NFL: 25 Most Disappointing 1 Seeds In NFL Playoff History

25 Most Disappointing 1 Seeds In NFL Playoff History: 11. 1975 Minnesota Vikings

The 1970s Minnesota Vikings were one of the dominant teams in the regular season, but they lost the big game over and over again. They made it to the Super Bowl three times in the decade, and they lost it each and every time. They won the Central Division eight times in the 10 years of the decade. In 1975, they were the top team in the NFC, and many thought they were going to make the Super Bowl again.

Fran Tarkenton had his best season under center in 1975. He won the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, among other awards. He was a completion machine, hitting on 64% of his passes. It was a lot of short routes, finishing with just under 3,000 yards, but that was the style back in the 70s.

The Vikings ended up winning 12 games in the 14-game season. They started the season 10-0, but they went 2-2 down the stretch. It helped they played nobody all season long. Only one team they faced had a winning record. This dominant Vikings team was given a gift from the scheduling gods, but it might have hurt them more than helped them come playoff time.

The Vikings ended up facing the Dallas Cowboys in their first game. None of the game mattered except for the very last play. Roger Staubach was known for a career full of comebacks, but nothing was quite like the ‘Hail Mary’. You know how we call heaves towards the endzone Hail Marys now? That’s because of this pass. Staubach threw the ball 50 yards to Drew Pearson who caught it in the endzone with just a few seconds left in the game. The Cowboys took a three-point lead, and the Vikings were shocked. Their season was over, and they needed to re-evaluate what to do next.