2015 Minnesota Vikings

The 2015 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 55th season in the National Football League and their second under head coach Mike Zimmer. It marked the last season in which the Vikings played their home games at the University of Minnesota's on-campus TCF Bank Stadium, before moving into U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in July 2016, located on the site of the now-demolished Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Vikings improved on their 7–9 record from 2014 and clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2012. They also won their first NFC North title since 2009 with a Week 17 victory at the Packers. As a result, they hosted the Seattle Seahawks in the wild card round of the 2015–16 NFL playoffs, but lost 10–9 after kicker Blair Walsh missed a potential game-winning, 27-yard field goal in the final seconds.

Roster changes
Draft trades

Schedule
On February 11, 2015, the NFL announced that the Vikings would play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The game was played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Sunday, August 9. The remainder of the Vikings' preliminary preseason schedule was announced on April 9. The Vikings first hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders before road games against the Dallas Cowboys and the Tennessee Titans, making this the third consecutive year in which the Vikings face the Titans in the preseason.

Schedule
The Vikings' 2015 schedule was announced on April 21.

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers
The Vikings opened their 2015 season on the road against the San Francisco 49ers. Despite allowing San Francisco to start with the ball, the Vikings made a positive start, as Andrew Sendejo blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt from Phil Dawson, which Marcus Sherels returned 44 yards to the San Francisco 26-yard line. Minnesota QB Teddy Bridgewater was unable to complete a single pass on the next drive, forcing Blair Walsh to attempt a 44-yard field goal; however, he pushed it wide right. After forcing the 49ers to punt on the next series, the Vikings were themselves forced to punt immediately afterwards, only for the 49ers' rookie former rugby league star Jarryd Hayne to muff the catch, allowing the Vikings to recover the ball. The next drive saw the Vikings attempt to convert on 4th-and-3, but Bridgewater's completed pass to tight end Kyle Rudolph fell a yard short of a fresh set of downs.

Both sides exchanged punts at the start of the second quarter, with the 49ers eventually returning one 85 yards for a touchdown, only for it to be called back for an illegal block by a San Francisco player. However, the ensuing possession would end with a 49ers touchdown, as they drove 93 yards in just under 5 minutes, before Carlos Hyde finished the series with a 10-yard touchdown run; after finding nowhere to go on his initial run to the right, he beat a Minnesota defender with a spin move and ran back to the left side of the field, where quarterback Colin Kaepernick led him into the end zone. With the Vikings unable to score in the remaining 47 seconds, the first half ended 7–0 to San Francisco.

Minnesota started the third quarter with the ball, but they were unable to make it out of their half before being forced to punt. The 49ers then extended their lead on the ensuing possession, driving 73 yards to the Minnesota 11-yard line to set up a 30-yard field goal attempt for Dawson. The Vikings finally got on the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter, as Walsh finished off a 66-yard drive with a 37-yard field goal, but the 49ers pulled further ahead with a second touchdown for Hyde on a 17-yard run. Bridgewater attempted to spark the Vikings back into the game, but a deep pass intended for Rudolph was intercepted by Tramaine Brock, setting up a 25-yard field goal for Dawson. The next drive saw the Vikings go for it again on 4th-and-8, but Bridgewater was sacked for a loss of 14 yards, allowing the 49ers to kneel out the game.

Week 2: vs. Detroit Lions
Adrian Peterson would rush for 134 yards on 29 carries and also had 2 receptions for 58 yards as the Vikings beat the Lions 26-16.

With the win, the Vikings went to 1-1.

Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers
Adrian Peterson would have another good day rushing the ball, as he ran for 126 yards on 20 rushes and scored twice. The game was all Vikings, as they lead the entire game. The game was officially put away after Chad Greenway returned an interception 91 yards down the sidelines for a touchdown.

With the win, Minnesota improved to 2-1.

Week 4: at Denver Broncos
The Vikings would go down to tie the game after Blair Walsh converted a field goal from 33 yards out to tie the game at 20. The Broncos would go down and win the game when Brandon McManus kicked a game-winning 39 yard field goal. Adrian Peterson would have another stellar day rushing the ball, but it was not enough as the Vikings lost.

With the loss, the Vikings fell to 2-2.

Week 6: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
With the win, the Vikings improved to 3-2. They would also be the last team to beat the Chiefs in 2015, as the Chiefs won 10 in a row after this game.

Week 7: at Detroit Lions
With the win, the Vikings improved to 4-2.

Week 8: at Chicago Bears
With the win, Minnesota improved to 5-2.

Week 9: vs. St. Louis Rams
The Rams would tie the game with 12 seconds remaining after Greg Zuerlein converted a 53 yard field goal. However, the Vikings would ultimately win the game when Blair Walsh kicked a 40 yard field goal.

With the win, the Vikings improved to 6-2.

Week 10: at Oakland Raiders
With their 5th straight win, the Vikings improved to 7-2.

Week 11: vs. Green Bay Packers
With the loss, the Vikings fell to 7-3 and had their 5-game winning streak snapped.

Week 12: at Atlanta Falcons
With the win, the Vikings improved to 8-3.

Week 13: vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Vikings would suffer a major blowout loss to Seattle. Seattle would dominate the game all day, as Minnesota couldn't get into any rhythm.

With the bitter loss, the Vikings fell to 8-4.

Week 14: at Arizona Cardinals
With the loss, the Vikings fell to 8-5.

Week 15: vs. Chicago Bears
With the win, the Vikings improved to 9-5.

Week 16: vs. New York Giants
The Vikings would blow out the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football. Adrian Peterson would rush for 104 yards on 22 carries and the Vikings defense forced 3 turnovers (all interceptions by Eli Manning).

With the win, the Vikings improved to 10-5 and with the Packers losing in Arizona earlier in the day, they will face Green Bay for the NFC North Championship.

Week 17: at Green Bay Packers
The Vikings would clinch the NFC North for the first time since 2009 with the win.

With the win, the Vikings ended their season at 11-5 and finished 3-0 on the road against their division.

NFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. #6 Seattle Seahawks
The Vikings' only points in this game came from the foot of kicker Blair Walsh, whose three field goals put them 9–0 up by the end of the third quarter; however, Seattle would outscore them 10–0 in the fourth quarter, with a touchdown catch from Doug Baldwin being followed by a 46-yard Steven Hauschka field goal in the first seven minutes of the quarter. The Vikings had a chance to win it with 20 seconds remaining, but Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal, reminding Vikings fans of Gary Anderson's missed field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship Game, which would have sent the team to a fifth Super Bowl.

Pro Bowl
Running back Adrian Peterson was the only Minnesota Viking selected for the 2016 Pro Bowl. It was Peterson's seventh Pro Bowl selection, tying him for the fourth-most in Vikings franchise history with offensive tackle Ron Yary. After Houston Texans DE J. J. Watt suffered an injury in the wildcard round game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen was called up to replace him, his first career Pro Bowl selection. Griffen was followed by a fellow first-time Pro Bowler, safety Harrison Smith, on January 25, after Earl Thomas of the Seattle Seahawks was ruled out of the game due to injury. The next day, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and linebacker Anthony Barr were added to the Pro Bowl roster as replacements for injured Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer and New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins respectively.

Team leaders
Source: Minnesota Vikings' official website

League rankings
Source: NFL.com.