1982 Minnesota Vikings season
Week Original week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 1 September 12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 17-10 1-0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 58,440
2 2 September 16 at Buffalo Bills L 22-23 1-1 Rich Stadium 77,753
* 3 September 26 Dallas Cowboys Postponed 1-1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
* 4 October 3 at Chicago Bears Canceled 1-1 Soldier Field
* 5 October 10 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Canceled 1-1 Tampa Stadium
* 6 October 17 New Orleans Saints Canceled 1-1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
* 7 October 24 Green Bay Packers Canceled 1-1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
* 8 November 1 Detroit Lions Canceled 1-1 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
* 9 November 7 at San Francisco 49ers Canceled 1-1 Candlestick Park
* 10 November 14 at Washington Redskins Canceled 1-1 Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
3 11 November 21 at Green Bay Packers L 7-26 1-2 Milwaukee County Stadium 44,681
4 12 November 28 Chicago Bears W 35-7 2-2 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 54,724
5 13 December 5 at Miami Dolphins L 14-22 2-3 Miami Orange Bowl 45,721
6 14 December 12 Baltimore Colts W 13-10 3-3 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 53,981
7 15 December 19 at Detroit Lions W 34-31 4-3 Pontiac Silverdome 73,058
8 16 December 26 New York Jets L 14-42 4-4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 58,672
9 3 January 3 Dallas Cowboys W 31-27 5-4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 60,007
Regular season -- Schedule
The 1982 season was the Minnesota Vikings' 22nd season in the National Football League and their first in the newly constructed Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The team was looking to improve on its 7-9 record from 1981. However, a players strike meant seven of the team's 16 games were canceled, and each NFL team was only allowed to play nine games. The Vikings won their opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before losing the next week to the Buffalo Bills, a game in which they had a 19-0 lead before the Bills pulled off a miraculous comeback to win 23-22. After the strike ended, the Vikings lost 26-7 to the Packers in Green Bay before beating the Bears 35-7 the following week to sit at 2-2. After a loss to the Dolphins, the Vikings won their next two games to sit at 4-3. In their final game of the season, they upset the Dallas Cowboys 31-27 to clinch the NFC's fourth place spot in the playoffs (as divisions were ignored in 1982 and the standings were determined by conference). In the playoffs, the Vikings defeated the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 to reach the divisional round. However, in that game, they lost 21-7 to the eventual champion Redskins.