Continuing our occasional series of "box scores that time forgot," we take you back 23 years to a time when the Vikings absolutely could not score a touchdown. Nov. 5, 1989: Vikings 23, Rams 21 (OT). There were so many remarkable things about this game. Here are a few: *The Vikings won the game in overtime when Mike Merriweather blocked a punt out of the end zone. We remember watching this game. We were barely 13 years old, but we knew this was really weird.
*You might think that when teams enter overtime tied 21-21, it was because they each scored three touchdowns. You are wrong. The Rams went that route. The Vikings, on the other hand, relied on SEVEN field goals from Rich Karlis to get their points. Five of the field goals were from inside of 30 yards. A 40-yarder helped force overtime.
*Karlis was a barefoot kicker, in case you forgot. Best as we can tell, despite that picture, his helmet was not made of hair.
*Also, lest you forget, it was after this game that then-head coach Jerry Burns went on a profanity-laced tirade over fans booing then-offensive coordinator Bob Schnelker. Here is a cleaned-up YouTube video of things. Here is an LA Times story, which ends like this:
When he finally stopped yelling, someone asked him if his team had indeed just won a game. "I think we did, yeah," Burns said, softly.
*The Vikings' leading rusher in the game? Herschel Walker! 24 carries, 76 yards. It was probably all Schnelker's fault.
