In a heart-breaker, the Vikings 2015 season came to an end on Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks escaped TCF Bank Stadium with a 10-9 victory after a bitter-cold, defense-dominated, drama-filled classic. The Vikings controlled much of the game, fell behind in the middle of the 4th quarter and then got into position to win the game before a missed FG sealed their fate.
Here are five takeaways from Sunday's loss to Seattle
1. This loss was a heart-breaker
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Losing is never easy. But losing the way the Vikings did on Sunday is hard to handle. In a game in which much of the outside world gave the Vikings little chance of winning, it was the Vikings who did a lot of the things they needed to do to win the game – they sustained drives and won the time of possession battle, they got off the field on 3rd and 4th downs, they won the field position battle and, ultimately, they were in position to win the game with 26 seconds to play. To lose a game to the two-time defending NFC champs despite accomplishing all of that is gut-wrenching.
2. Missed FG mars Walsh's performance
In a tightly-contested game that was the function of a lot of pivotal plays, it's Blair Walsh's missed 27-yard FG with only seconds to go that everyone is talking about. And rightfully so because before that missed kick NFL kickers were 189 of 191 (99.0%) on FGs of 27 yards or shorter this season (stat from ESPN Stats & Info). It's a kick Walsh should make and that he didn't cost his team the game. With that said, Walsh was also the only Viking to score up to that point in the game, as he connected on a short FG (22 yards) and on two long FGs (43 and 47 yards) earlier in the game. Also, Walsh made more FGs than any other kicker in the NFL during the regular season. Walsh has had his struggles, like any player on any team experiences, but he's also had a lot of shining moments for this team and one can only imagine he'll have many more for the Vikings in the future. Walsh stands to benefit as much or more than any other Viking once the team moves into US Bank Stadium next season.
3. Offense moved down the field late, but it wasn't enough
View photos of players and coaches who have suited up for both the Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks.
Pete Carroll coached defensive backs for the Minnesota Vikings for 5 seasons (1985-89) under Bud Grant and Jerry Burns before being named defensive coordinator for the New York Jets.
Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll coached in the Pro Bowl as a member of the Minnesota Vikings staff following the 1987 season.
Carroll is the current head coach of the Seahawks and has led his team to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances, including winning Super Bowl XLVIII.
Seven-time All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson was a 1st-round draft pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2001 (17th overall).
Hutchinson signed with the Vikings in 2006 after a controversial contract situation between the Vikings and Seahawks. Hutchinson started 89 games in his 6 seasons in Minnesota and was named as one of the 50 Greatest Vikings.
In 1976, former 1st-round pick Ahmad Rashad went to Training Camp with Seattle in their expansion season but was traded to the Vikings days before the regular season started.
Darrell Bevell received his first offensive coordinator job with the Vikings in 2006. He remained with the club through 2010, a year guiding Brett Favre and the 5th-ranked Vikings offense in 2009.
Bevell took over as the Seahawks offensive coordinator in 2011, where he has served the past 5 seasons. Bevell's offense had the top-ranked rushing attack in the NFL in 2014.
Minnesota native John Carlson was drafted by the Seahawks in the 2nd round of 2008. Carlson scored 13 touchdowns in 3 seasons with the Seahawks, sitting out 2011 due to an injury.
Carlson signed with the Vikings as a free agent in 2012, spending 2 seasons with the club. Carlson retired prior to the start of the 2015 season.
Coleman signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2012, becoming the first deaf player in the NFL. Coleman went to training camp with the Vikings before being released during roster cuts.
Coleman signed with the Seahawks in December of 2012 where he has remained on their roster. Coleman has 2 career NFL touchdowns, both receiving.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Eller was a 1st-round pick by the Vikings in 1964. Eller was a member of the historic Purple People Eaters before spending the final season in Seattle.
Heath Farwell signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He spent 6 seasons with the club, playing primarily on special teams.
Farwell signed with the Seahawks as a free agent following his time in Minnesota. Farwell was a key special teams player on the club's Super Bowl win following the 2013 season.
After a stop in Tennessee, Gray serves in the same role with the Vikings leading Minnesota's secondary.
Jerry Gray served as the Seahawks defensive backs coach during the 2010 season during their 7-9 campaign,
The Vikings selected Percy Harvin with the 22nd pick in 2009. In his first season in Minnesota, Harvin was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Percy Harvin was traded to Seattle during the 2013 offseason. Harvin spent the entire 2013 season and part of the 2014 season with the Seahawks.
Hauschka's first NFL stint came as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings in 2008. Hauschka spent training camp and the preseason with the Vikings before being waived during roster cuts.
After multiple stints around the NFL, Hauschka landed in Seattle in 2011. In 2013, the Pro Football Writers Association named Hauschka to their All-Pro team.
Defensive lineman Bob Lurtsema spent 5 seasons with the Vikings, helping them to two Super Bowl appearances.
Lurtsema was traded to the Seahawks in exchange for WR Ahmad Rashad and spent 2 seasons in Seattle. A welcome back ceremony was held for Lurtsema in his first game back in Minnesota.
After a long stint with the Houston Oilers, Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon joined the Vikings in 1994. Spending three seasons in Minnesota, Moon was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1994 and 1995.
After being released by the Vikings, Moon signed as a free agent with the Seahawks where he played in 1997 and 1998.
Patera coached the Vikings' Purple People Eaters for six seasons and helped lead the team to 3 Super Bowl appearances. Patera coached Hall of Famers Carl Eller and Alan Page.
Following his success with the Vikings, Patera was named the first head coach in the history of the Seattle Seahawks. Patera served as Seattle's head coach until the middle of the 1982 season.
Pro Football Hall of Fame DT John Randle played the first 11 seasons of his career with the Vikings. Randle recorded 10-plus sacks in each of his final eight seasons in Minnesota.
Following his time with the Vikings, Randle signed with the Seahawks where he spent the final 3 seasons of his career. Randle earned Pro Bowl honors in Seattle in 2001.
Rice entered the NFL with the Vikings the same year as RB Adrian Peterson in 2007. In four seasons in Minnesota, Rice hauled in 22 touchdowns.
Rice signed with the Seahawks in 2011 where he spent the final 3 seasons of his career. Rice tore his ACL in the middle of the 2013 season, the year Seattle won the Super Bowl.
Tice played for the Vikings for 3 seasons before joining the coaching staff. In 2002, Tice was named the team's head coach after being the interim for one game in 2001.
Mike Tice was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent in 1981. Tice spent 10 total seasons with the Seahawks in two stints.
Tarvaris Jackson was selected by the Vikings in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Jackson started 20 games in his 5 seasons in purple.
Following his time with the Vikings, Jackson has had two stints with Seattle. After spending the 2011 season with the Seahawks, he returned in 2013 where he played since.
Williams signed with the Seahawks prior to the 2014 season. In 2014, Williams recorded 3.0 sacks and helped guide Seattle to a Super Bowl appearance.
The Vikings selected DT Kevin Williams out of Oklahoma State in the 1st round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Williams spent 11 seasons with the Vikings and recorded 60.0 sacks.
Blair Walsh made 133 field goals in five seasons as a Minnesota Viking.
The Seahawks signed former Vikings K Blair Walsh during the 2018 offseason.
Defensive tackle Shamar Stephen was a core member of the Vikings interior defensive line for four seasons after being drafted by the team in 2014.
Former Vikings defensive tackle Shamar Stephen joined the Seahawks during the 2018 offseason as a free agent. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Defensive tackle Tom Johnson returned to the Vikings during the 2018 season after spending the offseason and a few games with the Seahawks to begin the season.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson spent one season with the Seahawks in 2017 after being trade to Seattle from the New York Jets. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Vikings defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson joined the team as a free agent during the 2018 offseason. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn, File)
The Vikings offense took the field on their own 39 following a 10-yard punt return by Marcus Sherels with 1:42 to play in the game and the Vikings trailing 10-9 with two timeouts. After an incompletion, the offense picked up a 1st down by virtue of a Kam Chancellor pass interference penalty when Kyle Rudolph burned him with a double move. On the next play, Teddy Bridgewater threaded the needle to find Rudolph in single coverage for a gain of 24 yards to the Seattle 18. Peterson carried the ball on the next three plays for a total of 9 yards, and that set the stage for Walsh's 27-yard game-winning FG try. It was a spark produced by the offense, but it was too little too late. Peterson was held to 45 yards on 23 carries by an elite run defense, Bridgewater was efficient and didn't turn the ball over but he wasn't able to create explosive plays in the passing game and the offense as a whole generated just 183 net yards.
4. Cold weather was a factor
All week, all everyone could talk about was the weather. Historically cold conditions were expected, and Mother Nature came through. At kickoff, it was six degrees below zero, making it the coldest game in Vikings history and the third-coldest game in NFL history. The weather had an impact on the game, too. A Seattle offense that averaged 32.0 points per game over the final seven games was held to just 10 on Sunday – credit goes to the Vikings defense more than the weather, but there's no question the weather made it tougher for Seattle to operate. Seattle Head Coach Pete Carroll opted to go for it on 4th and 13 in the first half when his offense was driving toward the west (open) end of the field, and the Vikings rushed on the field to get a FG attempted before time expired in the 3rd quarter and they were set to flip sides and drive toward the west.
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5. Defense, fans made it tough on Seattle offense
The Vikings defense showed up in a big way, and Vikings fans were right along for the ride. In the first half, Seattle's possessions ended like this: downs, punt, downs, punt, INT, punt. At halftime, the Vikings defense had allowed only 39 pass yards, kept Seattle to 1 of 5 (20%) on 3rd downs and didn't allow more than two 1st downs on any drive. Also, the TCF Bank Stadium crowd was consistently loud and contributed to Seattle having to use all three of its timeouts on offense. The impressive performance continued in the second half, when rookie CB Trae Waynes nabbed his first career INT, Everson Griffen and Sharrif Floyd sacked Russell Wilson on back-to-back plays and the defense continued to keep the team in the game by giving the ball back to the offense in the final moments.
