Depending on who you were to ask, many Minnesota Vikings fans would say that this franchise is cursed. Recently we all remember tragic endings to seasons in 1998, 2009 and 2015. For some, the pain goes back even further to multiple Super Bowl losses in the 1970s.
And then there was 2017...
The Vikings, having opened up a 17-0 lead in the first half of a Divisional Round playoff game against the New Orleans Saints has bobbled bumbled that lead away and were seconds away from facing elimination once again at the hands of Drew Brees and the Saints.
New Orleans had just taken a 24-23 lead over the Vikings and only thing thicker than the tension in U.S. Bank Stadium was the disappointment. It appeared as if Minnesota's cursed team had once again foiled a good thing, wasted an exciting season and left us all clamoring for more.
But then something changed.
A call came in from offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur on the sidelines. KFAN learned after the game that the play was "Buffalo Right, Seven Heaven".
With one receiver left and two to his right, Vikings quarterback Case Keenum took a five-step drop, stopped, stepped up in the pocket and delivered a bullet to the right side. The pass was caught by receiver Stefon Diggs who as he looked down at his feet watched Saints safety Marcus Williams glide under his feet and take out cornerback Ken Crawley. Diggs would land, turn around and see nothing but open space between him and the endzone.
"Buffalo Right, Seven Heaven" had worked just as if it were sent directly from it's namesake...Heaven!
He would cross the goal line as the clock hit :00 and the Minnesota Vikings walked off victorious on the New Orleans Saints. [Listen to the game call here]
"I think this franchise, this organization, these players deserve something like this good for them," head coach Mike Zimmer said after the game. "Everybody talks about the curse and all that other crap. For us to come out here and do this, we go to Philly to play in the NFC Championship game next week!"
Recalling the final play, Mike Zimmer explained his mindset during what can only be described as the "Minneapolis Miracle"!
"I saw it and I'm thinking 'get out of bounds', we're going kick the field goal and go home," Zimmer continued. "Everybody was going crazy at that point in time. I was looking around to see if there were any penalty flags. Thank goodness we were clean on that one."
That was it, the Vikings took a knee on the extra point and won the game 29-24.
Next up, the Philadelphia Eagles on the road for the NFC Championship and a chance to play a home Super Bowl game at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4th.