In some respects, its a bit of a mini-miracle we won at all, just because Minnesota turned the ball over quite a few times and that last, painful, memorable one (for Vikings fans) where Favre scrambles, and instead of just running maybe 5-10 more yards for a 1st down, to set up an easier game-winning FG for Longwell, he decides to play the gunslinger one more time and throw the pass, across his body, where its intercepted by Tracy Porter. I think that particular NFCCG loss for Minnesota has to be more heartbreaking instead of Gary Anderson's infamous missed FG that wouldve iced it near the end of the 1998 NFCCG.
Even after Anderson's missed FG kick, at least they still had the lead and very nearly intercepted a Chris Chandler pass with a few minutes left. After Favre's bone-headed, costly interception, back then watching the game or seeing it for yourself in the Superdome, one got the sense that yeah, Vikings best chance to make it to another Super Bowl in 33 years just evaporated like steam fog coming off of Lake Pontachatrain Bridge after a heavy thunderstorm. I remember watching Favre's post-game press conference and he readily admitted when a reporter asked him if he regretted just not running for about 8-9 yards and falling down and then sending in Longwell for the GW-WINNING FG.
Vikings fans like to believe they got some measure of revenge 8 years later with the "Minneapolis Miracle", but casually ignore or over-looked the fact they got smashed by Philly, 41-7, a week later. It really was non-consequential, in the long-term and yeah, meaningless.