12. 1988 MINNESOTA VIKINGS at 5. 1971 BALTIMORE COLTS
5. 1971 BALTIMORE COLTS
Record: 10-4
Pythag: 12-2
Off: 5th
Def: 2nd
2nd AFC East
d. Browns Div Rnd 20-3
lost Dolphins AFC Title 21-0
HC Don McCafferty OC John Idzik
Memorial Stadium: 50 degrees
Chuck Thompson
Offense
QB Earl Morrall 37 Mich St
RB Tom Matte 32 Ohio St
FB Norm Bulaich 25 TCU
WR Ray Perkins 30 Alabama
WR Eddie Hinton 24 Oklahoma
TE Tom Mitchell 27 Bucknell
LT Bob Vogel 30 Ohio St
LG Glenn Ressler 28 Penn St
C Bill Curry 29 Geo Tech
RG John Williams 26 Minnesota
RT Dan Sullivan 32 B College
Defense
LDE Bubba Smith All Pro 26
LDT Billy Newsome 23 Grambling
RDT Fred Miller 31 LSU
RDE Roy Hinton 28 Jackson
LLB Ray May 26 USC
MLB Mike Curtis 28 Duke
RLB Ted Hendricks All Pro 24 Miami
LCB Charlie Stukes 28 ME Shore
RCB Jim Duncan 25 ME Shore
SS Jerry Logan 30 W Tex A&M
FS Rick Volk All Pro 26 Mich
K Jim O'Brien 24 Cincinnati
P David Lee 28 LA Tech
KR Charlie Pittman 23 Penn St
PR Rick Volk All Pro 26 Mich
3 Colts teams have advanced, this group is the 5th seed in the region. 2nd best defense, 5th best offense in '71. 24 year old Ted Hendricks, 26 year old Bubba Smith are both All Pro, as is 26 year old Rick Volk, who also returns punts. 8 picks for 28 year old Charlie Stukes. Johnny Unitas is 38, but he's on the bench, it's 37 year old Earl Morrall who takes the football, 7 scores and a dozen picks. 25 year old Norm Bulaich scored ten times.
12. 1988 MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Record: 11-5
Pythag: 13-3
Off: 4th
Def: 2nd
2nd NFC Central
d. Rams WC 28-17
Lost Niners Div Rnd 34-9
HC Jerry Burns OC Bob Schnelker DC Floyd Peters
Offense
QB Wade Wilson 29-Tex A&M Commerce
RB Darrin Nelson 29 Stanford
RB Alfred Anderson 27 Baylor
WR Anthony Carter 28 Michigan
WR Hassan Jones 24 Florida St
TE Steve Jordan 27 Brown
LT Gary Zimmerman All Pro 27 Oregon
LG Randall McDaniel 24 Arizona St
C Kirk Lowdermilk 25 Ohio St
RG Terry Tausch 29 Texas
RT Tim Irwin 30 Tenn
Defense
LDE Doug Martin 31 Wash
LDT Henry Thomas 23 LSU
RDT Keith Millard All Pro 26 Wash St
RDE Chris Doleman 27 Pitt
LLB Jesse Solomon 25 Florida St
MLB Scott Studwell 34 Illinois
RLB David Howard 27 LB St
LCB Issiac Holt 26 Alcorn St
RCB Carl Lee All Pro 27 Marshall
SS Joey Browner All Pro 28 USC
FS Joey Harris 32 Ariz St
K Chuck Nelson 28 Wash
P Bucky Scribner 28 Kansas
KR Darryl Harris 22 Ariz St
PR Leo Lewis 32 Missouri
The '70 Vikings have advanced; the 12th seeded '88 team looks to join them and we could have a good one here; as Minnesota's got the 2nd best defense, 4th best offense from 1988. 26 year old Keith Millard is an All Pro, he and 27 year old Chris Doleman each had 8 sacks. There are two All Pros in the seconday; 28 year old Joey Browner, 27 year old Carl Lee who combined for 13 picks. Wade Wilson's 29, 17 scores and 9 picks. 28 year old Anthony Carter had over 1200 yards receiving. 27 year old Gary Zimmerman is an All Pro.
Let's go to Baltimore; the '71 Colts hosting the '88 Vikes. Should be competitive.
1st Qtr
Colts will start at the 16
1/10 - Earl Morrall passes to start - 6 yards to Ed Hinton.
2/2 - Morrall again - Colts come out throwing - Tom Mitchell over the middle, 17 yards to the 39.
1/10 - 5 for Norm Bulaich
2/5 - Incomplete
3/5 - Morral finds Ray Perkins - that's 18 yards - that's a first down and the Colts are at the 38.
The drive ends there -- long O'Brien FG is good. 3-0
Vikes will start at the 33.
3 and out.
Colts at the 25. Bulaich is hit in the backfield by Keith Millard on the second play - it forces a fumble, the Vikes take over at the Colt 40 yard line.
3 and out. They go backward 10 yards, Bubba Smith with the sack.
Baltimore gets it back at the 27.
They go back 7 yards, Chris Doleman with the sack. 3 and out.
Vikes get it back at the 48. 3 and out.
Colts at their 28. 3 and out.
Vikes get it back at their own 40, time for one play, a Wade Wilson pass to Alfred Anderson for 9 yards.
2nd Qtr
Defense in the first qtr, the Vikes don't have a first down and trail 3-0, second and 1 near midfield.
2/1 - Anderson picks it up.
The Vikes will get another first down, 3 short runs - but that's all, Nelson hits a long FG and we are tied.
Colts will open at the 11. They'll get a first down on a 10 yard Tom Matte run - but that's it, after the punt, Minnesota regains possession at the 40, halfway through the qtr.
They'll get a first down -- Wade Wilson going deep -- 33 yards to Anthony Carter --- but this time the FG is no good, and it stays 3-3.
Colts at their own 34. 3 and out - Vikes get the ball back at the 2 min warning.
They get a first down - Wilson going 18 yards to Steve Jordan --
---but Mike Curtis forces an Alfred Anderson fumble, the Colts regain possession with a little more than a minute left in the half at the Viking 46 yard line.
They get a first down - Morrall 10 yard pass to Don Nottingham - the drive ends with the second Jim O'Brien FG of the day - that's going to end the first half, 6-3 Colts
3rd Qtr
So, this game is all defense - its the second best defense from both '71 and '88 and that's the game we're seeing. Colts up 3. Vikes to start at the 39,
1/10 - Darren Nelson gets a yard.
2/9 - Wilson finds Anthony Carter in space, he gets 18 and the Vikes are at the 42.
1/10 - Rick Fenney barrels his way for a 35 yard gain -- Fenney just brambling to the Colts 7 and it's a first and goal for Minnesota.
That's it - Bubba Smith's second sack of the day - chip shot Nelson FG and it's 6-6.
Colts start at the 30. 3 and out.
Vikes get it back at their own 46 - good field position after the Leo Lewis return.
1/10 - Wilson goes downfield -- Anthony Carter -- that's 25 yards to the Colts 29 yard line.
Minnesota gets one more first down - 12 yard DJ Dozier run -- but again, a FG, as has been the case all day from both sides and it is now 9-6 Vikes.
Colts start at the 33. They get a first down on a 12 yard Tom Matte run -- but Carl Lee then picks off Morrall -- the Vikes have forced the turnover and start in Baltimore territory at the 49.
1/10 - Alfred Anderson with 29 yards on the draw play - Vikes at the Colts 20.
1/10 - Give to Nelson - running in between Zimmerman and McDaniel -- Nelson through the hole -- And Darren Nelson is Gonna Go -- Darren Nelson 20 yards into the end zone -- TOUCHDOWN VIKINGS -- Minnesota scores 10 quick points and with 3 minutes left in the third quarter they lead 16-6.
Colts at the 24.
1 first down -- Matte 10 yd run.
But they punt. Vikes take over at their own 35.
Two plays lose 7 yards, Rick Volk sack on a safety blitz, Vikes will have a third and 17 as the 4th starts.
4th Qtr
Carl Lee with the big play - a pick of Morrall leading to the first TD of the day, Vikes have a third and a bunch in their own end, up 10.
They don't get it - Mike Curtis with the Colts 4th sack of the day - Baltimore will start at their own 43. They need to move the ball.
They don't. 3 and out.
Vikes ball. 17. 3 and out -- Bubba Smith gets his 3rd sack of the day.
Colts again starting at the 48. And they're making the move at QB...here comes the Great Unitas...the legendary Johnny Unitas coming out to QB, little more than 11 minutes left, Vikes lead by 10.
On the first play -- Unitas is Picked Off by Joey Browner -- Vikes taking over at their own 49 yard line and that feels like the dagger - Minnesota's second INT is off Unitas - Vikes take over.
They get a first down - Wilson to Gustafson - 20 yardds.
But that's it - and when Nelson misses the FG, the Colts live.
Unitas comes back out to the field - starting at the 40. Trailing by 10.
1/10 - Unitas to Matte, 5 yards.
2/5 - Unitas to Bulaich, 9 yards.
1/10 - Unitas to Mitchell - 16 yards and the Colts are at the Viking 30.
1/10 - Give to Bulaich, 1 yd.
2/9 - Give to Nottingham -- Notthingham runs all the way to the Viking 8 yard line, it's a first and goal for the Colts with 5 minutes left.
1/goal - Unitas - End Zone -- Matte -- TOUCHDOWN COLTS -- It takes Unitas just 3:30 to go 60 yards - Baltimore has cut the deficit to 16-13, under 5 to go.
Can the Colt defense, which has sacked Wilson 5 times, get this ball back?
Darryl Harris with the big return - Minnesota starts at their own 41 yard line, 4:46 left in the football game, up 3.
1/10 - Nelson gets 4.
2/6 - Wilson -- Anthony Carter -- big play -- 22 yards -- the Colts at the Viking 33 yard line, such a big play there.
1/10 - Nelson is stopped.
2/10 - Nelson is stopped.
3/10 - Wilson - over the middle -- PICKED OFF BY HENDRICKS! Ted Hendricks Intercepts Wade Wilson - the Vikes went to the well too many times - and now, with 2:10 left in the football game, the Baltimore Colts have a first down at their own 37, down 16-13.
Here we go. Unitas. 2 minute drive.
1/10 - Matte gets a carry, 3 yards. 2 minute warning.
2/7 - Unitas. Hinton - 17 yards -- Colts stop the clock, they are at the Viking 43 yard line.
1/10 - Incomplete.
2/10 - Unitas is sacked - Chris Doleman drops Unitas - the Colts are back at midfield, they've got to use their second timeout, there's 1:40 left. Third and 17.
3/17 - Incomplete.
So - this is it. 4th and 17 from midfield - the Colts need a FG to force OT.
4/17 - Unitas. Looking downfield. John Mackey -- Deflected away by Browner - Browner knocks away the Unitas pass - and that is it.
Vikes will run out the clock and it is a final.
Final: Vikings 16 Colts 13
The Vikes withstand a 5 sack day, withstand a late interception - withstand a comeback attempt by the legendary Unitas and move on.
Wilson: 13 for 23, 154 yds, 1 INT
Morrall: 8 for 21, 89 yds, 1 INT
Dozier: 6 carries, 54 yds
Matte: 15 carries, 52 yds, 1 TD
Carter: 4 catches, 98 yds
Mitchell: 3 catches, 36 yds
Player of the Game: Carl Lee
