Minnesota Vikings: Top 20 games in franchise history
By Dan Zinski
Aug 8, 2015; Canton, OH, USA; Mick Tingelhoff (right) poses with bust and presenter Frank Tarkenton during the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
9. Vikings win 1974 NFC title game vs. Rams
Dec. 24, 1974 The Vikings advanced to the Super Bowl by beating the Rams on a cold day in Minnesota.
You know how Viking fans always feel like they got jobbed in the playoffs against Drew Pearson and the Cowboys?
That’s exactly how old-school Rams fans feel about the Vikings’ victory over their team in the ’74 playoffs.
The play folks still gripe about happened in the third quarter with the Rams trying to punch in a go-ahead touchdown from the half-yard line.
Rams QB James Harris seemed to have scored the TD that might have catapulted Los Angeles on to the Super Bowl, but the refs called illegal motion against left guard Tom Mack and the touchdown was taken away.
Rams players and fans contend to this day that Mack never moved and the flag never should have been thrown. The Rams’ Jack Youngblood was still angry about the play years later (via LA Times):
"“When the officials make a flagrant error like that, which prevents a team from crossing that line, the play itself creates its own momentum,” Youngblood said. “If we’d have won that year, we might have gone again. Yes, it’s still aggravating.”"
Yes it’s true, every now and then the other team gets jobbed by the refs.
The Vikings would hold on to win that game by a final score of 14-10, heading to their third Super Bowl in five years. And their third Super Bowl loss in five years.