A look back at Vikings' surprise seasons

The Vikings open their 55th season on Monday night in San Francisco. The optimism is rampant among the Purple zealots, and they will be surprised if this is not a playoff team.

I went through the previous 54 seasons and came up with 11 that turned into a large surprise. Those seasons are rated here by surprise factor, bottom to top:

11. 1965 (7-7). Big expectations weren't met after ascent to 8-5-1 in 1964. Only later would public learn quarterback (Fran Tarkenton) and coach (Norm Van Brocklin) loathed one another.

10. 2005 (9-7). Daunte Culpepper was coming off fantastic season and ready to take charge. Not really, as it turned out. Coach Mike Tice was fired at season's end.

9. 1992 (11-5). Dennis Green came in as new coach. Expectations were modest. Despite quarterback flux (Rich Gannon and Sean Salisbury), Vikes won NFC Central.

8. 2012 (10-6). Adrian Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards and Vikes went from 3-13 to the playoffs.

7. 2001 (5-11). Carolina's Steve Smith returned season's opening kickoff for a touchdown and the tone was set. Green was fired with a game left.

5. 1998 (15-1). We anticipated that rookie Randy Moss would make 'em more explosive. No idea he was going to make 'em better than Brett Favre and the Packers.

4. 2009 (12-4). Favre arrived here and created a season that was more fun than the State Fair … until his final pass.

3. 2010 (6-10). Favre was as bad in his second season as he was great in his first. Moss' short-lived return was a disaster. Brad Childress was fired in midseason. Oh, and the Metrodome roof collapsed.

2. 1969 (12-2).a Bud Grant. Joe Kapp. Purple People Eaters. "40 for 60.'' If you saw complete conference domination coming, you were smarter than most of us.