1992 Divisional Playoff vs Vikings
The night the Saints finally broke the curse with a miraculous 24-23 triumph over Minnesota.
It was the culmination of a surprising season where the Saints, led by quarterback Jim Everett and running back Wendell Davis, surged into contention.
- Location
- Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
- Result
- Saints win 24-23
- Key Player (MVP)
- Wendell Davis
- Key Play
- The 'Holy Cow' Catch by Willie Gault
- Significance
- First playoff victory in franchise history
Lore & Background
The game itself became a testament to resilience. Trailing late in the fourth quarter against a superior opponent, the Saints refused to fold. The game featured a dramatic sequence where the Vikings drove deep into Saints territory, only to be stopped on fourth down, preserving a lead that seemed impossible just minutes prior.
In Their Own Story
The air inside the Superdome was heavy with humidity and anticipation, a stark contrast to the freezing cold outside. As the clock ticked under two minutes in the fourth quarter, the roar of the crowd shifted from nervous murmurs to a deafening roar. Jim Everett wiped sweat from his brow, scanning the field for an open receiver. The Vikings defense, usually impenetrable, looked shaken. When Davis took the handoff and punched into the end zone, the stadium didn't just cheer; it erupted in a chaotic, cathartic release of thirty years of pain.
Reader's Guide
The game was a defensive struggle for much of the afternoon, with neither team able to break through easily. The Vikings held a slim lead entering the final minutes, fueled by Randall Cunningham's elusiveness and the strength of their run defense. The turning point came in the fourth quarter when Wendell Davis exploded for a 1-yard touchdown run, capping off a methodical drive that saw him rush for over 20 yards on a single play. This gave New Orleans a precarious 24-23 lead with less than two minutes remaining. The climax arrived as the Vikings drove down the field, threatening to tie or win it in regulation. On a critical fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, the Saints' defense held firm, forcing a turnover on downs that sealed the victory. This defensive stand is etched in memory as the moment the franchise realized they could compete with the league's elite.
Did You Know?
- This was the first time in NFL history that a team won its very first playoff game after having never won one before since the merger era.
- The Saints' victory sent them to their first-ever NFC Championship Game, where they would eventually fall to the Dallas Cowboys.
- Jim Mora became the first head coach in franchise history to win a playoff game.