1975 Minnesota Vikings season
1975 was the 15th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 56th regular season of the National Football League.
The Vikings began with ten wins before losing by one point to the Washington Redskins, though there was generally very little expectation they would equal the 1972 Dolphins’ perfect season.[1] The 1975 Vikings had an even easier schedule than the often-criticised schedule of the unbeaten Dolphin team, with their fourteen opponents having a weighted average winning percentage of .332 and nine being 4–10 or worse.[2] Football journalists noted during their streak how the Vikings had been playing very weak schedules for several years and flattered thereby.[3] Their 10–0 start was not subsequently equalled until the 1984 Miami Dolphins began 11–0.[4] Only the Super Bowl-winning 1999 Rams had since, according to Pro Football Reference, a weaker schedule than the 1975 Vikings, playing only one opponent with a winning record during the regular season.[5]
They sealed their third straight NFC Central title on Thanksgiving Day in this same week when the Detroit Lions lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Vikings finished with a record of 12 wins and two losses, before losing to the Dallas Cowboys, 17–14 in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at home due to a play known as the “Hail Mary”. Earlier in the season, the New York Jets made their first appearance in Minnesota in a much-anticipated match between Super Bowl quarterbacks Fran Tarkenton and Joe Namath, in what was the first regular season game sold out during the summer.[6]
Offseason
1975 Draft
Main article:
1975 NFL draft- ^[a] Minnesota originally chose 51st overall but passed allowing Pittsburgh to move up and Minnesota to choose 52nd overall.
- ^[b] Detroit traded their 3rd round selection (63rd overall) to Minnesota for CB Charlie West.
- ^[c] Minnesota traded Detroit's third round selection (63rd overall) to New Orleans for OL Andy Maurer.
- ^[d] The details of this trade are unknown.
- ^[e] Minnesota originally chose 259th overall but moved up to the 258th overall selection when Oakland passed.
- ^[f] Minnesota originally chose 337th overall but moved up to the 336th overall selection when Washington passed on the 334th overall selection and allowed Miami, San Diego, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Miami, Baltimore, Atlanta, Cleveland, Chicago, and New Orleans to move up.
- ^[g] Minnesota originally chose 389th overall but moved up to the 388th overall selection when Oakland passed.
- ^[h] Minnesota originally chose 415th overall but moved up to the 414th overall selection when Baltimore passed and allowed Minnesota and Pittsburgh to move up.
Regular season
Schedule
| Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Venue |
Attendance |
| 1 |
September 21, 1975 |
San Francisco 49ers |
W 27–17 |
Met Stadium |
46,479 |
| 2 |
September 28, 1975 |
at Cleveland Browns |
W 42–10 |
Cleveland Stadium |
68,064 |
| 3 |
October 5, 1975 |
Chicago Bears |
W 28–3 |
Met Stadium |
47,578 |
| 4 |
October 12, 1975 |
New York Jets |
W 29–21 |
Met Stadium |
47,739 |
| 5 |
October 19, 1975 |
Detroit Lions |
W 25–19 |
Met Stadium |
47,872 |
| 6 |
October 27, 1975 |
at Chicago Bears |
W 13–9 |
Soldier Field |
51,259 |
| 7 |
November 2, 1975 |
at Green Bay Packers |
W 28–17 |
Lambeau Field |
57,267 |
| 8 |
November 9, 1975 |
Atlanta Falcons |
W 38–0 |
Atlanta Fulton County Stadium |
43,751 |
| 9 |
November 16, 1975 |
at New Orleans Saints |
W 20–7 |
Louisiana Superdome |
52,765 |
| 10 |
November 23, 1975 |
San Diego Chargers |
W 28–13 |
Met Stadium |
43,737 |
| 11 |
November 30, 1975 |
at Washington Redskins |
L 30–31 |
RFK Stadium |
54,498 |
| 12 |
December 7, 1975 |
Green Bay Packers |
W 24–3 |
Met Stadium |
46,147 |
| 13 |
December 14, 1975 |
at Detroit Lions |
L 10–17 |
Silverdome |
73,130 |
| 14 |
December 20, 1975 |
at Buffalo Bills |
W 35–13 |
Rich Stadium |
54,993 |
Game summaries
Week 1
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| 49ers |
0 |
10 | 0 | 7 |
17 |
| • Vikings |
3 |
10 | 0 | 14 |
27 |
- Date: September 21
- Location: Metropolitan Stadium
- Game start: 2:00 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 46,479
- Game weather: 50°F; wind 12
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| Q1 |
| MIN | Cox 28 yard field goal | MIN 3–0 |
|
| Q2 |
| MIN | Cox 29 yard field goal | MIN 6–0 |
|
| Q2 |
| MIN | Brown 26 yard fumble return (Cox kick) | MIN 13–0 |
|
| Q2 |
| SF | Mike-Mayer 19 yard field goal | MIN 13–3 |
|
| Q2 |
| SF | G. Washington 22 yard pass from Snead (Mike-Mayer kick) | MIN 13–10 |
|
| Q4 |
| MIN | McClanahan 10 yard pass from Tarkenton (Cox kick) | MIN 20–10 |
|
| Q4 |
| MIN | Foreman 1 yard run (Cox kick) | MIN 27–10 |
|
| Q4 |
| SF | D. Washington 15 yard blocked punt return (Mike-Mayer kick) | MIN 27–17 |
|
[7]
Playoffs
| Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Venue |
Attendance |
| Divisional |
December 28, 1975 |
Dallas Cowboys |
L 14–17 |
Met Stadium |
46,425 |
NFC Divisional Playoff
| Game information |
- First Quarter
- Second Quarter
- Third Quarter
- Fourth Quarter
- DAL - Toni Fritsch 24-yard field goal - Cowboys 10-7
- MIN - Brent McClanahan 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick) - Vikings 14-10
- DAL - Drew Pearson 50-yard pass from Roger Staubach (Toni Fritsch kick) - Cowboys 17-14
|
Standings
Awards and records
- Fran Tarkenton, Bert Bell Award,[8] and AP MVP
- AP First Team All-Pro selections: RB Chuck Foreman, S Paul Krause, DT Alan Page, QB Fran Tarkenton and T Ron Yary
- Chuck Foreman, set an NFL record with 73 receptions, most by a running back
- DE Jim Marshall, recovered 26th fumble, a new league record
- Pro Bowl selections: Bobby Bryant, Chuck Foreman, John Gilliam, Paul Krause, Alan Page, Jeff Siemon, Fran Tarkenton, Ed White and Ron Yary
Statistics
Team leaders
League rankings
| Category |
Total yards |
Yards per game |
NFL rank
(out of 26) |
| Passing Offense | 2,861 Yards | 204.4 YPG | 3rd |
| Rushing Offense | 2,094 Yards | 149.6 YPG | 10th |
| Total Offense | 4,955 Yards | 353.9 YPG | 5th |
| Passing Defense | 1,621 Yards | 115.8 YPG | 1st |
| Rushing Defense | 1,532 Yards | 109.4 YPG | 1st |
| Total Defense | 3,153 Yards | 262.2 YPG | 1st |
|
References
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| | Retired numbers | |
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| | Current league affiliations | |
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