6 best Minnesota Vikings teams to miss the playoffs
By Adam Patrick
No. 4
1995 Vikings
Final Record: 8-8
Before the 2001 season, the 1995 campaign was the only other time in which Minnesota missed the playoffs with Dennis Green as their head coach.
The Vikings offense was led by the fifth-best passing attack in the NFL that featured Warren Moon chucking the ball all over the field to guys like Cris Carter, Jake Reed, and Amp Lee. Like Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen in 2018, Carter and Reed both finished with over 1,000 receiving yards.
Behind an All-Pro performance from John Randle, Minnesota’s defense in 1995 finished with the fourth-fewest rushing yards allowed in the league. Vikings safety Orlando Thomas also led the team with nine interceptions during the season, which was the second-most in franchise history at the time.
No. 3
1972 Vikings
Final Record: 7-7
Of all the Minnesota teams to miss out on the playoffs, their squad from 1972 definitely had the best defense. This Vikings defense finished fifth in the NFL in total yards allowed, first in passing yards allowed, and the 40 turnovers they forced were the fourth-most in the league.
With Fran Tarkenton leading the way, Minnesota’s offense in 1972 wasn’t terrible by any means. But the defense was just the superior unit during this campaign, as was the case for most of their seasons during the 1970s.
From 1968 to 1978, the Vikings made the playoffs 10 times, which included four trips to the Super Bowl. During this time period, Minnesota’s 1972 team was the only squad to miss out on the postseason.