1995_Minnesota_Vikings_season Knowpia

1995 Minnesota Vikings season
1995 Minnesota Vikings season
Head coach	Dennis Green
Home field	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Results
Record	8–8
Division place	4th NFC Central
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Uniform
	← 1994; Vikings seasons; 1996 →;

The 1995 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 35th in the National Football League (NFL). Under head coach Dennis Green, they finished with an 8–8 record and still had a chance to make the playoffs entering Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals; however, victories by the Chicago Bears and the Atlanta Falcons in their final games rendered the Vikings' defeat to the Bengals inconsequential, and Minnesota missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1991 season. Despite the team's poor play, rookie safety Orlando Thomas recorded a league-leading 9 interceptions of the season.

Offseason edit

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

1995 Expansion Draft edit

Minnesota Vikings selected during the Expansion Draft
Round	Selection	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 edit

	Pro Bowler

1995 Minnesota Vikings Draft
Draft order		Player name	Position	College	Notes
Round	Selection	Player name	Position	College	Notes
1	11	Derrick Alexander	Defensive end	Florida State	from Broncos via Falcons^[a]
1	24	Korey Stringer	Offensive tackle	Ohio State
2	42	Orlando Thomas	Safety	Louisiana-Lafayette	from Broncos^[b]
2	55	Corey Fuller	Cornerback	Florida State
3	89	Traded to the Houston Oilers^[c]
4	111	Chad May	Quarterback	Kansas State	from Broncos^[d]
4	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]
6	196	Traded to the Denver Broncos^[d]
7	232	Jose White	Defensive tackle	Howard
7	243	Jason Fisk	Defensive tackle	Stanford	Compensatory pick

^{^[a]} The Vikings traded a 1994 second-round selection (45th overall) and DE Chris Doleman to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the Falcons' 1994 second-round selection (40th overall) and a 1995 first-round selection (11th overall) on April 24, 1994.^{[citation needed]}

^{^[b]} The Vikings traded OT Gary Zimmerman to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the Broncos' 1994 first-round selection (18th overall), 1994 sixth-round selection (179th overall) and 1995 second-round selection (42nd overall) on August 23, 1993.^{[citation needed]}

^{^[c]} The Vikings traded QB Warren Moon to the Houston Oilers in exchange for the Oilers' third-round selection (89th overall) and 1994 fourth-round selection (119th overall).^{[citation needed]}

^{^[d]} The Vikings traded a fourth-round selection (121st overall) and a sixth-round selection (196th overall) to the Denver Broncos in exchange for the Broncos' fourth-round selection (111th overall).^{[citation needed]}

^{^[e]} The Vikings traded a 1996 sixth-round selection (182nd overall) and S Vencie Glenn to the New York Giants in exchange for the Giants' sixth-round selection (189th overall) and a 1996 fifth-round selection (137th overall).^{[citation needed]}

Staff edit

**1995 Minnesota Vikings staff**
	Front office Chairman of the board – John Skoglund President/chief executive officer – Roger Headrick Head coaches Head coach – Dennis Green Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Brian Billick Quarterbacks – Ray Sherman Running backs – Carl Hargrave Receivers – Chip Myers Tight ends/assistant offensive line – Chris Foerster Offensive line – Keith Rowen			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 Special teams – Gary Zauner Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Steve Wetzel Assistant strength and conditioning – Mark Asanovich

^[1]

Roster edit

**1995 Minnesota Vikings final roster**

	Quarterbacks 14 Brad Johnson 5 Chad May 1 Warren Moon Running backs 29 Chuck Evans FB 31 Scottie Graham 32 Amp Lee 30 Bobby Phillips 26 Robert Smith 28 James Stewart Wide receivers 80 Cris Carter 82 Qadry Ismail KR 22 David Palmer KR/PR 86 Jake Reed 81 Chris Walsh Tight ends 87 Adrian Cooper 85 Greg DeLong 89 Andrew Jordan 83 Mike Tice		Offensive linemen 63 Keith Alex G 62 Jeff Christy C 67 Rick Cunningham T 71 David Dixon G 66 John Gerak G 61 Everett Lindsay G/C 64 Randall McDaniel G 73 Todd Steussie T 77 Korey Stringer T Defensive linemen 90 Derrick Alexander DE 92 Roy Barker DE 72 Jason Fisk DT 99 James Harris DE 91 Martin Harrison DE 93 John Randle DT 95 Fernando Smith DE 98 Esera Tuaolo DT		Linebackers 53 Tuineau Alipate MLB/OLB 56 Pete Bercich OLB 50 Jeff Brady MLB 52 Richard Brown MLB 55 Jack Del Rio MLB 58 Ed McDaniel OLB 51 Broderick Thomas OLB Defensive backs 42 Harlon Barnett SS 37 Donald Frank CB 27 Corey Fuller CB 24 Robert Griffith FS 25 Alfred Jackson CB 21 Charles Mincy FS/SS 43 Orlando Thomas FS 20 Dewayne Washington CB Special teams 68 Mike Morris LS 7 Fuad Reveiz K 4 Mike Saxon P		Reserve lists 78 Chris Hinton T (IRTooltip Injured reserve) 96 Keith Washington DE (IRTooltip Injured reserve) Practice squad 23 Shelly Hammonds CB -- Mike Jerich T -- Earl Mackey LB -- Moses Ware WR -- Jose White DT Rookies in italics 53 active, 2 inactive, 5 practice squad

Preseason edit

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance^[2]
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	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	45,306
4	August 26	Kansas City Chiefs	L 13–17	2–2	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	39,349

Regular season edit

Schedule edit

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	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	52,234
3	September 17	Dallas Cowboys	L 17–23 (OT)	1–2	Hubert H. Humphrey 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	Hubert H. Humphrey 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	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	61,238
10	November 5	Green Bay Packers	W 27–24	4–5	Hubert H. Humphrey 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	Hubert H. Humphrey 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	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	52,879
15	December 9	Cleveland Browns	W 27–11	8–6	Hubert H. Humphrey 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 edit

NFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
⁽³⁾ Green Bay Packers	11	5	0	.688	404	314	W2
⁽⁵⁾ Detroit Lions	10	6	0	.625	436	336	W7
Chicago Bears	9	7	0	.563	392	360	W2
Minnesota Vikings	8	8	0	.500	412	385	L2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	7	9	0	.438	238	335	L2

Statistics edit

Team leaders edit

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 edit

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

Awards and records edit

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

Milestones edit

Cris Carter, 100 reception season ^[3]
Warren Moon, 4th 4,000-yard passing season

References edit

^ 2009 Minnesota Vikings Media Guide. p. 251. Archived from the original on December 24, 2010. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
^ "1995 Minnesota Vikings (NFL) - Pro Football Archives".
^ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 440