Minnesota Vikings: Third coldest ever game makes NFL history

Kicker Blair Walsh shanked a 27-yard field goal in the closing seconds after holder Jeff Locke couldn’t spin the ball to get the laces out, handing the Seattle Seahawks a 10-9 victory on Sunday in their wild-card playoff round game. Adrian Peterson led league in rushing (1,485 yards) for third time in career. Wilson, who completed just eight of 16 passes for 68 yards in the first three quarters, finished the drive off by hitting Doug Baldwin for a three-yard touchdown.

At third down, Seahawks’ Jermaine Kearse catches the ball but the Vikings challenge. Wilson did the only thing he could do, which was try to make the best out of a bad situation, and managed to pick up the ball and scramble before finding Tyler Lockett for a 35-yard gain setting up first-and-goal.

Peterson’s fumble, forced by Seahawks safely Kam Chancellor and recovered by Athyba Rubin on the Vikings’ 40-yard line, led to Steven Hauscka’s 46-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter. The two teams have become unexpected rivals; this will be their sixth meeting since 2012, with Seattle winning four of the first five.

The Seattle Seahawks (10- 6) are coming from a 36-6 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

The Vikings, who are playing their final season at the University of Minnesota while their new domed stadium is being finished, are hoping the conditions will help them avoid a repeat of last month’s disaster against Seattle.

“I think we were fortunate that we got the win”, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. Walsh had connected from 22, 43 and 47 yards to account for the Vikings’ nine points. The announcement of the minus-25 degree wind-chill factor a few minutes later drew an equally loud cheer.

Another casualty of the cold is the Vikings’ famous Gjallarhorn, which they use to announce the arrival of the team onto the field.

Running back Christine Michael, who stepped in for Marshawn Lynch, picked up 71 yards on the ground.

Forecasts call for high temperature near zero degrees, and that doesn’t include wind chill. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) runs the ball against Minnesota Vikings strong safety Andrew Sendejo (34) during the first half of an NFL wild-card football game, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, in Minneapolis.