MINNEAPOLIS — Greg Joseph swung his right leg near midfield, drawing a ball toward the center of the uprights in U.S. Bank Stadium's west end zone. It disappeared from view against the backdrop of fans in white jerseys, and the final Vikings home game of a thrilling regular season had its fitting sendoff.
Joseph's 61-yard field goal, the longest in team history, gave the Vikings a 27-24 win over the Giants on Saturday afternoon, lifting the team to 12-3 and keeping it in line for the NFC's No. 2 seed. The Vikings (12-3) will finish the season at Green Bay and Chicago; they will be at home for their first playoff game, and could have more postseason games at U.S. Bank Stadium than just that one.
Joseph had struggled on longer kicks after a terrific training camp and preseason, with special teams coordinator Matt Daniels pinning the problem on the kicker's follow-through when he pushed the ball to the right. But he'd made 19 straight field goals or extra points when he lined up for the game winner on Saturday, and his final kick cleared the uprights with plenty of room to spare.
