MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — With the Minnesota Vikings huddled in their humble locker room at halftime in a huge hole, cornerback Patrick Peterson set the tone for a historic breakout by promising his offensive teammates that the defense would do its part to keep the Indianapolis Colts.
“You only need five touchdowns,” Peterson told them. “This is nothing.”
This rally was something, though.
The Vikings completed the greatest comeback in NFL history, erasing a 33-point deficit to beat the Colts 39-36 on Greg Joseph’s 40-yard field goal with three seconds left in overtime on Saturday to win the NFC North division in typical dramatic fashion.
Click the video box on this page to watch the post-match press conference with Kevin O’Connell and Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins passed for 460 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Vikings (11-3), who trailed 36-7 late in the third quarter and became just the third team in league history to win 10 games in a season for eight points or less. .
Minnesota Vikings place kicker Greg Joseph (1) celebrates after kicking a 40-yard field goal during overtime in an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis . The Vikings won 39-36 (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Abbie Parr
Fans cheer during overtime in an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 39-36. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Abbie Parr
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore (5) during the second half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Andy Clayton-King
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Ryan sits on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Abbie Parr
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“We’re going to grind it out until they tell us there’s no more ball to play,” coach Kevin O’Connell said.
The Colts (4-9-1) landed on the infamous side of that list, just ahead of the Houston Oilers in the 1992 postseason. They blew a 32-point lead (35-3) and lost to Buffalo (41 -38) in overtime.
“When you have opportunities to put people away, we’ve got to do a better job than we’ve done so far,” quarterback Matt Ryan said.
According to Sportradar data available since 1930, the Vikings became only the second team in 1,551 regular season or playoff games to concede by 30 or more points and still win.
RELATED: Vikings postgame locker room interviews after historic rally against Indianapolis
“Nothing baffles us. We showed it in Buffalo,” said Peterson, who rallied from a 17-point deficit in a 33-30 overtime victory over the Bills on Nov. 13. “We showed it again today.”
The Vikings carried that rally into their second possession of overtime. Cousins hit KJ Osborn, who got the first score and had a game-high 157 yards, for 15 yards. He found Adam Thielen, who had the second of three fourth-quarter touchdown passes, for 21 yards. He then threw to Justin Jefferson for 13 yards to move into range.
Ifeadi Odenigbo was called for delay of game for lying on Jefferson to try to prevent the Vikings from setting up for the kick, putting Joseph 5 yards closer to the winner.
“It’s a special group, a lot of fighters,” Thielen said.
Colts interim coach Jeff Saturday didn’t exactly go conservative in this collapse. Ryan was stopped short on a fourth-and-1 at the Minnesota 36 with 2:19 left in regulation. Cousins then hit Dalvin Cook for a 64-yard touchdown on a screen pass on the next play and TJ Hockenson for the 2-point conversion to tie the game before the 2-minute mark.
“We would have closed the game and finished the game,” he said Saturday. “I’m in. Everyone’s in. We didn’t convert.”
Outscored 33-0 in the fourth quarter of their most recent game, a 54-19 loss to Dallas on Dec. 4, the Colts came back fresh from their bye week and stunned the Vikings by 33 -0 at half time which was the second. -the biggest in the NFL this season. Cincinnati topped Carolina 35-0 on November 6th.
Minnesota’s halftime deficit was the second-largest in franchise history, behind a 45-10 rout of Seattle in 2002.
The Vikings even overcame a pair of punt returns for touchdowns by Chandon Sullivan that were erased at the whistle.
“I know there are other games that don’t end like this. It was great to see everyone fight and I’m glad I got to share this moment with my teammates,” said linebacker Eric Kendricks, wiping away tears.
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The last team to overcome a deficit of more than 24 points to win a regular season game was Washington over Tampa Bay in 2015, when Cousins was the quarterback. The previous regular-season comeback record was 28 points in 1980, when San Francisco rallied from 35-7 to win 38-35.
ALARMING START
The special teams units bore the brunt of the Vikings’ brutal start. Dallis Flowers returned the opening kickoff 49 yards, and the Colts were in scoring position within seconds.
Odenigbo beat two blockers and deflected Ryan Wright’s punt with his right arm. JoJo Domann scooped up the deflected ball and returned it 24 yards for the all-too-easy score and a 10-0 lead.
Then, with the Vikings trailing 20-0 in the fourth and 1 from their own 31, Wright’s punt pass sailed over Jalen Nailor’s head for a second straight on downs.
JEFFERSON CLOCK
Jefferson left the game twice for a brief examination after knocks to the chest. In the second appearance, Stephon Gilmore also masked him and drew an unnecessary roughness penalty in the fourth quarter.
Both times after Jefferson left the game, Cousins threw to Jalen Reagor on the next play and was intercepted after an apparent miscommunication on the routes. The first was returned by Julian Blackmon for a 17-yard touchdown that made it 30-0 in the second quarter.
Jefferson had 12 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown and increased his season total to 1,623 receiving yards. Calvin Johnson’s all-time rushing record of 1,964 yards was set in 16 games in 2012.
INJURY REPORT
Colts: RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle) left the game in the first start after a rough tackle when he fell out of bounds. He missed three games with the injury earlier this season.
Vikings: LT Christian Darrisaw returned from a three-game absence with a concussion. He limped off twice in overtime with leg cramps. Peterson left briefly with the same problem.
UNTIL THE NEXT
Colts: Host the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 26.
Vikings: Host the New York Giants on Dec. 24.
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