Twenty-five years ago yesterday, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Los Angeles Rams in overtime, 23-21. It's not often that an overtime game is decided by a margin of two points. This game came to an end when Vikings linebacker Mike Merriweather blocked a Dale Hatcher punt out of the end zone for a safety. This was the first overtime game to be decided by a walk-off safety. There have been two such games since. The Chicago Bears did it in 2004 when defensive end Alex Brown sacked Tennessee Titans quarterback Billy Volek in the end zone and knocked the ball loose. Titans tackle Fred Miller recovered the loose ball but was tackled by Adewale Ogunleye for a safety to give the Bears a 19-17 overtime win. Last year, Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake dropped Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton in the end zone for a safety and a Dolphins 22-20 win. The Vikings-Rams game on November 5, 1989 was odd for reasons other than the manner in which it ended. When a game is tied at 21 at the end of regulation it's pretty safe to assume that six touchdowns were scored. Three by each team. The Rams did their part. The Vikings did it the hard way. They usually do. The Vikings offense didn't score a single point. They got to 21 points with seven field goals. Here's the scoring summary of the Vikings-Rams game from that day in 1989:
Vikings Rich Karlis 20 yard field goal
Rams Greg Bell 1 yard run (Mike Lansford kick)
Vikings Rich Karlis 24 yard field goal
Vikings Rich Karlis 22 yard field goal
Vikings Rich Karlis 25 yard field goal
Vikings Rich Karlis 29 yard field goal
Vikings Rich Karlis 36 yard field goal
Rams Henry Ellard 6 yard pass from Jim Everett (Lansford kick)
Rams Greg Bell 1 yard run (Lansford kick)
Vikings Rich Karlis 40 yard field goal
Vikings Safety, Mike Merriweather blocks punt out of end zone
Vikings kicker Rich Karlis had a busy day. The Vikings certainly weren't lacking for opportunities to make this a high scoring game, a blowout really. They had the ball inside the Rams 20-yard line on six occasions. They were inside the 15-yard line on five of those occasions. Inside the 10-yard line on four occasions. No one wants to see field goals of the 20-30-yard variety. Well, the defense prefers it. When an offense gets inside the opponents 20-yard line, touchdowns are always the objective. Still, field goals can work out o.k. They were better than o.k. for the Vikings on this day 25 years ago. If Karlis misses any one of these seven field goals, the Vikings lose this game. They finished the 1989 season at 10-6, tied for first with the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Central. The Vikings went to the playoffs. The Packers didn't. If Karlis misses one of those field goals against the Rams, the Packers go to the playoffs. The Vikings don't. If the Vikings score a touchdown instead of a field on any one of those trips into the redzone, there's no overtime, there's no Merriweather blocked punt and game-winning safety. This is just one of the Vikings ten wins on the season. Instead, this game is memorable because of those seven field goals. This game is written about 25 years later because of that walk-off safety. The first of it's kind. This Vikings win is memorable because of some offensive inefficiencies.
This game is also memorable for many Vikings fans because of the postgame, profanity-laced tirade of head coach Jerry Burns in support of his much-criticized (by fans and media) offensive coordinator Bob Schnelker.
It's interesting to note that the much-criticized Schnelker scored the first touchdown in Minnesota Vikings franchise history. A touchdown is something that they couldn't and didn't need on November 5, 1989.
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