Entering Sunday's game, the money line in Las Vegas had the Minnesota Vikings as a four-and-a-half point favorite over the New Orleans Saints in their NFC Divisional round matchup. For those who took the Vikings at -4.5, yesterday's ending fiasco came as a pleasant surprise. However, not everyone shared the jubilation.

Pre-game

About an hour from kickoff the line moved. The Vikings were now sitting at minus -5.5. For anyone who knows gambling minus five in a National Football League game is basically a dead money line. If you believe that the Vikings are going to win, do you think they can beat Drew Brees and the incumbent Saints by six or more?

Or do you think the game will end by a difference of four points or less? With 58 percent of betters taking the Vikings, it is clear that betters had a certain confidence in the Vikings in a home playoff game.

Blocked Punt

With 5:26 left to play, the Vikings were covering the game time money line. With a 20-14 lead, all they needed to do was playing standup defense the rest of the way. Almost as if on cue Vikings punter, Ryan Quigley, had his punt blocked by George Johnson of the New Orleans Saints. The Saints then recovered the football at the Minnesota Vikings 40-yard line. The odds of covering the spread now felt finished.

One of the most bizarre endings you'll ever see

Over the next few minutes, the Vikings and Saints traded points with each other until the Saints finally took the lead on a field goal with 25 seconds left.

The scoreline now sat at 24-23, Saints. The Vikings ran a few plays on the ensuing drive but in the end, found themselves on their own 39-yard line with 10 seconds to play.

Case Keenum after the game talked about that final play. Keenum said, "I don’t remember. There’s a lot I don’t remember. I’m still swimming with a lot of emotions.

It was probably along the lines of “Hey, let’s give it a chance.” We needed a big chunk. We saw the timeout, and we knew there was still a possibility. Still some hope. But we just said, “Hey, let’s get a chunk or two and see what happens.”

Then, the impossible occurred. Keenum found receiver Stefon Diggs who managed to avoid the tackler and tiptoe his way down the sideline for the remaining distance for the game-winning touchdown.

Ballgame over. At least, for everyone without money riding on the game.

According to NFL rules, any touchdown that occurs in regulation needs to have an Extra Point attempted. As the pandemonium consumed U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings lined up and opted to take a knee. One point would have meant betters who took the Vikings at the kickoff money line would have won. Proving once again, that it truly is any given Sunday in the National Football League.
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