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In 1998 the Vikings drafted Marshall wide receiver Randy Moss with 21st
pick in the first round. He immediately became the NFL's most dangerous weapon. The Vikings cruised through the regular
season, posting a 15-1 record while scoring a league record 556 points (broken by the 2007 Patroits, also featuring Moss).
Carter, who made the Pro Bowl for the fifth time, caught 78 passes for 1,011 yards and 12 TDs. Led by Moss, Carter, and Miller
Lite Player of the Year Randall Cunningham, the Vikings entered the playoffs as heavy favorites to reach the Super Bowl. They
easily defeated the Arizona Cardinals 41-21 in the Divisional Round, advancing to the NFC Championship Game for the first
time since 1987.
January 17, 1999 will forever be remembered as "Black Sunday" in Minnesota. The Vikings, 13 1/2 point
favorites, led the Atlanta Falcons 27-20 with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter when Gary Anderson attempted
a 38-yard field goal. The events that ensued will torment Viking fans forever.
Anderson, who had not missed a kick
all season (35-35 FG, 59-59 PAT), pulled the kick just left. Falcons QB Chris Chandler then put together the drive of his
life, surgically leading his team down the field for the tying score. The Vikings got the ball back with less than a minute
remaining, but elected to run out the clock and head to overtime.
In the overtime session the Vikings once unstoppable
offense went cold and were unable to muster up a field goal attempt in two possessions. Atlanta took advantage and a Morten
Andersen field goal sent the Falcons to their first ever Super Bowl. The defeat was devastating for the Vikings; they
became the largest favorite to ever lose a home playoff game and squandered their best chance to reach the Super Bowl during
Green's tenure. Carter later said losing that game was the lone regret of his time in Minnesota.
The Vikings disappointment
lingered into the 1999 season. They gained a small measure of revenge against Atlanta, defeating the Falcons 17-14 in Week
1, but then lost four of their next five games. Jeff George replaced the struggling Cunningham during the season's sixth game
and led the team to an 8-2 record and a Wildcard berth. Carter had his finest individual season since 1995 - the 1st
team All Pro caught 90 balls for 1241 yards and a NFL best 13 TDs.
The Vikings easily defeated the Dallas Cowboys
27-10 in the Wildcard round and headed to St. Louis to face the NFL's new hottest offense. Minnesota led the eventual Super
Bowl champions 17-14 at the half, but a second flurry led to a 49-37 Rams route.
Carter finished the decade of
the '90s with 835 receptions - second only to Jerry Rice's 860 - and was named to the NFL's All Decade 1st team.
The Vikings released Cunningham following the 1999 season and allowed George to sign with Washington. Green
then handed the quarterback reigns to second year man Daunte Culpepper. Culpepper, the 11th pick in the 1999 draft, adapted
to the NFL quickly. The Vikings sped out to an 11-2 start before losing their final three games and limping into the playoffs.
The NFC Central Champs easily defeated the New Orleans Saints 34-16 in the divisional round and advanced to the NFC title
game for the second time in three years.
The scene: the Meadowlands; the team: the New York Giants; the line:
Vikings by 7; the final score: Giants 41 Vikings 0. It was one of the worst big game performances in sports history.
The
loss left a black mark on what had been another great season for Carter - 96 receptions, 1274 yards, 9 TD and an 8th straight Pro
Bowl. On November 30th Carter became only the second player in NFL history to reach the 1,000 reception plateau when he caught
a 4 yard touchdown pass against Detroit.
Despite of the teams' recent success, it was now apparent Carter would not
reach the Super Bowl as a Viking.
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