The most intriguing stat of the week came from Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, who pointed out that no current members of the Vikings team were alive the last time Minnesota beat the Steelers at home.
It happened on September 21, 1986. Under Jerry Burns, the Vikings beat Chuck Noll and the Steelers, 31-7.
They’ve met only once in Minnesota since then, in 2005. Their 2013 game set for Minneapolis was played in London, where the Vikings won, 34-27.
The two teams currently are tied at 9-9, including their matchup in Super Bowl IX. The Steelers won the game played at Tulane Stadium, 16-6.
It was the first of six Super Bowl victories for Pittsburgh. The Vikings are still waiting for their first.
The history of the series takes a clear back seat to the current playoff hopes for both teams. The winner remains alive. The loser will have a very hard time making it to the 14-team field.