MINNEAPOLIS — Wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins exploded for a profession day in his playoff debut on Sunday, main the Giants with eight catches for 105 yards and a landing.
He additionally made two large performs to arrange Saquon Barkley’s game-winning fourth quarter TD run: Hodgins made a tough 19-yard catch on the left sideline to the Vikings’ 26.
Then later, he drew a holding name ultimately zone on veteran Vikings nook Patrick Peterson to maneuver the Giants as much as the 2-yard line earlier than
Hodgins, 24, a November waiver declare from the Buffalo Bills, now has 41 catches for 456 yards and 5 TDs in 9 video games with the workforce. He has caught a TD cross from Daniel Jones in 5 of his final six video games.
And he admitted after Sunday’s win that he performs with the mindset that he’s unstoppable.
“You have to have that mindset as a receiver,” he mentioned. “That’s something I really learned in Buffalo with Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders, Cole Beasley, John Brown, Gabe Davis: When you line up, I’m the best receiver on that field and no one can stop me. You just have to believe in that and have that confidence in yourself, go out there play by play and show that improvement.”
ACTION JACKSON
Star Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson made three catches for 25 yards on the Vikings’ game-opening landing drive, however he completed with solely seven grabs for 47 yards.
The return of prime nook Adoree Jackson from a seven-week absence as a consequence of a knee damage made an infinite distinction.
“The first drive wasn’t really the best outcome, but I knew he was gonna make plays and I didn’t waver,” Jackson mentioned. “I trusted in the scheme, the game plan that Wink [Martindale] had. I put in a lot of work to come back and play, but I knew it was gonna be a dog fight because of the caliber of player he is. Just thankful for the opportunity and to be able to come back in the nick of time and play.”
RUN, DANIEL, RUN
Jones set a brand new Giants new franchise report for QB single-game playoff speeding yards with 78 on the bottom. He broke a report beforehand held by Ed Danowski, who had carried the ball 20 instances for 69 yards on Dec. 9, 1934, in a 30-13 NFL Championship win over the Chicago Bears, per StatsPass.
“I’m always looking for those opportunities and some opened up early on in the game,” Jones mentioned. “So I just tried to take advantage of that. Wasn’t necessarily planned coming in.”
BIG-TIME BLOCK
Veteran receiver Kenny Golladay performed solely 4 snaps, however he buried Vikings nook Duke Shelley on a crushing block on the surface to free Barkley for a 10-yard swing cross and first down on the go-ahead fourth quarter drive.
It didn’t go unnoticed.
“Kenny Golladay, you see that block?” coach Brian Daboll mentioned. “It’s all about team. And when individuals get an opportunity they have to make the most of it.”
PINNOCK OK
Safety Jason Pinnock, a Pitt faculty teammate of Bills security Damar Hamlin, was taken to an area hospital and evaluated for an stomach damage he sustained within the fourth quarter. But luckily, Pinnock was launched, returned to the locker room simply earlier than the workforce departed, and was cleared to fly residence.
Corner Nick McCloud, a detailed buddy of Hamlin’s and Pinnock’s, mentioned he undoubtedly felt all of these feelings when Pinnock went down protecting a kickoff.
“Definitely,” McCloud mentioned. “He was down there for a minute. It shook me up a little bit. I ran out there as fast as I could to make sure he was alright. I knew he was breathing and everything. So we’re gonna pray for the best for him.”
ODDS AND ENDS
The Giants hadn’t scored 30 factors in 43 video games straight video games earlier than Week 17. Now they’ve finished it twice in three video games: 38-10 over the Colts and now 31-24 over the Vikings. That’s two straight video games that the starters have performed during which the Giants have scored 30-plus … Edge Azeez Ojluari was dominated out with a quad damage after enjoying solely eight first-half snaps (seven within the first quarter and one within the second). Ojulari, who has been harm nearly all of the season, had been restricted on Wednesday with an ankle damage earlier than being faraway from the damage report with no designation for the sport … The NFL delayed kickoff of Giants-Vikings on FOX 10 minutes from 4:40 p.m. ET to 4:50 p.m. as a result of the Bills and Dolphins have been working over on CBS. The Vikings truly put the Buffalo Miami sport on the U.S. Bank Stadium Jumbotron for followers to look at within the interim … The Giants’ inactives have been linebacker Micah McFadden, guards Jack Anderson and Wyatt Davis,, nook Rodarius Williams, defensive sort out Henry Mondeaux, and apply squad call-ups working again Jashaun Corbin and wideout Kalil Pimpleton It seems the Giants merely referred to as up Corbin and Pimpleton as a monetary reward for his or her arduous work this season, just like their preliminary call-up of quarterback Davis Webb within the common season. The Vikings’ inactives have been CB Cameron Dantzler, RB Ty Chandler, OLB Luiji Vilain, DL Esezi Otomewo and DL Ross Blacklock.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com