The Minnesota Vikings have advanced to the NFL championship game for the first time in eight years thanks to a miracle finish.
Case Keenum connected with Stefon Diggs for a 61-yard touchdown on the game’s final play as the Vikings stunned the Saints 29-24 at Minneapolis. Keenum threw the game-winning pass near the sideline before Diggs wormed his way past the New Orleans defenders and into the end zone. It came 25 seconds after Wil Lutz nailed a 43-yard field goal that put the Saints ahead.
Both the Vikings and Saints lost two leads in the final 3:01. Alvin Kamara’s 14-yard scoring grab put New Orleans ahead for the first time, but the Vikings went back on top when Kai Forbath drilled a 53-yard field goal with 1:29 to play. That was followed by Lutz’s go-ahead field goal 64 seconds later.
Keenum was 25 of 40 passes for 318 yards, one TD and one interception as the Vikings moved within one victory of becoming the first team to host its own Super Bowl appearance.
Saints receiver Michael Thomas grabbed a pair of scoring strikes from Brees, who was 25 of 40 for 294 yards, three TDs and two interceptions.
