25 Greatest NFL Teams of All-Time

25. 1998 Minnesota Vikings

Season Results: 15-1, Lost in NFC Championship 

Throughout the storied history of the NFL, some of the best teams to ever take the field have seen their season end in defeat. One of those teams is the 1998 Minnesota Vikings. En route to a 15-1 regular season, the Vikings averaged 34.8 PPG and held their opponents to 18.5 PPG — the sixth-best mark. Minnesota’s passing offense was historic. Randall Cunningham earned All-Pro honors after passing for 3,704 yards and 34 TDs. His top two targets were future Hall of Famers Cris Carter (78 receptions, 1,011 yards, 12 TD) and then-rookie Randy Moss (69/1,313/17). Defensively, the Vikings featured Hall of Fame defensive end John Randle (10.5 sacks).

Minnesota’s lone defeat in the regular season came by three points — 27-24, Tampa Bay. In the postseason, the Vikings destroyed Arizona 41-21 in the Divisional Round to set up a showdown with the 14-2 Atlanta Falcons. The favored Vikings held a 27-17 lead in the fourth quarter…but ultimately squandered the lead and fell in overtime.

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