4 wins in Minnesota Vikings history that were instant classics
By Randy Smith
Week 13 of the 1998 Season
- Vikings beat the Cowboys
A game out of reach for one team may not seem like an instant classic, but when it has an underlying story, it becomes just such. The 1998 Thanksgiving game against the Dallas Cowboys serves as an example for the Vikings.
In the midst of another NFC Championship-bound season, Minnesota had been enjoying the resurgence of veteran quarterback Randall Cunningham, paired with wide receiver Cris Carter and rookie sensation Randy Moss.
Moss, who had notoriously been passed up by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, had a point to prove and did just such. The Hall of Famer posted an unbelievable stat line of three catches for 163 yards, all touchdowns at that.
Star corner Deion Sanders was out for the game, but it didn’t seem to matter. The Dallas secondary couldn’t handle Moss at all and even drew multiple penalties trying to stop the wideout.
The final score ended up being in favor of the Vikings to the tune of 46-36, and the Cowboys never seemed a true threat, but for a stat line that’s still referenced to this day and a staple game of Moss’ rookie season, it deserves a spot in the discussion of the franchises’ instant classics.