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1961 Minnesota Vikings

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Record: 3-11-0, Finished 7th in NFL West Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 285 points (20.4/g), 9th of 14 in the NFL.
 Allowed 407 points (29.1/g), 14th.
 Differential of -122 points (-8.7/g), 12th.
 Expected W-L: 4.2-9.8.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +1 (0.1/g), 6th.

Coached by Norm Van Brocklin (3-11-0)

1961 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees

Team Games & Schedule

Glossary · CSV · PRE
Score Offense Defense
Week Date Rec Opp Tm Opp 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO
1 Sun September 17 box W 1-0 Chicago Bears 37 13 17 336 257 79 1 20 270 136 134 5
2 Sun September 24 box L 1-1 @ Dallas Cowboys 7 21 16 251 126 125 3 22 437 229 208 3
3 Sun October 1 box L 1-2 @ Baltimore Colts 33 34 21 261 137 124 16 366 284 82 5
4 Sun October 8 box L 1-3 Dallas Cowboys 0 28 14 183 100 83 5 18 297 180 117
5 Sun October 15 box L 1-4 San Francisco 49ers 24 38 12 202 84 118 1 31 555 231 324 8
6 Sun October 22 box L 1-5 Green Bay Packers 7 33 18 328 179 149 7 22 467 226 241 1
7 Sun October 29 box L 1-6 @ Green Bay Packers 10 28 13 263 121 142 2 24 467 310 157 3
8 Sun November 5 box L 1-7 @ Los Angeles Rams 17 31 21 399 146 253 5 23 392 97 295 1
9 Sun November 12 box W 2-7 Baltimore Colts 28 20 19 275 116 159 1 21 354 138 216 2
10 Sun November 19 box L 2-8 Detroit Lions 10 37 8 126 57 69 3 20 351 179 172 3
11 Sun November 26 box L 2-9 @ San Francisco 49ers 28 38 20 364 243 121 3 21 442 246 196 1
12 Sun December 3 box W 3-9 Los Angeles Rams 42 21 27 441 231 210 4 13 348 148 200 5
13 Sun December 10 box L 3-10 @ Detroit Lions 7 13 18 251 135 116 6 15 295 175 120 4
14 Sun December 17 box L 3-11 @ Chicago Bears 35 52 12 206 57 149 3 25 552 347 205 4

Team Stats and Rankings

Glossary · CSV · PRE
Passing Rushing
Pts Yds Ply Y/P 1stD Cmp Att Yds TD Int NY/A 1stD Att Yds TD Y/A 1stD TO FL 1stPy
Team Offense 285 3886 863 4.5 236 203 377 1989 22 22 4.5 123 419 1897 14 4.5 104 44 22 9
Team Defense 407 5593 874 6.4 435 194 365 2926 21 22 7.7 132 493 2667 29 5.4 291 45 23 12
Lg Rank Offense 9 12 10 8 13 6 5 14 9 6 8 6 12 13
Lg Rank Defense 14 14 14 5 13 8 10 14 13 14 14 14 3 1

Passing

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Age Pos G GS Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TD TD% Int Int% Lng Y/A AY/A Y/C Y/G Rate Sk Yds NY/A ANY/A Sk%
Fran Tarkenton 21 QB 14 10 157 280 56.1 1997 18 6.4 17 6.1 71 7.1 5.0 12.7 142.6 74.7
George Shaw 28 8 4 46 91 50.5 530 4 4.4 4 4.4 42 5.8 4.3 11.5 66.3 64.8
Jerry Reichow* 27 WR 14 10 0 3 0.0 0 0 0.0 1 33.3 0 0.0 -15.0 0.0 0.0
Jamie Caleb 25 10 0 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39.6
Tommy Mason 22 RET 13 0 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 9 0.0 0.0 0.0 39.6
Hugh McElhenny* 33 HB 13 13 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39.6
Team Total 25.9 14 203 377 53.8 2527 22 5.8 22 5.8 71 6.7 4.7 12.4 180.5 70.0
Opp Total 14 194 365 53.2 2926 21 5.8 22 6.0 8.0 5.9 15.1 209.0 73.8 16 125 7.7 5.3

Rushing & Receiving

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Rushing Receiving
Age Pos G GS Att Yds TD Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Rec Yds Y/R TD Lng R/G Y/G YScm RRTD Fmb
Hugh McElhenny* 33 HB 13 13 120 570 3 41 4.8 43.8 9.2 37 283 7.6 3 26 2.8 21.8 853 6 8
Mel Triplett 30 FB 14 8 80 407 1 37 5.1 29.1 5.7 10 41 4.1 0 15 0.7 2.9 448 1 4
Ray Hayes 26 13 0 73 319 2 22 4.4 24.5 5.6 16 121 7.6 0 22 1.2 9.3 440 2 5
Tommy Mason 22 RET 13 0 60 226 3 21 3.8 17.4 4.6 20 122 6.1 0 18 1.5 9.4 348 3 7
Fran Tarkenton 21 QB 14 10 56 308 5 52 5.5 22.0 4.0 308 5 8
Doug Mayberry 24 4 0 13 40 0 13 3.1 10.0 3.3 2 18 9.0 0 13 0.5 4.5 58 0 0
George Shaw 28 8 4 10 39 0 19 3.9 4.9 1.3 39 0 1
Jerry Reichow* 27 WR 14 10 3 9 0 21 3.0 0.6 0.2 50 859 17.2 11 51 3.6 61.4 868 11 0
Jamie Caleb 25 10 0 3 11 0 4 3.7 1.1 0.3 2 -8 -4.0 0 5 0.2 -0.8 3 0 0
Mike Mercer 26 P 14 0 1 -32 0 -32 -32.0 -2.3 0.1 -32 0 0
Dave Middleton 28 WR 12 11 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 30 444 14.8 2 57 2.5 37.0 444 2 0
A.D. Williams 28 13 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 13 174 13.4 1 49 1.0 13.4 174 1 0
Gordie Smith 22 TE 9 8 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 12 320 26.7 4 71 1.3 35.6 320 4 1
Bob Schnelker 33 6 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 6 70 11.7 1 20 1.0 11.7 70 1 0
Dick Haley 24 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 3 43 14.3 0 22 0.8 10.8 43 0 1
Will Sherman 34 8 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 2 40 20.0 0 32 0.3 5.0 40 0 0
Team Total 25.9 14 419 1897 14 52 4.5 135.5 29.9 203 2527 12.4 22 71 14.5 180.5 4424 36 36
Opp Total 14 493 2667 29 5.4 190.5 35.2 194 2926 15.1 21 13.9 209.0 5593 50 31

Kick & Punt Returns

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Punt Returns Kick Returns
Age Pos G GS Ret Yds TD Lng Y/R Rt Yds TD Lng Y/Rt APYd
Tommy Mason 22 RET 13 0 14 146 0 23 10.4 25 603 0 42 24.1 1097
Jamie Caleb 25 10 0 1 8 0 8 8.0 22 504 0 38 22.9 515
Hugh McElhenny* 33 HB 13 13 8 155 1 81 19.4 2 59 0 35 29.5 1067
Justin Rowland 24 5 0 8 175 0 30 21.9 175
Dick Pesonen 23 RCB 11 11 6 136 0 60 22.7 136
Jim Leo 24 14 0 3 9 0 9 3.0 9
Mel Triplett 30 FB 14 8 3 41 0 18 13.7 489
Billy Gault 25 4 0 2 41 0 21 20.5 41
Ray Hayes 26 13 0 1 0 0 0 0.0 440
Team Total 25.9 14 23 309 1 81 13.4 72 1568 0 60 21.8 6301
Opp Total 14 23 0 51 1148 0 22.5

Kicking & Punting

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
0--19 20--29 30--39 40--49 50+ Tot PAT Punting
Age Pos G GS FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FG% XPA XPM XP% Pnt Yds Lng Blck Y/P
Mike Mercer 26 P 14 0 6 4 5 4 5 1 5 21 9 42.9% 37 36 97.3% 63 2458 59 2 39.0
Team Total 25.9 14 6 4 5 4 5 1 5 21 9 42.9% 37 36 97.3% 63 2458 59 2 39.0
Opp Total 14 26 15 57.7% 52 50 96.2% 46 1904 41.4

Defense & Fumbles

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Def Interceptions Fumbles Tackles
Age Pos G GS Sk Int Yds TD Lng PD FF Fmb FR Yds TD Tkl Ast Sfty
Grady Alderman 23 LT 14 14 0 3 15 0
Ed Culpepper 27 RDT 14 14 0 2 0 0
Dean Derby 26 8 0 3 73 0 30 0 2 0 0
Dick Grecni 23 12 0 1 16 0 16
Dick Haley 24 4 0 1 1 0 0
Rip Hawkins 22 MLB 14 13 5 70 0 34
Ray Hayes 26 13 0 5 0 0 0
Jerry Huth 28 LG 14 14 0 1 0 0
Jim Marshall 24 LDE 14 14 0 4 0 0
Tommy Mason 22 RET 13 0 7 2 0 0
Hugh McElhenny* 33 HB 13 13 8 2 2 0
Dave Middleton 28 WR 12 11 0 1 0 0
Jack Morris 30 LCB 14 14 2 90 0 65 0 2 0 0
Rich Mostardo 23 LS 11 9 2 22 0 21 0 3 18 0
Fred Murphy 23 13 0 0 2 0 0
Clancy Osborne 27 LLB 14 11 4 35 0 10 0 2 0 0
Dick Pesonen 23 RCB 11 11 1 28 0 28 1 0 0 0
Ken Petersen 22 12 0 0 1 0 0
Jim Prestel 24 LDT 14 14 0 1 0 0
Justin Rowland 24 5 0 1 4 0 4
Karl Rubke 26 RLB 13 13 1 12 0 12
Bob Schnelker 33 6 0 0 1 0 0
George Shaw 28 8 4 1 0 0 0
Gordie Smith 22 TE 9 8 1 0 0 0
Charlie Sumner 31 RS 13 12 2 6 0 6 0 3 2 0
Fran Tarkenton 21 QB 14 10 8 5 0 0
Mel Triplett 30 FB 14 8 4 0 0 0
Team Total 25.9 14 22 356 0 65 36 38 37 0
Opp Total 14 67 31 8

Scoring Summary

Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE
Age Pos G GS RshTD RecTD PR TD KR TD FblTD IntTD OthTD 2PM XPM FGM Sfty Pts
Jerry Reichow* 27 WR 14 10 11 66
Mike Mercer 26 P 14 0 36 9 63
Hugh McElhenny* 33 HB 13 13 3 3 1 42
Fran Tarkenton 21 QB 14 10 5 30
Gordie Smith 22 TE 9 8 4 24
Tommy Mason 22 RET 13 0 3 18
Ray Hayes 26 13 0 2 12
Dave Middleton 28 WR 12 11 2 12
Bob Schnelker 33 6 0 1 6
Mel Triplett 30 FB 14 8 1 6
A.D. Williams 28 13 0 1 6
Team Total 25.9 14 14 22 1 36 9 285
Opp Total 14 29 21 50 15 407