Not only were the Vikings on the wrong side of the NFL’s first six-touchdown day since Gale Sayers in 1965 but the Vikings also had generally one of their worst defensive performances in team history.
The 52 points allowed by the Vikings become the first time the Vikings have surrendered 50 or more points since 1984, in a 51-7 blowout loss to the 49ers during the one-season Les Steckel debacle.
It’s also the most points allowed by the Vikings since 1963, when the Cardinals beat the Vikings 56-14 in Minnesota’s third year of existence.
The Vikings have one other 50-points-against-them game: In 1961 against the Bears, a 52-35 loss.
So, yes, today was about as bad as it’s ever been for the Minnesota defense, in a season that still had semi-plausible hope of playoff contention before the game began. Now? Not.
The showing underscores the reality that, come 2021, plenty of people in the organization will be sitting on a hot seat. Given the way things have gone since Mike Zimmer became the head coach in 2014, however, next year will culminate in a guaranteed playoff berth; the Vikings make it in the odd years, and they miss the postseason in the even years.
