 Following the strike-shortened 1987 season, the 8–7 Vikings, who had finished 8–4 in regular games but 0–3 using replacement players, pulled two upsets in the playoffs by beating the two teams with the best regular season records.They beat the 12–3 New Orleans Saints 44–10 at the Louisiana Superdome in the Wild Card Playoff game.The following week, in the Divisional Playoffs, they beat the 13–2 San Francisco 49ers, 36–24 at Candlestick Park.