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Minnesota Vikings fans could see several stars from the Minneapolis Miracle on the opposing sidelines on Sunday.
Of course, Stefon Diggs is the A1 story heading into a Titanic tilt between the Vikings (7-1) and the Buffalo Bills (6-2). However, the Bills’ quarterback situation is murky with superstar Josh Allen battling an elbow injury.
That could make way for the forgotten hero of the Minneapolis Miracle to make his first start of the season.
Case Keenum Trending Toward Starting Against Vikings
Last week, Allen took a hard hit to his elbow in a 20-17 loss to the New York Jets.
“#Bills QB Josh Allen is likely to be limited this week because of an elbow injury suffered late in Sunday’s loss, but as of now it’s considered a situation to monitor rather than an ailment that would keep him out of the game, sources say,” NFL insider Ian Rapoport tweeted on November 7. “He’s still undergoing tests to be sure.”
Three days have passed since Rapoport’s leak and it appears Allen isn’t trending in the right direction to play on Sunday. He did not practice “during the opening portion of practice” on November 10, Katherine Fitzgerald reported.
That would mean his backup, former Vikings quarterback Case Keenum, would take the starting spot on Sunday.
“Trending more toward former #Vikings QB Case Keenum starting for Buffalo on Sunday,” Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweeted.
Catching Up With Case Keenum
The Bills traded the Cleveland Browns for Keenum in the offseason after the veteran quarterback was backup to Baker Mayfield for two seasons in Cleveland, making two starts for the Browns in that span.
He completed 21 of 33 passes for 199 yards and one touchdown in a 17-14 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 7. In a meaningless Week 18 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, who rested their starters, Keenum completed 17 of 24 passes for 176 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a 21-16 win.
Keenum’s two wins with the Browns showed he could manage a game and made him a trade target for Buffalo. He’s yet to recapture the magic of the 2017 season where he went 12-4 as the Vikings’ starter, throwing for 3,547 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions en route to an appearance in the NFC Championship.
After his miraculous playoff run, Keenum secured a two-year, $36 million contract with the Broncos in 2018. He went 6-10 in Denver, throwing 187 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
The Broncos traded Keenum to Washington in 2019 for seventh- and sixth-round picks. Keenum was named the starting quarterback to begin the season but lost his grasp on the starting job after being benched in Week 4.
In his return to Minnesota, Keenum completed 12 of 16 passes for 130 yards before being knocked out with a concussion. He finished the 2019 season with a 1-7 record and threw for 1,707 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Browns signed him the following offseason.
While Vikings fans will recall the best of Keenum, he is a much lesser threat than even a hampered Allen at this stage in his career, giving Minnesota an edge in extending its six-game winning streak.
Case Keenum Looks Back on Minneapolis Miracle
Last January marked the fourth anniversary of the Minneapolis Miracle as videos circulated on social media. Keenum, who won an ESPY alongside Diggs for Best Moment, reflected on the play that catapulted his career.
Many Vikings fans and stars shared in reflecting on the miraculous play, including Hall of Famer Carl Eller.
Here’s our favorite camera angle.
It was quite a way to christen a new stadium.
The day still lives in the minds of Minnesotans, thanks to Diggs and Keenum.
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