Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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8. Adrian’s Big Day | Nov. 11, 2012 (12 points)
On a day when the Vikings netted 403 yards, Peterson played a large part.
The Vikings were without Percy Harvin and relied heavily on the running back. Peterson delivered as he did multiple times that season.
Peterson topped 100 yards for the fourth consecutive game, totaling 171 yards on 27 carries. His most impressive play of the day came on a 61-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that helped lift the Vikings to an eventual 34-24 victory, despite Detroit attempting one of its “trademarked” late-game rallies.
Minnesota’s defense shined in the contest, as well, limiting the Lions to just 60 yards on the ground, and Chad Greenway snagged his first interception since the 2009 season to stop a first-quarter Detroit drive and swing momentum back toward the Vikings. Everson Griffen and Kevin Williams each sacked Stafford, and Antoine Winfield led the team with 10 tackles (eight solo).
“Stop the run, get off the field on third downs and create turnovers,” Greenway said.
9. First Defeat of Detroit | Nov. 24, 1963 (10 points)
After falling 28-10 to the Lions earlier in the season, the Vikings notched their first-ever win against the franchise when they walked away with the upper hand on a 34-31 contest.
The game took place just two days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and 20,000 copies of The Star Stangled Banner were distributed to the crowd at Metropolitan Stadium.
Fred Cox made field goals from 14 and 17 yards out, rookie receiver Paul Flatley racked up 174 receiving yards, and Tommy Wilson and Gordie Smith scored a touchdown apiece. Running back Tommy Mason, the Vikings first draft pick when the franchise was founded in 1961, made it into the end zone twice, including on a late-game, 2-yard score to give Minnesota the win.
En route to the victory, the Vikings tied their own NFL record by recovering six Lions fumbles, a mark they first set in their inaugural season against the 49ers.
Additional note: Honored at halftime were three original members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, all of whom shared Minnesota ties: Bronko Nagurski, Ernie Nevers and Johnny (Blood) McNally.
10. Wilson Winds Up | Nov. 6, 1988 (8 points)
The opening of Bob Sansavere’s article in the Star Tribune read, “The Vikings demolished the Detroit Lions, not to mention portions of their record book, in rolling to a 44-17 victory Sunday.”
Quarterback Wade Wilson finished the afternoon with a career-high 391 passing yards, and Anthony Carter made eight catches for 188 yards. Among those eight were grabs of 40, 32 and 28 yards.
“It wasn’t necessarily by design,” Wilson said of the big throws to Carter. “When you get into a scramble situation, he turns little plays into big plays. It’s always nice to be on the throwing end of one of them.”
Lions coach Darryl Rogers said after the game: “I thought Wade Wilson was a very good quarterback coming in, but I don’t know if he was as good a quarterback as we allowed him to be.”
The Vikings totaled 553 yards on offense, which was third-highest in team history, and set a franchise time-of-possession record by having the football for 41:09.
Minnesota limited Detroit to 89 net yards, only 21 of which were through the air.