Lions fan here. I grew up watching so many of these great Vikings teams. I loved Tarkenton and the Purple People Eaters! I also loved watching Bud Grant on the sidelines in zero degree weather wearing a light jacket. I loved the frozen tundra of the old Metropolitan Stadium. A real home field advantage.
I am a Cowboy fan. My trivia question which most people forget is that between Dallas and Minnesota, they had 9 NFC championships in the 70’s. Unfortunately they went 2 and 7 in those superbowls. Great memories. Fran was awesome.
Rams fan here. I remember hating the Vikings and Cowboys during those years. The Rams would get into the playoffs then lose to either Fran Tarkenton, or Roger Staubach. PS. RIP my favorite Ram Quarterback #18 Roman Gabriel
As a life long Vikings fan. I have always been left wanting. One great team after another that failed at the most critical time. Either out played or out coached. If you are someone that waits for Sunday to roll around so you can watch the Vikings. Then you have to accept that fact that you will often be disappointed at the end of the season. That fact has always been the case. In the 60's just as much as it is now.
@@axlejohnson9156don’t hinge your hopes on winning a SB. Winning a SB takes a lot of luck. It’s an unrealistic expectation. I just expect to make a playoff run and get lucky once before I die. You gotta tailor your expectations.
I was on the Jets, but always wanted to be on the Vikings. But we beat you nonetheless. There was the Colts and the Packers to round out our 4-team peewee league. Think it was also around that time. Maybe'73.
I’m from Philly born in 1960. Unfortunately the Eagles were just terrible up until Dick Vermeil came, so everybody in the neighborhood had a second team that they followed and I was a Vikings fan. All four of those Super Bowl losses just about killed me. The Eagles will always be my team, but when they’re out of it I root for the Vikings. I think it was a massive mistake for them to start playing indoors. Playing at Metropolitan stadium was such an advantage for them. The Rams seemed to hate playing in that brutal cold. Great Video, thanks for the memories!
The Vikings and Greenbay, both places to avoid during the end of season games for all the other teams, and pure hell if you had to go there for any Post-Season games. If the teams didn't kick your behinds, the weather and stadiums would.
I became a BIG BIG Fran Tarkenton fan was when the game that I was watching was over and flipped channels to catch Fran Tarkenton (as a New York Giant) running around trying to make something happen when he got caught in the end zone for a safety. When he got up still clutching the ball the defensive lineman said something to him and Fran threw the ball at his head and grabbed him by the leg and the scrum was on. Remember the defensive lineman outweighed Fran by 100 plus pounds. Luckily the lineman was able to get away with still wearing his head where it should be. Great respect, Take no S**T from anyone. Still a Packer fan but also a Fran Fan. Just Sayin'.
Iam now coming upon 60 years old....I remember this...mom and dad would take me to a game at the met...and this is where tail gating became the thing! I've met most of the purple people eaters! Alot of time they use to come to our tail gate area and have a beer with my folks and friends...after the game of course! Great memories!
I can't tell you how many times us Packer fans swore over Tark's agility and play. Ah, the days when guys played for the love of the game. Did u see the Viking receiver pat the Philly DB who misses an interception? THANKS FOR POSTING!!
There was another game in 85 at Philadelphia when the Vikings down 27-0 in the 4th quarter came BACK to win it! My brother was a Vikings fan was so elastic!!
I loved watching football back in the 60's and 70's Fran was the QB man! Like watching the Bears in the days of Butkus and Sayers in Wrigley field. Haven't watch the game since 98 cant handle fake fixed games!!
Past his prime by a few years. In an era when this should not have happened. And Fran Tarkenton delivered one of the greatest moments in Minnesota Viking history.
I love the way Rashad catches the winning touchdown and then just hands the ball to the referee. None of that ridiculous dancing like an idiot, like they do today.
@@GregZentTrumpetMan OMG, did we get cold. I remember my dad bringing us to games - back when you didn’t have to take out a home equity loan to bring your kids - and we sat in sleeping bags and still froze. The only place to warm up was the bathroom, so it was packed. That stadium helped them win a lot of games.
I like how, on the first play, Tarkenton almost slips and falls on the ice. But, instead regains his footing and delivers a strike. You don't do that if you're not used to slipping around on that ice.
It's interesting. Fran is easily my favorite Vikings of all time. But let's be a little objective here. Prior to this drive in this game, he had about a 50% completion rating, threw three TDs and three INTs. He almost threw 2 picks on that final drive. Sure it's outdoors, lousy conditions, etc., but damn. You put up those kind of stats these days and people would be saying that Fran got lucky, he sucks, trade him, blah blah blah.
@@danastrong1747 Here's the someone else to think about....Dan Fouts. I used to love to watch him sling it back in the day when the run game was dominant. He was an exciting player, All-Pro, all that. But if you look at his stats...holy cow. He threw nearly as many INTs as TDs and his career passer rating as like 80. Just a middle of the road player by today's standards and again, everyone today would think that he sucks. That being said, they game was different then. Not as many read routes by the WRs, DBs could do more against WRs, etc. But still....
Because of the rules designed to assist the passing game and quarterbacks in particular these days it's no surprise we have the artificial efficiency we see today. The risk/reward factor is skewed so much that it's impossible to compare eras with any objectivity.
Here’s what I’ve been arguing. Hear how the officials blow the whistle if an offensive player gets stood up? This was how NFL players avoided injury back then as the refs were smarter. The first two plays prove it. Modern-day NFL rules try to stop injury but the real way to do it is have refs blow the whistle just as soon forward progress is stopped.
Danmeier is the kicker so it’s 1978, Fran was definitely the best Vikings QB ever ,and their First. He came off the bench to rally against the bears in their first game ever, only expansion team to win their first game ,took them to 3 SBS . Lost to better teams except Steelers should have won that one, that was Grants fault.
Check down charlie getting the respect Kirko never got?!?!?!?! Fran will always be my favorite QB but the hate against Kirk needs to stop, all great QB's used the check down for stats!
That is a gorgeous hue of purple on the Vikings' 70's jersey, and I was hoping beyond hope the team would return to the snow & ice when considering their new stadium. Does anyone know the reason Minnesota has a black stripe on their left arms here? Thank you for posting this Joelucky39.
The team wore black armbands for the last four games in 1978 in memory of Jack "Jocko" Nelson, an assistant coach who died during the season. (Minnesota Vikings Wikipedia)
Pretty sure that is HOFer and former Redskin Sonny Jurgensen doing the color commentary. Sonny is still alive these days and will be 90 in just a few more months.
Indeed it was. Just like Tarkenton, Jurgensen was one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks who never won a Super Bowl. Jurgensen had one of the finest receiver corps ever--Charley Taylor, Bobby Mitchell and Jerry Smith.
Thanks Keith!! I had forgotten Sonny did color back in the day. I grew up in the DC area. Sonny was on local tv and radio for ages after his career ended. For people who never saw him play I just say picture Brett Favre. He was that type of QB. Draw up a play in the dirt everyone go long and I'll just sling it.
Looking at Pro Football Reference, this is 1978 and Tarkenton's last win in the NFL. They lost last 2 regular season games after this one and then lost to Rams in Divisional Playoffs
Youd think Tark would have stopped throwing that pass across the field after Old Man Willie picked him in the SB blowout against Oakland yet he keeps on....
Great video. Anyone know the date of this game? I’m always curious about the dates of these old clips because I like put it into historical context, like what was going on in the world, the country, etc. Just a nerdy thing that I enjoy.
I didn't find the Vikings' drive to be that impressive. If not for a handful of Eagles' penalties and missed interceptions by the Eagles' Edwards, the Vikings would've lost the game.
He was a great quarterback, and he was a Viking, but not for any length of time that would categorize him as a Vikings legend. Hugh McIlhenny was a hall of fame running back, and was part of the Vikings expansion team, but nobody ever calls him a great Viking.
Randall was great for one season. The next season he lost his starting job to Jeff George. He made a decent chunk of change from that one great season. Of course, this was on the tail end of his career. Not prime Cunningham.
At 3:26 in the video refs called blow to the head on #66 for Philadelphia. I sure didn't see any blow to the head. So does that mean that NFL games were fixed back then too?
The player called isn't in the shot. 66 is ILB Bill Bergey. I''m guessing he clubbed a receiver in the head as he tried to get into his route. That's like something he would do. And the Vikings were called for holding later in the drive, so it was first and goal from the 20.
Maybe the greatest Vikings quarterback in history but his numbers for that game were awful and the winning touchdown he threw up for grabs and got lucky
Number of Vikings fans who have ever thrown full beer cans at Eagles fans and subsequently punched a police horse? But all in good Philly fun and sportsmanship.
Just one more: Number of times the Vikings have gone 14 straight years without a winning record or been voted one of the top ten worst teams ever (1968)?
Tarkenton is certainly popular with old Viking fans. He had great career stats also. But to label Tarkenton the greatest Minnesota QB would be a step to far. Great Quarterbacks win championships. We all know how that ended. One could say that the Vikings have never had a great quarterback. Non have ever gotten them a Ring.
@@joelucky39 I would question the use of the word "greatest". The Best, probably. I watched all four SB losses with equal amounts of disappointment. I would think that a truly great quarterback would have found a way to lead his team to a victory in at least one of those three Superbowl games.
@@OnePost909 If Tarkenton was so great. Why didn't he find a way to win at least one of those three Superbowl games. You can either blame Tarkenton for the losses or you have to blame Bud Grant for being out coached. Pick one.
Sorry folks - Tarkenton was not even close to being the best Vikings QB. Cousins is tops in every category - QB rating, TD%, INT%, Yards/game, Comp%, and is only second to Brett Favre in %wins. If Favre had lost one more game with the Vikings, Cousins would be first in %wins as well.
