The Giants acquired every part they wanted to clinch a playoff berth on Christmas Eve besides an important factor:
A win in Minnesota.
Vikings kicker Greg Joseph sank a crew report 61-yard area purpose as time expired to interrupt the Giants’ hearts in a devastating 27-24 street loss at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Daniel Jones had directed a formidable 7-play, 75-yard landing drive to tie the sport at 24 apiece with 2:01 to play. It was capped by a 27-yard Saquon Barkley TD run on 4th and a couple of and a two-point conversion go to rookie tight finish Daniel Bellinger.
Brian Daboll’s Giants had already gotten losses from the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks in Saturday’s early window, so all they wanted was a win to achieve the postseason for the primary time since 2016.
But with Minnesota at third and 11 at its personal 41 yard line with 19 seconds remaining, Wink Martindale’s blitz protection allowed an inexcusable 17-yard bubble display screen to dynamic receiver Justin Jefferson right down to the Giants’ 42-yard line.
Cousins then had time to spike the ball, and after Daboll referred to as timeout to ice Minnesota’s kicker, Joseph cooly sailed the game-winner over Julian Love’s head ultimately zone to finish it.
“We did a lot of things well, moved the ball well and made some plays,” stated Jones, who accomplished 30-of-42 passes for 334 yards, a landing, an interception and 34 speeding yards. “But we stalled out in a couple key situations that we can’t have going forward.”
The Giants misplaced the turnover battle 2-0, coughing up an interception and a fumble, and likewise had a fourth-quarter punt blocked. They nonetheless had an opportunity late and couldn’t get it completed.
“We didn’t play a clean game,” captain Julian Love informed reporters within the locker room. “That’s what games down the stretch come down to. Two turnovers, blocked punt, penalties, not capitalizing on an interception (that was dropped). That ‘s what these games come down to.”
The Giants (8-6-1), who’ve gained solely one in every of their final six video games (1-4-1), now fly house with two common season video games remaining: their house finale towards the Indianapolis Colts subsequent Sunday, and a Week 18 journey to a Philadelphia Eagles crew that could be resting starters.
The odds are nonetheless within the Giants’ favor to clinch after this devastating loss to the Vikings (12-3).
One win of their final two video games would get them in. It’s additionally attainable they may make the playoffs with out profitable once more if the Lions, Seahawks and Washington Commanders preserve dropping.
“Any time you can control your own destiny it’s a good thing,” Love stated. “Two years in the past it wasn’t in our palms. We must have an ideal week, get our our bodies proper and deal with the following crew we’ve acquired: the Colts.
Still, there are not any ensures, and that probably didn’t make Saturday’s flight house any simpler.
“We’re disappointed we lost,” Jones stated. “In terms of playoffs and how that positions us, our focus was on today and winning the game today. So the fact we didn’t do that is disappointing. We’ll regroup, see what we can do better and prepare for next week.”
Two Graham Gano area objectives had climbed the Giants again from a 10-7 halftime deficit to a 13-7 lead with 4:31 left within the third quarter. But they’d left factors on the sector attributable to an offensive line that struggled to guard Jones in large spots many of the day.
Rookie Cor’Dale Flott appeared to intercept Kirk Cousins with 3:03 left within the third quarter on the Giants’ 42-yard line on an ill-advised pressured throw to Adam Thielen into protection.
A overview discovered that Flott had dropped the ball attributable to a Thielen strip, nevertheless. The decide was overturned. And Cousins completed the drive with a 15-yard TD go to Hockenson for a 17-13 Vikings lead with 14:12 to play within the fourth quarter.
Jones then threw his first interception in 5 video games to Vikings nook Patrick Peterson, who returned it to the Minnesota 29-yard line with 11:42 to play. Peterson undercut Giants receiver Isaiah Hodgins for some payback for Hodgins’ profession day (eight catches, 89 yards, TD).
“Threw it behind him,” Jones stated. “Gotta give him a better ball there.”
The Vikings offense then appeared on its method to icing the sport with a dominant drive, till rookie head coach Kevin O’Connell continued a complicated pattern of calling deep go performs on third and fourth and brief.
And Giants nook Darnay Holmes broke up a 4th and a couple of deep shot for Justin Jefferson with 9:01 to play out of an empty set. That handed Jones a brief area on the Giants’ 45 yard line and arrange Gano’s third area purpose of the sport from 55 yards to attract inside 17-16 with 3:24 to play.
After each offenses stalled, Minnesota’s Josh Metellus blocked a Jamie Gillan punt to present Cousins the ball on the Giants’ 29-yard line with 4:02 to play. And it solely took Cousins 5 performs to seek out Justin Jefferson for an 18-yard TD go to place the Vikes up 24-16 with 3 minutes left.
And that set the stage for Jones’ spectacular game-tying drive. Richie James led the Giants eight eight catches for 90 yards but additionally had a pair dangerous late drops.
The Giants had trailed 10-7 at halftime attributable to a fumble by rookie tight finish Daniel Bellinger that the Vikings transformed right into a 40-yard Greg Joseph area purpose with 9:40 left within the second quarter.
That kick gave Minnesota a 10-0 lead. The hosts had opened scoring on a 12-yard Kirk Cousins TD go to tight finish T.J. Hockenson with 3:17 to play within the first quarter and linebacker Micah McFadden trailing in protection.
The Giants’ offensive line, specifically rookie proper deal with Evan Neal, had a tricky time defending Jones towards the Vikings’ formidable defensive entrance that includes edges Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith.
Neal needed to leap on a Jones fumble after dropping one early battle with Hunter, who had stripped the ball out.
But Jones was wonderful within the first half, finishing 14 of 19 passes for 146 yards and a 7-yard TD go to his favourite goal, Hodgins, with 4:23 left within the second quarter.
Hodgins, a second-year professional, set a brand new profession excessive with 63 receiving yards within the first half alone. He did most of his injury towards Peterson.
A break up sack by Khyiris Tonga and Hunter killed the Giants’ last drive of the primary half when a blitzing Peterson acquired previous left deal with Andrew Thomas to flush Jones up within the pocket.
And edge Azeez Ojulari, whose third down sack held the Vikings to a area purpose after Bellinger’s fumble, left the sport with an ankle harm within the second quarter to not return.
But the Giants nonetheless had performed a robust sufficient street first half — with stable go rushes from Dexter Lawrence and a formidable go breakup by linebacker Landon Collins, who was energetic all day — to present themselves an opportunity with a playoff berth on the road.
They didn’t win, but it surely’s attainable they may see Minnesota once more within the playoffs. And they’re conscious.
“I would love a rematch,” Barkley stated.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com