Daniel Jones leapfrogged 301 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 78 yards in his first career playoff game for the New York Giants, a 31-24 win over Minnesota in the wildcard round that gave the Vikings their first loss in 12 ones . Score games this season.
Saquon Barkley scored twice, including the tiebreak midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants defense ended the franchise’s first playoff win since the Super Bowl 11 years ago by defeating TJ Hockenson in fourth and eighth after a 3-yard catch from a pass by Kirk Cousins in midfield. The Vikings turned the ball over in the depths with 1:44 to go and no timeouts left.
Jones became the first quarterback in NFL history with 300+ passing yards, more than two passing touchdowns, and 70+ rushing yards in a postseason game when Brian Daboll’s first-year seed and rival to the Giants NFC East moved up Philadelphia in the Divisional Round next weekend.
Jaylon Smith celebrates after the NFL Wild Card Football game against the Minnesota Vikings
The New York Giants won their first NFL playoff game since the Super Bowl eleven years ago
It was a bad night for Minnesota and their quarterback Kirk Cousins (pictured after the game)
“We did what we wanted to do, come out with a win,” Barkley said. “Party on the way back, see a movie, learn from it and get ready for Philly.”
Isaiah Hodgins and Daniel Bellinger had touchdown receptions for New York.
Cousins went 31 for 39 for 273 yards and two points and a quick touchdown to cap the game’s opening possession, throwing too short to Hockenson, his only glaring error. Justin Jefferson, the NFL’s leading receiver, had just one catch after halftime, finishing with 47 yards.
The Vikings stayed on mark by facing 10-point deficits towards the end of the second quarter and again at the beginning of the third quarter.
Cousins, who was throwing all manner of shots on target when he was knocked onto the turf by the Giants’ blitz-fueled defense, hit Irv Smith Jr. for a short touchdown pass that put the Vikings 24-21 to three.
New York Giants’ Daniel Jones looking to beat Vikings in fourth quarter
Giants running back Saquon Barkley tries to get past Minnesota Vikings’ Camryn Bynum
TJ Hockenson runs with the ball and dodges the tackle from New York Giants safety Julian Love
Then something funny happened – the defense was stopped.
Danielle Hunter’s sack forced the Giants’ first punt, and the Vikings went the other way to score the crucial field goal. They did fall behind some crucial points, however, when Cousins ran a successful sneak in fourth and 1st that was nullified by a false start against left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Jones converted a clean fourth-and-1 sneak on the next drive for the Giants. Barkley – who had 109 yards on just 14 touches – chugged into the end zone with 7:47 left to take the lead.
The Giants and Vikings were among seven teams in the playoffs to miss last season, a six-year absence for the Giants that ended with their 9-7-1 finish under Daboll to earn a wildcard berth.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell was also on the job for the first time, leading a 13-4 division-winning team that made an all-time mark by leaving in an NFL season that featured a record number of close wins and comeback wins 11-0 in one score games.
Coach Brian Daboll reacts after an NFL wild card football game against the Minnesota Vikings
Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. catches for a touchdown against the New York Giants
Five years and a day after Case Keenum’s 61-yard touchdown pass in the final game to Stefon Diggs gave the Vikings a 29-24 victory over New Orleans in the divisional round, Cousins finally got a postseason streak in their fifth season Game in Minnesota The team.
His injured right tackle Brian O’Neill led the crowd in pre-game “skol” chants, helping crank up the decibel levels. Fans went wild in the first quarter as franchise leading rusher Adrian Peterson was featured on the video wall for an interview.
The Giants, who played here just three weeks ago, were clearly unfazed by the noise. They rushed 166 yards in their first nine games for touchdowns on their first two drives, then gained 90 yards in a whopping 20 games for a field goal and a 17-7 lead.
The season of the Vikings ended prematurely; Josh Metellus and Garrett Bradbury (L-R)
A Vikings fan looks dejected after Sunday night’s game at US Bank Stadium
Jones used Vikings linebackers’ typically deep drops into their coverages to run free when he didn’t see anyone open. He usually did, with Hodgins and Slayton being particularly successful at working the spaces in the center field zone.
The Vikings poked twice, both in the first half with drives that could have been.
Coming third and 1 on her own 34, O’Connell called a trick play that resulted in a 2-yard loss on a back pass from Jefferson to Cousins. Then, in second and third at their own 47, a wide-open Smith dropped a short throw to the touchline before another incompletion occurred.
Scroll down to recap how all the action unfolded with the live blog…