" . Pro Football Talk . NBC Sports. Retrieved March 8, 2016 .
^ "Adam Thielen Contract, Salary Cap Details & Breakdowns" . Spotrac. Retrieved May 1, 2016 .
^ Tomasson, Chris (March 8, 2016). "Vikings linebacker Audie Cole signs new deal" . TwinCities.com . Digital First Media. Retrieved March 10, 2016 .
^ a b c d Tomasson, Chris (March 9, 2016). "Vikings have deals with offensive linemen Alex Boone, Mike Harris" . TwinCities.com . Digital First Media. Retrieved March 10, 2016 .
^ a b c "Vikings re-sign Sherels, Ellison, Newman" . FoxSports.com . Associated Press. March 15, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2016 .
^ "Matt Asiata Contract, Salary Cap Details & Breakdowns" . Spotrac. Archived from the original on March 12, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2016 .
^ "Justin Trattou Contract, Salary Cap Details & Breakdowns" . Spotrac. Retrieved April 1, 2016 .
^ "Chad Greenway Contract, Salary Cap Details & Breakdowns" . Spotrac. Retrieved May 1, 2016 .
^ Alper, Josh (April 18, 2016). "Zach Line remains with Vikings" . ProFootballTalk . NBC Sports. Retrieved April 18, 2016 .
^ "Vikings Sign Joe Berger to a 1-Year Extension" . Minnesota Vikings Football. Archived from the original on September 10, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016 .
^ a b "Vikings Release Mike Wallace, Waive Austin Wentworth" . Vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings Football. March 8, 2016. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016 .
^ Tomasson, Chris (March 13, 2016). "Guard Austin Wentworth says NFL career over after one Vikings season after suffering leg clots and losing muscle" . TwinCities.com . Pioneer Press. Retrieved March 15, 2016 .
^ "Vikings Announce Roster Moves" . Vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings. August 30, 2016. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2016 .
^ "Vikings Release John Sullivan, Announce Other Roster Moves" . Vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings. August 30, 2016. Archived from the original on August 31, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2016 .
^ "Transactions roundup: Vikings to add guard Alex Boone" . nfl.com . National Football League. March 9, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2016 .
^ "Ben Goessling on Twitter" . Twitter. March 17, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2016 .
^ "Vikings Acquire QB Sam Bradford" . vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings Football. September 3, 2016. Archived from the original on September 4, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016 .
^ "Vikings Sign 9 Players To Practice Squad" . vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings Football. September 4, 2016. Archived from the original on September 5, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2016 .
^ "Minnesota Vikings Sign Shamiel Gary To Practice Squad" . dailynorseman.com . Daily Norseman. September 4, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2016 .
^ "Carter Bykowski Contract, Salary Cap Details & Breakdowns" . Spotrac. Retrieved May 1, 2016 .
^ "Kenrick Ellis Contract, Salary Cap Details & Breakdowns" . Spotrac. Retrieved May 1, 2016 .
^ Goessling, Ben (March 18, 2016). "Vikings sign Brian Leonhardt to one-year deal" . ESPN . ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved March 20, 2016 .
^ Gates, Christopher (May 1, 2016). "2016 NFL Draft: Minnesota Vikings Undrafted Free Agent Tracker" . DailyNorseman.com . SB Nation. Retrieved May 1, 2016 .
^ a b Peters, Craig (May 9, 2016). "Former Gopher Stoudermire Joins Vikings; QB Roberson Going to DB" . vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings Football. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2016 .
^ a b Peters, Craig (July 27, 2016). "Vikings Add to Offensive Line, Linebacker Groups" . vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings Football. Archived from the original on July 28, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016 .
^ Vensel, Matt (July 30, 2016). "Vikings sign DT Claudell Louis" . StarTribune. Retrieved July 30, 2016 .
^ a b Tomasson, Chris (August 20, 2016). "Vikings sign Brad Sorensen for depth at quarterback" . TwinCities.com . Digital First Media. Retrieved August 20, 2016 .
^ "Vikings Place Bridgewater on IR, Announce Other Roster Moves" . vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings Football. August 31, 2016. Archived from the original on September 2, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2016 .
^ "Mike Zimmer has emergency eye surgery, won't coach Thursday" . ESPN . December 1, 2016.
^ "Four Vikings Selected To Pro Bowl" . vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings Football. December 21, 2016. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016 .
^ "Linval Joseph Selected To First Career Pro Bowl" . vikings.com . Minnesota Vikings Football. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on January 23, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2017 .
^ "Minnesota Vikings Team Statistics" . Minnesota Vikings . January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2017 .
^ "NFL.com Statistics" . NFL.com . December 27, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016 .
Minnesota Vikings
Founded in 1961
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (20)
1968
1969
1970
1971
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1980
1989
1992
1994
1998
2000
2008
2009
2015
2017
Conference championships (4) League championships (1) Retired numbers Current league affiliations
League: National Football League
Conference: National Football Conference
Division: North Division
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
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1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Bold indicates
NFL Championship (1920–69) or
Super Bowl (1966–) victory
Italics indicates
Super Bowl (1966–) appearance
2016 NFL season
AFC East
North South West East North South West
NFC
Buffalo
Baltimore Houston Denver Dallas Chicago Atlanta Arizona
Miami
Cincinnati Indianapolis Kansas City NY Giants Detroit Carolina Los Angeles
New England
Cleveland Jacksonville Oakland Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans San Francisco
NY Jets
Pittsburgh Tennessee San Diego Washington Minnesota Tampa Bay Seattle