Vikings all-time tournament: 1969 (2) vs. 1988 (15)

First-round matchup in the all-time Minnesota Vikings tournament — No. 2 seed 1969 vs. No. 15 seed 1988.

The identity of the Vikings franchise wouldn’t be the same without this trailblazing team. Minnesota ranked first in both scoring defense and offense in 1969 as the Purple People Eaters — the defensive line of Allen Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall and Gary Larsen – established the Vikings as one of the most feared defenses in football.

The late 1980s under Jerry Burns brought back what Vikings fans were used to seeing with Bud Grant’s teams in the 1970s — defense, defense and a little more defense. Chris Doleman and Keith Millard tallied eight sacks apiece and Carl Lee intercepted eight passes for the Vikings, who allowed 10.8 points per game and held opponents to three points or less in four consecutive games from Nov. 13-Dec. 4, 1988. But Minnesota met San Francisco in the second round of the playoffs and could only watch as Joe Montana tossed three TDs in a 34-9 rout.