1978 Minnesota Vikings season
| 1978 Minnesota Vikings season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Bud Grant |
| General manager | Mike Lynn |
| Home field | Metropolitan Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–7–1 |
| Division place | 1st NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Rams) 10–34 |
The 1978 Minnesota Vikings season was the team's 18th in the National Football League. The Vikings finished with a record of eight wins, seven losses, and one tie, and finished in first place in the NFC Central division, despite being outscored by twelve points in the regular season.
In 2004, Football Outsiders named the 1978 Vikings as one of the "worst playoff teams ever":
"A 10–10 tie against the Packers on Thanksgiving weekend helped the Vikings clinch the division. The Vikings won the first meeting between the two teams, but the Packers would eventually have a better division record (the Vikings had lost to the 5–11 Buccaneers early in the year). A win might have given the Packers the division. Green Bay led 10–3 with under two minutes to play, but Fran Tarkenton led a 57-yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown pass to Ahmad Rashad to force overtime. Both teams missed field goals in overtime, and the Vikings emerged with a better head-to-head record.
The Vikings were 7–5–1 after that game and looked like a legitimate playoff team, but after a tight win against the Eagles, the team lost their final two games, including a 45–14 blowout at the hands of the Lions. The weak finish foreshadowed a quick exit from the postseason. The Rams beat the Vikings in the opening round of the playoffs 34–10, outgaining Bud Grant's team 409–244.
Roster from Minnesota Vikings Media Guide 1978
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