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1995 Minnesota Vikings season
Head Coach Dennis Green
Home Field Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Results
Record 8–8
Place 4th NFC Central
Playoff Finish did not qualify
Uniform
File:1995 Minnesota Vikings uniforms.png
Timeline
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1994 1996

The 1995 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 35th in the National Football League. Under head coach Dennis Green, they finished with an 8–8 record and still had a chance to make the playoffs entering Week 17 at Cincinnati; however, victories for the Bears and the Falcons in their final games rendered the Vikings' defeat to the Bengals inconsequential, and Minnesota missed the playoffs for the first time under Green. Despite the team's poor play, rookie safety Orlando Thomas recorded a league-leading 9 interceptions of the season.

Offseason[]

Additions Subtractions
LB Jeff Brady (Buccaneers) DT Henry Thomas (Lions)
DB Donald Frank (Raiders) FS Vencie Glenn (Giants)

1995 Expansion Draft[]

Minnesota Vikings selected during the Expansion Draft
Round Overall Name Position Expansion team
11 22 Dave Garnett Linebacker Carolina Panthers
26 52 William Sims Linebacker Carolina Panthers
32 63 Eric Guliford Wide receiver Carolina Panthers

1995 Draft[]

Pro Bowler
1995 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order Player name Position College Notes
Round Selection
1 11 Derrick Alexander Defensive end Florida State from Broncos via Falcons[a]
24 Korey Stringer Offensive tackle Ohio State
2 42 Orlando Thomas Safety Louisiana-Lafayette from Broncos[b]
55 Corey Fuller Cornerback Florida State
3 89 Traded to the Houston Oilers[c]
4 111 Chad May Quarterback Kansas State from Broncos[d]
121 Traded to the Denver Broncos[d]
5 157 James Stewart Running back Miami
6 189 John Solomon Defensive end Sam Houston State from Giants[e]
196 Traded to the Denver Broncos[d]
7 232 Jose White Defensive tackle Howard
243 Jason Fisk Defensive tackle Stanford Compensatory pick
^[a] Atlanta traded their 1994 2nd round selection (40th overall – David Palmer) and 1995 1st round selection (11th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for their 1994 2nd round selection (45th overall – Bert Emanuel) and DE Chris Doleman on April 24, 1994.
^[b] Denver traded their 1994 1st round selection (18th overall – Dewayne Washington), 1994 6th round selection (179th overall – Andrew Jordan, and 1995 2nd round selection (42nd overall) to Minnesota in exchange for OT Gary Zimmerman on August 23, 1993.
^[c] Houston traded their 3rd round selection (89th overall) and 1994 4th round selection (119th overall – Michael Davis) to Minnesota for QB Warren Moon.
^[d] Minnesota traded their 4th round selection (121st overall) and 6th round selection (196th overall) to Denver to move up 10 spots to the 111th overall selection and make this pick.
^[e] The Giants traded their 6th round selection (189th overall) and 1996 5th round selection (137th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for their 1996 6th round selection (182nd overall) and Safety Vencie Glenn.

Preseason[]

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance [1]
1 August 7 at San Diego Chargers W 23-19 1-0 Jack Murphy Stadium 47,934
2 August 12 at New England Patriots L 14-21 1-1 Foxboro Stadium 56,241
3 August 18 Oakland Raiders W 20-17 2-1 Metrodome 45,306
4 August 26 Kansas City Chiefs L 13-17 2-2 Metrodome 39,349

Regular season[]

Schedule[]

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 September 3 at Chicago Bears L 14–31 0–1 Soldier Field 63,036
2 September 10 Detroit Lions W 20–10 1–1 Metrodome 52,234
3 September 17 Dallas Cowboys L 17–23 (OT) 1–2 Metrodome 60,088
4 September 24 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 44–24 2–2 Three Rivers Stadium 57,853
5 Bye
6 October 8 Houston Oilers W 23–17 (OT) 3–2 Metrodome 56,430
7 October 15 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 17–20 (OT) 3–3 Tampa Stadium 55,703
8 October 22 at Green Bay Packers L 21–38 3–4 Lambeau Field 60,332
9 October 30 Chicago Bears L 6–14 3–5 Metrodome 61,238
10 November 5 Green Bay Packers W 27–24 4–5 Metrodome 62,839
11 November 12 at Arizona Cardinals W 30–24 (OT) 5–5 Sun Devil Stadium 51,342
12 November 19 New Orleans Saints W 43–24 6–5 Metrodome 58,108
13 November 23 at Detroit Lions L 38–44 6–6 Silverdome 74,559
14 December 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 31–17 7–6 Metrodome 52,879
15 December 9 Cleveland Browns W 27–11 8–6 Metrodome 47,984
16 December 18 at San Francisco 49ers L 30–37 8–7 Candlestick Park 64,975
17 December 24 at Cincinnati Bengals L 24–27 8–8 Riverfront Stadium 34,568

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings[]

NFC Central
view · talk · edit W L T PCT PF PA
Green Bay Packers 11 5 0 .688 404 314
Detroit Lions 10 6 0 .625 436 336
Chicago Bears 9 7 0 .563 392 360
Minnesota Vikings 8 8 0 .500 412 385
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7 9 0 .438 238 335

Statistics[]

Team leaders[]

Category Player(s) Value
Passing yards Warren Moon 4,228
Passing touchdowns Warren Moon 33
Rushing yards Robert Smith 632
Rushing touchdowns Robert Smith 5
Receiving yards Cris Carter 1,371
Receiving touchdowns Cris Carter 17
Points Fuad Reveiz 122
Kickoff return yards Qadry Ismail 1,037
Punt return yards David Palmer 342
Tackles Ed McDaniel 115
Sacks John Randle 10.5
Interceptions Orlando Thomas 9
Forced fumbles Ed McDaniel 6

League rankings[]

Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 30)
Passing offense 4,205 262.8 5th
Rushing offense 1,733 108.3 16th
Total offense 5,938 371.1 4th
Passing defense 4,122 257.6 28th
Rushing defense 1,329 83.1 4th
Total defense 5,451 340.7 20th

Personnel[]

Staff[]

1995 Minnesota Vikings staff
Front Office
  • Chairman of the Board – John Skoglund
  • President/Chief Executive Officer – Roger Headrick

Head Coaches

Offensive Coaches

 

Defensive Coaches

  • Defensive Coordinator – Tony Dungy
  • Defensive Line – John Levra
  • Inside Linebackers – Foge Fazio
  • Outside Linebackers – Trent Walters
  • Defensive backs – Richard Solomon

Special Teams Coaches

Strength and Conditioning

  • Strength and Conditioning – Steve Wetzel
  • Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Mark Asanovich

[1]

Final roster[]

1995 Minnesota Vikings roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
51 Active, 2 Inactive, 2 Practice squad

Awards and records[]

  • Cris Carter, led NFL in receiving touchdowns
  • Cris Carter, All-Pro selection
  • Cris Carter, Pro Bowl selection
  • Orlando Thomas, NFL interceptions leader (9)

Milestones[]

  • Cris Carter, 100 reception season [2]
  • Warren Moon, 4th 4,000-yard passing season

References[]

  1. 2009 Minnesota Vikings Media Guide. p. 251. http://www.vikings.com/news/media-guide.html. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  2. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 440

External links[]

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1995 NFL DraftNFL PlayoffsPro BowlSuper Bowl XXX
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