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There are three certainties for Minnesota Vikings fans: death, taxes and high blood pressure.
The Vikings’ latest cardiac arresting antics: a miraculous 34-31 victory over their NFC North rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
After the Packers seemingly came away with an interception on the game’s final drive that was overturned, Kirk Cousins led a game-clinching drive that set up a 29-yard field goal by Greg Joseph to clinch the team’s third walk-off victory this season. It was the sixth game this season that has come down to the final play — a trend that has made the Vikings one of the most entertaining yet heart-jerking teams to watch this season.
“They’re very experienced at the last play of games,” coach Mike Zimmer cracked in his postgame press conference.
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“Sundays are not fun,” he added. “You know, they say, Sunday is fun day? It is not. It is not at all. Like I said the other day, every play with (Aaron Rodgers) is a fight. You just hope that when they go down and score on one play that the offense can come back and do what they did.”
The Vikings improved their playoff odds significantly by dispatching the NFC North-leading Packers (8-3).
Before the Packers game, the Vikings had a 42% chance of making the playoffs. After Sunday, their chances increased to 59%, per FiveThirtyEight.
If the Vikings can stack a third consecutive win for the first time this season against San Francisco 49ers (5-5) in Week 12, their playoff odds would increase to 83%.
Poetic Justice
Aaron Rodgers managed to make things interesting with a 75-yard touchdown heave to Marquez Valdez-Scantling to tie the game with 2 minutes, 17 seconds remaining.
However, Cousins and Co. kept the ball away from Rodgers in the final two minutes and leaned on Joseph to win the victory.
It was poetic justice for Joseph, a newcomer to the team after taking over kicking duties after Dan Bailey’s departure this offseason. In his Vikings debut, Joseph nailed a 54-yard field goal to force overtime against the Cincinnati Bengals, then missed a 37-yard try that would have clinched the Vikings a win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2.
Joseph redeemed himself with a walk-off field goal against the Detroit Lions. However, a missed extra point against the Packers spelled some doubts in the air for a Vikings franchise that has been cursed by kicking woes.
Joseph put those worries to rest with his game-clinching field goal as, yet again, he was hoisted in the air by his teammates.
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Milestone Achievements
The win marked the 500th in franchise history and lifted the Vikings (5-5) back to .500 on the season.
Meanwhile, another mainstay in Minnesota, Adam Thielen, reached a milestone of his own, surpassing Kyle Rudolph for the fifth-most career receptions after securing eight catches for 82 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. He sits at 455 career receptions and could surpass Anthony Carter’s 478 receptions for fourth all-time this season.
Dalvin Cook moved into the sixth all-time rushing leader spot with his 4,395 rushing yards from 2017-21.
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