What if the Minneapolis Miracle never happened?

The Minneapolis Miracle is a play that will never be forgotten in Minnesota, or New Orleans for that matter. Despite the fact that the Vikings got waxed 38-7 in the ensuing NFC Title Game by a backup QB who would later be cut by the Jaguars, it remains one of the Minnesota Vikings few high points in their Super Bowless franchise history.

But what if it never happened?

What if Marcus Williams didn’t whiff on a tackle but instead brought down Stefon Diggs in bounds as time ran out in Minneapolis?

Let’s find out.

Impact on the Saints

The Saints almost certainly would have beaten the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Title Game if the Minneapolis Miracle didn’t happen. In the immortal words of Alvin Kamara: “We’d beat the s--t out of the Eagles cause we was rolling.” The Saints were rolling at the time, having erased a 17 point deficit at halftime only to lose to the football gods for the first of three straight years.

Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Blake Bortles once threw an INT off a mans foot and almost beat the Patriots in the AFC Title Game, so it’s safe to assume the Saints would be victorious in the Super Bowl

So lets take Kamara’s word for it and assume the Saints would have earned a trip to the Super Bowl. Their opponent would either be the New England Patriots, led by star of the hit movie Ted 2, Tom Brady, or the Jacksonville Jaguars, led by current NFL Man of the Year Calais Campbell. As a Jacksonville native, I’d like to believe that Blake Bortles would have been inspired by Drew Brees’s comeback efforts in Minneapolis and gone on to throw for 400 yards against Bill Belichick’s defense, but even in a fantasy article by a fantasy analyst, that’s too much of a fantasy.

Super Bowl 52 would then be a matchup of now division rivals Drew Brees and Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots barely defeated Blake Bortles and, in reality, lost to Nick Foles, so it’s pretty safe to assume Drew Brees would have gotten the job done. Marcus Williams would now be a hero in New Orleans, the Saints would have won their second Super Bowl in franchise history, and would be able to successfully sue anyone still referring to them as the “Ain’ts.”

Impact on the Vikings

Had Case Keenum’s pass to Diggs not resulted in a walk-off touchdown, the Vikings may have had to take out a bank loan to afford the contract they would have then given to Kirk Counsins. Cousins would be a much richer man than he is now as the Vikings would have more of a need for a QB than they already did after the 2017 season. The self confidence of the good people of Minneapolis would be much higher to this day as they would have been spared of witnessing their team get slaughtered by a man who was then compared to Napoleon Dynamite.

Impact on the NFL

Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Enduring plays like the Minneapolis Miracle will be worth it once the Saints win their next Super Bowl title

Most impacted by this lack of “Miracle” would be the city of Philadelphia. The Eagles would be denied their first Super Bowl in franchise history and the world would be denied what was a far superior highlight in the Philly Special. The Jacksonville Jaguars would have saved $88 million by not signing Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, and the world would have been denied Minshew Mania during the 2019 season. The New England Patriots would have saved face by losing to the all-time passing yardage leader Drew Brees rather than someone who is currently backing up Mitch Trubisky.

The Minneapolis Miracle is one of the most memorable highlights in recent NFL history. Even though it was a complete fluke and the Vikings got destroyed the next week, it remains one of the greatest moments in Vikings history. Had it not happened, the Saints would have likely won their second Super Bowl and Nick Foles would be much less wealthy. Unfortunately though, it happened, but it can only make the next championship the Saints will eventually win that much sweeter.

What do you think would have happened but for the Minneapolis Miracle? Let us know in the comments. Make sure you follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC, “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles, and make sure you’re subscribed to our new YouTube channel. As always, you can follow me on Twitter @HaydenReel.