1975 Minnesota Vikings season

1975 Minnesota Vikings season
General manager	Mike Lynn
Head coach	Bud Grant
Home field	Metropolitan Stadium
Results
Record	12–2
Division place	1st NFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost Divisional Playoffs (Cowboys) 17–14

The 1975 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 15th season in 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. 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. Football journalists noted during their streak how the Vikings had been playing very weak schedules for several years and flattered thereby. Their 10–0 start was not subsequently equalled until the 1984 Miami Dolphins began 11–0. 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.

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.

Offseason

1975 Draft

Main article: 1975 NFL draft

1975 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order			Player name	Position	College	Notes
Round	Choice	Overall
1	25	25	Mark Mullaney	Defensive End	Colorado State
2	26	52	Robert Barber	Defensive Tackle	USC	originally Steelers' pick[a]
3	11	63	Traded to the New Orleans Saints[c]			from Lions[b]
	25	77	Traded to the Cincinnati Bengals[d]
4	11	89	Harold "Champ" Henson	Running Back	Ohio State	from Bengals[d]
	25	103	Bruce Adams	Wide Receiver	Kansas
5	25	129	Robert Miller	Running Back	Kansas
6	25	155	Bubba Broussard	Linebacker	Houston
7	25	181	Henry Green	Running Back	Southern
8	25	207	Joe Hollimon	Defensive Back	Arkansas State
9	25	233	John Passananti	Guard	Western Illinois
10	24	258	Neil Clabo	Punter	Tennessee	originally Raiders' pick[e]
11	25	285	Ike Spencer	Running Back	Utah
12	25	311	Autry Beamon	Defensive Back	East Texas State
13	24	336	Mike Hurd	Wide Receiver	Michigan State	originally Raiders' pick[f]
14	25	363	Mike Strickland	Running Back	Eastern Michigan
15	24	388	Ollie Bakken	Linebacker	Minnesota	originally Raiders' pick[g]
16	24	414	Tom Goedjen	Kicker	Iowa State	originally Colts' pick[h]
17	25	441	Adolph Bellizeare	Running Back	Pennsylvania

^{^[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

Playoffs

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance
Divisional	December 28, 1975	Dallas Cowboys	L 14–17	Met Stadium	46,425

NFC Divisional Playoff

Dallas Cowboys 17, Minnesota Vikings 14

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	0	0	7	10	17
Vikings	0	7	0	7	14

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

• Date: December 28
• Game time: 1:00 p.m.
• Game weather: 25 °F (−4 °C), wind 8 mph, wind chill 17 °F (−8 °C), relative humidity 76%
• Referee: Chuck Heberling
• TV announcers (CBS): Gary Bender, Johnny Unitas
• Pro-Football-Reference.com

Game information
First Quarter Second Quarter MIN - Chuck Foreman 1-yard run (Fred Cox kick) - Vikings 7-0 Third Quarter DAL - Doug Dennison 4-yard run (Toni Fritsch kick) - Tie 7-7 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

NFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Minnesota Vikings(1)	12	2	0	.857	5–1	8–2	377	180	W1
Detroit Lions	7	7	0	.500	4–2	6–5	245	262	L1
Chicago Bears	4	10	0	.286	2–4	4–7	191	379	W1
Green Bay Packers	4	10	0	.286	1–5	4–7	226	285	W1

Awards and records

• Fran Tarkenton, Bert Bell Award, 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

Category	Player(s)	Value
Passing Yards	Fran Tarkenton	2,994
Passing Touchdowns	Fran Tarkenton	25
Rushing Yards	Chuck Foreman	1,070
Rushing Touchdowns	Chuck Foreman	13
Receiving Yards	John Gilliam	777
Receiving Touchdowns	Chuck Foreman	9
Points	Chuck Foreman	132
Kickoff Return Yards	Brent McClanahan	360
Punt Return Yards	Bobby Bryant	125
Interceptions	Paul Krause	10 *

• Vikings single season record.

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