NFC Wild Card at Anaheim Stadium on Mon December 26, 1988. The Minnesota Vikings (11-5) travel to face the Los Angeles Rams (10-6) in the NFC wild-card matchup.
Jerry Burns year four as head coach. Wade Wilson at quarterback. Herschel Walker, Rick Fenney, D.J. Dozier share the backfield. Anthony Carter at receiver. The Rams start Jim Everett. Greg Bell at running back. Henry Ellard and Aaron Cox at receiver. John Robinson in year five.[1][2]
Jerry Burns' Vikings come into the wild-card matchup at 11-5 with the NFC's best secondary. Wade Wilson has thrown for 2,746 reg season yards. Herschel Walker has 361 carries for 1,514 in his first full Vikings year. Anthony Carter has 72 catches for 1,225. The Rams come in 10-6 with Jim Everett's offense producing 31 touchdowns. The Sunday wild-card matchup is the year's biggest cross-divisional game.
Wild Card weekend continues at Anaheim. The Vikings (NFC #4) visit the Rams (NFC #5). The Oilers and Browns played Saturday. The 49ers, Bears, Bengals, Bills sit on bye. The Sunday-afternoon NFC matchup is one of two wild-card games on the slate.
Through the regular season the Vikings finished 11-5 and the Rams finished 10-6. Wade Wilson 2,746 yards reg season, 15 TDs, 9 INTs. Anthony Carter 72 catches for 1,225. Herschel Walker 361 carries for 1,514. Jim Everett 3,964 yards reg season, 31 TDs, 18 INTs. Henry Ellard 86 catches for 1,414. Greg Bell 288 for 1,212.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 12-4 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 10-6 | W1 |
| Houston Oilers | 10-6 | L1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5-11 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 12-4 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 9-7 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 9-7 | L1 |
| New York Jets | 8-7-1 | W2 |
| Miami Dolphins | 6-10 | L1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Seahawks | 9-7 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 8-8 | W1 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 7-9 | L2 |
| San Diego Chargers | 6-10 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4-11-1 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Rams | 10-6 | W3 |
| New Orleans Saints | 10-6 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 10-6 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 5-11 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 12-4 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 11-5 | W1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 5-11 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 4-12 | L2 |
| Green Bay Packers | 4-12 | W2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 10-6 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10-6 | W2 |
| Phoenix Cardinals | 7-9 | L5 |
| Washington Redskins | 7-9 | L2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-13 | L1 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Alfred Anderson 7 yard rush (Chuck Nelson kick) | 0-7 |
| Vikings | Allen Rice 17 yard rush (Chuck Nelson kick) | 0-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Rams | Damone Johnson 3 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 7-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Alfred Anderson 1 yard rush (Chuck Nelson kick) | 7-21 |
| Rams | Mike Lansford 43 yard field goal | 10-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Vikings | Carl Hilton 5 yard pass from Wade Wilson (Chuck Nelson kick) | 10-28 |
| Rams | Pete Holohan 11 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) | 17-28 |
Wade Wilson threw two touchdowns to Anthony Carter, Herschel Walker ran for 124 yards and a touchdown, and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Los Angeles Rams 28-17 at Anaheim Stadium in the NFC wild-card round. Wilson finished 15 of 25 for 257 yards. Anthony Carter caught five for 121 with two touchdowns (8, 16). Rick Fenney ran in a 16-yard touchdown. Jim Everett threw for 281 with one touchdown. The Vikings improved to 12-5 and advanced to the divisional round at San Francisco.[1][2]
Wade Wilson's two-touchdown performance and Herschel Walker's 124-yard rushing day produced the Minnesota Vikings' 28-17 NFC wild-card road win over the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings advance to the divisional round at San Francisco.
Wilson finished 15 of 25 for 257 yards with the two touchdowns to Anthony Carter. Walker ran 23 for 124. Rick Fenney added a 16-yard rushing touchdown. Anthony Carter caught five for 121. Hassan Jones two for 44. The Vikings' offensive line did not give up a sack.
Jim Everett finished 21 of 33 for 281 with one touchdown to Henry Ellard and two interceptions. Greg Bell ran 18 for 60. Henry Ellard caught seven for 91. The Rams' offense produced 17 points and the kind of one-score afternoon the wild-card matchup produced.
Vikings 28, Rams 17. Margin: plus 11. NFC Wild Card.
A 28-17 NFC wild-card road win for the Minnesota Vikings over the Los Angeles Rams at Anaheim Stadium. The Vikings advance to the divisional round at San Francisco.
How it unfolded
Anthony Carter caught an 8-yard touchdown for 7-0. Greg Bell's rushing touchdown tied it 7-7. Anthony Carter caught a 16-yarder for 14-7. Rick Fenney's 16-yard rush made it 21-7. Mike Lansford's field goal cut it to 21-10. Walker's 1-yard rush made it 28-10. Henry Ellard caught a 23-yarder for the final 28-17.
The turning point
The second Anthony Carter touchdown reception in the second quarter. With the score tied 7-7, Wilson hit Carter on a corner route the Rams' single-high safety did not get to. The seven-point swing gave the Vikings the lead they did not give back.
By the numbers
Wade Wilson 15 of 25 for 257 with two touchdowns. Anthony Carter five for 121 with the two touchdowns. Walker 124 on 23. Jim Everett 21 of 33 for 281 with one touchdown.
What it means
12-5. Divisional round at San Francisco next Sunday. The Vikings face the 49ers in the year's first 49ers playoff matchup.
| Rams | Vikings | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 19 | 11 |
| Total Yards | 342 | 310 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 19/45 | 17/28 |
| Pass yards | 247 | 253 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 3 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 1 | 5 |
| Sack yards lost | 12 | 46 |
| Net pass yards | 235 | 207 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 24 | 33 |
| Rush yards | 107 | 103 |
| Rush TD | 0 | 3 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 0 | 1 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties | 10 | 6 |
| Penalty yards | 54 | 40 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAM | |||||
| Jim Everett | 19/45 | 247 | 2 | 3 | 47.2 |
| MIN | |||||
| Wade Wilson | 17/28 | 253 | 1 | 0 | 102.2 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAM | ||||
| Greg Bell | 17 | 91 | 0 | 22 |
| Jim Everett | 2 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
| Robert Delpino | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Henry Ellard | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Charles White | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| MIN | ||||
| Allen Rice | 17 | 79 | 1 | 17 |
| Alfred Anderson | 6 | 9 | 2 | 7 |
| Darrin Nelson | 3 | 9 | 0 | 7 |
| Rick Fenney | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| Wade Wilson | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAM | ||||
| Henry Ellard | 4 | 54 | 0 | 29 |
| Pete Holohan | 3 | 44 | 1 | 24 |
| Buford McGee | 4 | 34 | 0 | 19 |
| Robert Delpino | 2 | 33 | 0 | 21 |
| Flipper Anderson | 2 | 29 | 0 | 17 |
| Damone Johnson | 3 | 27 | 1 | 18 |
| Ron Brown | 1 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| MIN | ||||
| Anthony Carter | 4 | 102 | 0 | 46 |
| Jim Gustafson | 2 | 52 | 0 | 34 |
| Hassan Jones | 2 | 28 | 0 | 18 |
| Rick Fenney | 3 | 19 | 0 | 8 |
| Steve Jordan | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| Allen Rice | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Alfred Anderson | 2 | 10 | 0 | 5 |
| Darrin Nelson | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Carl Hilton | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
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