Vikings Grind Out Ugly Win Over Giants, But Injuries Cloud the Picture
Let’s be honest-when a 6-8 team meets a 2-12 team in late December, you’re not expecting fireworks. And Sunday’s matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants delivered exactly what it promised: a gritty, low-scoring slugfest that left more questions than answers, especially for Minnesota.
The Vikings came away with a 16-13 win at MetLife Stadium, their third straight victory, but it was anything but pretty. Only one offensive touchdown was scored all afternoon. And while the win keeps Minnesota’s slim playoff hopes alive, it came at a cost-losing key players on both sides of the ball with the season’s final stretch looming.
Early Missed Opportunities and a Familiar Problem
Minnesota got on the board first with a 43-yard field goal from rookie kicker Will Reichard. But it should’ve been more.
On the play before the kick, J.J. McCarthy dropped a dime into the end zone that Jordan Addison couldn’t haul in.
It was a clean look, a perfect throw-and another drop in what’s become a troubling trend for Addison this season. The talent is obvious, but the consistency just hasn’t been there, and the Vikings will need to figure out how to get more reliable production from their young receiver.
The Giants responded by getting aggressive early, going for it on 4th-and-5 from the Vikings’ 10-yard line. But Jaxson Dart was swallowed up by Jalen Redmond, ending the drive and giving the Vikings a chance to build some momentum.
That didn’t last long. On the very next drive, McCarthy’s pass bounced off Jalen Nailor’s hands and into the arms of Paulson Adebo, setting the Giants up deep in Vikings territory.
New York capitalized with a 27-yard field goal from rookie kicker Ben Sauls-his first in the NFL-to tie things up at 3-3 early in the second quarter.
A Game of Inches-and Flags
Minnesota nearly handed the Giants a momentum-shifting pick-six when Jevon Holland jumped a route and took it 96 yards to the house. But a defensive offsides penalty wiped it off the board, sparing McCarthy and the Vikings from what could’ve been a game-changing mistake. Instead, Reichard nailed a 31-yarder to put Minnesota back on top, 6-3.
Then the Vikings defense stepped up. Dart’s pass to Theo Johnson ricocheted off Johnson’s hands and into the waiting arms of Byron Murphy Jr., who returned it deep into Giants territory. That set up the game’s lone offensive touchdown-McCarthy, finding nothing open on third down, took off and ran it in himself from 12 yards out to give Minnesota a 13-3 lead just before the two-minute warning.
Giants Defense Responds-and McCarthy Goes Down
With under a minute left in the half, the Giants got their biggest play of the day-on defense. Brian Burns got to McCarthy with a clean shot, forcing a fumble that was scooped up by former Minnesota Golden Gopher Tyler Nubin, who rumbled 27 yards into the end zone. Just like that, it was 13-10, and McCarthy was on the sideline with an injured throwing hand.
That hit changed the game. Max Brosmer took over under center for the second half, and the Vikings offense never really found its rhythm again.
Fourth Quarter Grit
After a scoreless third quarter, the Giants tied things up early in the fourth with another Sauls field goal-this one from 39 yards out. With just over 11 minutes left, it was 13-13, and both teams were struggling to find any kind of offensive flow.
Eventually, the Vikings put together a drive that stalled inside the red zone, but Reichard delivered again-his third field goal of the day, this one from 30 yards, gave Minnesota a 16-13 lead with just over four minutes remaining.
The Giants had one last shot, moving the ball to midfield as the two-minute warning approached. But on 4th-and-3, Dart was brought down by Andrew Van Ginkel, sealing the win for Minnesota. A few first downs later, Aaron Jones helped run out the clock, and the Vikings walked away with their seventh win of the year.
Injuries Cast a Shadow
The victory was important, but it came at a cost. McCarthy’s hand injury is a major concern, especially with two divisional games left on the schedule.
Running back Jordan Mason exited early with an ankle injury, and center Ryan Kelly left the game with what’s believed to be another concussion-his third this season and sixth of his career. At this point, there are serious questions about Kelly’s long-term future in the league.
What’s Next
Now 7-8, the Vikings are still technically alive in the playoff hunt and will wrap up the regular season with two home games at U.S. Bank Stadium-first against the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day, then against the Green Bay Packers in Week 18.
It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t clean.
But in December, a win is a win-especially when you’re fighting to stay relevant in the playoff picture. The Vikings will take it, bruises and all.