MINNEAPOLIS — Call it a comeback for the ages. Or a monumental collapse.
Either way, it was record-breaking.
Minnesota rallied from a 33-0 halftime deficit to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 39-36 in overtime on Saturday, giving the Vikings the biggest comeback in NFL history. Greg Joseph’s 40-yard field goal with three seconds left in the extra period helped the Vikings complete their rally at U.S. Bank Stadium and clinch the NFC North title in coach Kevin O’Connell’s debut season, the Star-Tribune of Minneapolis reported.
THE @VIKINGS CAP OFF THE LARGEST COMEBACK IN NFL HISTORY.
— NFL (@NFL) December 17, 2022
FROM 33-0 DOWN TO 39-36. #INDvsMIN pic.twitter.com/p4vtjhuPY7
The comeback topped the previous record of 32 points, set by the Buffalo Bills in the 1992 AFC playoffs against the Houston Oilers, ESPN reported. The Bills trailed the Oilers 35-3 in the wild-card game but rallied to win 41-38 in overtime, according to The Athletic.
Frank Reich, fired earlier in the season by the Colts as coach, was the winning quarterback in that 1993 game.
Minnesota tied Saturday’s game with 2:15 left in regulation when Dalvin Cook scored on a 64-yard screen pass from quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Vikings converted the two-point conversion to defeat Indianapolis (4-9-1), the Star-Tribune reported.
DALVIN COOK 64 YARDS
— Barstool Sportsbook (@BSSportsbook) December 17, 2022
THE VIKINGS FROM DOWN 33-0
TIE FOOTBALL GAME pic.twitter.com/SEQJLRuyyP
The Colts allowed Minnesota to score 29 straight points over the last 16:13 of regulation, the Indianapolis Star reported.
Minnesota’s previous largest comeback was 23 points, which happened in a 1985 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles, The Athletic reported. The Vikings scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.
The Vikings also got second-half touchdowns from K.J. Osborn, C.J. Ham, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen as Minnesota held Indianapolis to three second-half points, the Star-Tribune reported.
Cousins threw for a career-high 460 yards and four touchdowns, including 417 in the second half and overtime, according to the newspaper.
The halftime deficit for the Vikings was the second-largest in franchise history, behind a 45-10 score at Seattle in 2002, according to The Associated Press.
“This is more than a little bizarre,” the Star reported about the Colts’ collapse.
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