2000 Minnesota Vikings season
2000 Minnesota Vikings season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Dennis Green |
Home field | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
Results | |
Record | 11–5 |
Division place | 1st NFC Central |
Playoff finish | Won NFC Divisional Playoff (Saints) 34–16 Lost NFC Championship Game (Giants) 0–41 |
Pro Bowlers | 5 |
The 2000 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 40th in the National Football League. They won the NFC Central division title with an 11–5 record and beat the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round of the playoffs before losing 41–0 to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game.
After not retaining either Randall Cunningham or Jeff George, the team was led by first-year starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper and running back Robert Smith, who ran for a then team record 1,521 yards and seven touchdowns. The Vikings started out 7–0 and were 11–2 after 14 weeks, but slumped briefly, losing their last three to the Rams, Packers and Colts while Culpepper was hampered by injury.
Despite the rough patch, the Vikings would return to the playoffs again for the fifth straight year. After easily beating the Saints in the Divisional game 34–16, they were defeated 41–0 by the New York Giants in the Conference Championship, and to top that, Robert Smith retired at the end of the year, after only playing eight NFL seasons. It would be 2004 before the Vikings returned to the playoffs.
After a contract dispute, Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle was let go after 11 seasons with the Vikings. Randle had only eight sacks this year, ending a streak of eight consecutive seasons with 10+ sacks.
Seven Vikings including Culpepper, Moss, Carter, Smith, Korey Stringer, Robert Griffith and Matt Birk were selected to play in the Pro Bowl after the season. It was Stringer's only Pro Bowl appearance before his death in 2001.
Offseason
Additions | Subtractions |
---|---|
T Brad Badger (Redskins) | QB Randall Cunningham (Cowboys) |
QB Bubby Brister (Broncos) | QB Jeff George (Redskins) |
TE Johnny McWilliams (Cardinals) | TE Andrew Glover (Saints) |
QB Scott Mitchell (Ravens) | |
DE Bryce Paup (Jaguars) | |
LB Craig Sauer (Falcons) | |
CB Cris Dishman (Chiefs) |
2000 Draft
2000 Minnesota Vikings Draft | |||||
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Draft order | Player name | Position | College | Notes | |
Round | Selection | ||||
1 | 25 | Chris Hovan | Defensive tackle | Boston | |
2 | 55 | Fred Robbins | Defensive tackle | Wake Forest | |
56 | Michael Boireau | Defensive end | University of Miami | from Redskins[a] | |
3 | 88 | Doug Chapman | Running back | Marshall | |
4 | 106 | Antonio Wilson | Linebacker | Texas A&M | from Ravens[b] |
118 | Tyrone Carter | Safety | Minnesota | ||
5 | 155 | Surrendered to the Washington Redskins[c] | |||
165 | Troy Walters | Wide receiver | Stanford | Compensatory pick | |
6 | 191 | Traded to the Baltimore Ravens[b] | |||
7 | 232 | Traded to the Cleveland Browns[d] | |||
240 | Mike Milano | Center | San Diego State | Compensatory pick | |
244 | Giles Cole | Tight end | Texas | Compensatory pick | |
248 | Lewis Kelly | Guard | South Carolina State | Compensatory pick |
- ^[a] During the 1999 NFL Draft, Washington traded their 1999 first-round selection (11th overall), 1999 third-round selection (73rd overall) and 2000 second-round selection (56th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for QB Brad Johnson.
- ^[b] The details of these trades are unknown but may involve Baltimore's acquisition of OL Everett Lindsay from Minnesota.
- ^[c] Washington received this selection as compensation for restricted free agent G Brad Badger.
- ^[d] Minnesota traded their seventh-round selection (232nd overall) to Cleveland for DT Jerry Ball.
Undrafted free agents
Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|
Billy Cockerham | Quarterback | Minnesota |
Preseason
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 5 | New Orleans Saints | L 24–25 | 0–1 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 63,445 |
2 | August 12 | at San Diego Chargers | L 7–31 | 0–2 | Qualcomm Stadium | 43,805 |
3 | August 18 | Arizona Cardinals | W 35–17 | 1–2 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 63,563 |
4 | August 24 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 30–32 | 1–3 | RCA Dome | 51,337 |
Regular season
Schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 3 | Chicago Bears | W 30–27 | 1–0 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,104 | |
2 | September 10 | Miami Dolphins | W 13–7 | 2–0 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,112 | |
3 | September 17 | at New England Patriots | W 21–13 | 3–0 | Foxboro Stadium | 59,835 | |
4 | Bye | ||||||
5 | October 1 | at Detroit Lions | W 31–24 | 4–0 | Silverdome | 76,438 | |
6 | October 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 30–23 | 5–0 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,162 | |
7 | October 15 | at Chicago Bears | W 28–16 | 6–0 | Soldier Field | 66,944 | |
8 | October 22 | Buffalo Bills | W 31–27 | 7–0 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,116 | |
9 | October 29 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | L 13–41 | 7–1 | Raymond James Stadium | 65,589 | |
10 | November 6 | at Green Bay Packers | L 20–26 (OT) | 7–2 | Lambeau Field | 59,854 | |
11 | November 12 | Arizona Cardinals | W 31–14 | 8–2 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,223 | |
12 | November 19 | Carolina Panthers | W 31–17 | 9–2 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,208 | |
13 | November 23 | at Dallas Cowboys | W 27–15 | 10–2 | Texas Stadium | 63,878 | |
14 | November 30 | Detroit Lions | W 24–17 | 11–2 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,214 | |
15 | December 10 | at St. Louis Rams | L 29–40 | 11–3 | TWA Dome | 66,273 | |
16 | December 17 | Green Bay Packers | L 28–33 | 11–4 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,183 | |
17 | December 24 | at Indianapolis Colts | L 10–31 | 11–5 | RCA Dome | 56,672 |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Week 10: at Green Bay Packers
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
Packers | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 26 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Date: November 6, 2000
- Game time: 8:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 50 °F (10 °C)
- Game attendance: 59,854
- TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels, Dan Fouts, Dennis Miller, Melissa Stark and Eric Dickerson
- Recap
Game information | ||
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Standings
NFC Central | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
(2) Minnesota Vikings | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 397 | 371 | L3 |
(5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 388 | 269 | L1 |
Green Bay Packers | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 353 | 323 | W4 |
Detroit Lions | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 307 | 307 | L1 |
Chicago Bears | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 216 | 355 | W1 |
Postseason
NFC Divisional Playoffs
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saints | 3 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
Vikings | 10 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 34 |
at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: January 6
- Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. CST
- Game weather: Played indoors, domed stadium
- Game attendance: 63,881
- Referee: Walt Coleman
- TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Matt Millen and Pam Oliver
- Reference
Game information | ||
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|
NFC Championship Game
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Giants | 14 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 41 |
at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: January 14
- Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 40 °F (4 °C)
- Game attendance: 79,310
- Referee: Tony Corrente
- TV announcers (Fox): Pat Summerall, John Madden, D.J. Johnson and Pam Oliver
- Reference
Game information | ||
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Statistics
Team leaders
Category | Player(s) | Total |
---|---|---|
Passing yards | Daunte Culpepper | 3,937 |
Passing touchdowns | Daunte Culpepper | 33 |
Rushing yards | Robert Smith | 1,521 |
Rushing touchdowns | Robert Smith Daunte Culpepper |
7 |
Receiving yards | Randy Moss | 1,437 |
Receiving touchdowns | Randy Moss | 15 |
Points | Gary Anderson | 111 |
Kickoff return yards | Troy Walters | 692 |
Punt return yards | Troy Walters | 217 |
Tackles | Ed McDaniel | 118 |
Sacks | John Randle | 8 |
Interceptions | Robert Tate Kailee Wong |
2 |
Forced fumbles | John Randle Robert Tate |
2 |
League rankings
Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 31) |
---|---|---|---|
Passing offense | 3,832 | 239.5 | 7th |
Rushing offense | 2,129 | 133.1 | 6th |
Total offense | 5,961 | 372.6 | 5th |
Passing defense | 3,913 | 244.6 | 28th |
Rushing defense | 1,788 | 111.8 | 15th |
Total defense | 5,701 | 356.3 | 28th |
Staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Roster
Awards and records
- Gary Anderson, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 8 [3]
- Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Week 14 [3]
- Mitch Berger, NFC Special Teams Player of the Month, December [3]
- Cris Carter, All-NFL Team (as selected by the Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers of America)[3]
- Cris Carter, NFC Pro Bowl Selection[4]
- Daunte Culpepper, NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Week 6[3]
- Daunte Culpepper, NFC Offensive Player of the Week, Week 12[3]
- Chris Hovan, PFW/Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team
- Randy Moss, All-NFL Team (as selected by the Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers of America)[3]
- Randy Moss, PFW/PFWA All-Pro Team[5]
- Robert Smith, NFC Offensive Player of the Month, December[3]
40-year team
The team recognized an all-time team in 2000 by announcing the 40th-season all-time team. [2]
VIKINGS 40TH SEASON ALL-TIME TEAM 1961–2000
- OFFENSE
- WRs: Ahmad Rashad, Cris Carter
- Ts: Ron Yary, Tim Irwin
- Gs: Ed White, Randall McDaniel
- C: Mick Tingelhoff
- TE: Steve Jordan
- QB: Fran Tarkenton
- RBs: Chuck Foreman, Robert Smith
- K: Fred Cox
- Special Teams Coverage: Bill Brown
- DEFENSE
- DEs: Jim Marshall, Carl Eller
- DTs: Alan Page, John Randle
- LBs: Jeff Siemon, Matt Blair, Scott Studwell
- Ss: Paul Krause, Joey Browner
- CBs: Bobby Bryant, Carl Lee
- P: Greg Coleman
- Special Teams Returns: Darrin Nelson
- Head Coach: Bud Grant
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ 2009 Minnesota Vikings Media Guide. p. 251. Archived from the original on 2010-12-24. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
- ^ a b c d e f g h NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 202
- ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 362
- ^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 203