The Vikings clinched the NFC North division title with a win over the Colts on Saturday -- and they did it in historic fashion.
What was shaping up to be a devastating setback for Minnesota ended up being the biggest comeback in NFL history.
The Vikings rallied from a 33-point halftime deficit, scoring 36 points in the second half while limiting the visiting Colts to just a field goal.
The previous record for biggest comeback was held by the Buffalo Bills, who stormed back from a 32-point deficit behind backup quarterback Frank Reich -- who was fired as Colts head coach earlier this season -- against the Houston Oilers in a postseason game in January 1993.
On Saturday, the Vikings' epic rally was punctuated by 28 unanswered points beginning late in the third quarter. The game-tying score came with 2:15 left in the fourth quarter, on an electrifying 64-yard touchdown reception by running back Dalvin Cook on a screen pass.
That was enough to force overtime, where the Vikings kicker Greg Joseph nailed the game-winning 40-yard field goal with only two seconds remaining. The exhausted teams exchanged punts on the first two possessions of the overtime period.
The comeback nearly stalled in the fourth quarter, when an apparent Vikings fumble return for a touchdown was negated because the officials ruled the Colts ballcarrier down. The Vikings gained possession of the ball in Colts territory upon review, but they were unable to score on the drive, in part because the Vikings were assessed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty because defensive back Chandon Sullivan slammed his helmet in disappointment at the fumble ruling.
In any event, the botched call could not deter the Vikings on this day. The wild game was met with disbelief on social media, where journalists and fans were quick to register their thoughts.
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