NFL Week 14 – Recap: New York Giants vs Minnesota Vikings
Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined to rush for 219 yards and two scores as the New
York Giants defeated Minnesota Vikings, 21-3, in a postponed and re-scheduled contest at Ford Field, a game that was surpassed by a record streak coming to an end.
It proved to be the major storyline until word came down just before 6 p.m. (ET) that Vikings’ starting quarterback Brett
Favre was inactive because of injury in his right shoulder that he got last week in a victory over Bills.
For the first time since 1992, Favre stood on the sideline of a game rubbing his grayish beard in disappointment because his body could not take another pounding.
New York Giants made sure his substitution struggled in the early hours and frequently.
But that could not discourage Eli Manning, who started his 100th successive game and threw for 187 yards and a touchdown on 22-of-37 completions while overcoming a pair of early interceptions for the Giants (9-4).
"We're pleased with the win. I'm proud of the way our guys handled the inconvenience in the changes that were made," Giants' head coach Tom Coughlin said. "We kept pace so we're excited."
Jacobs made 116 yards as well as a 73-yard run that associated his 2nd quarter touchdown on 14 carries while Bradshaw added to complete 103 yards, including a 48-yard TD dash, on 11 rushes.
Hakeem Nicks helped with 96 yards on 7 grabs while Kevin
Boss recorded the TD catch for the Giants, which defeated Vikings for the first time since 2004.
Tarvaris Jackson got off to a good start. He completed his first two passes for 8 yards each. Jackson made his first start since 2008, going 15-of-30 for 118 yards and a pick for the Minnesota (5-8), but didn't do much to help his team for the rest of the
night.
Jackson missed a chance to prove to his coaches and teammates that he can be counted on as substitute for Favre for a game and perhaps in the future. He completed just 12 of 22 passes, threw an interception straight to linebacker Keith Bulluck.
Adrian Peterson was limited to 26 yards on 14 carries and Sidney Rice topped the receiving corps with 60 yards on 5 receptions.
With less than 4 minutes left in the third, the ball was on the 41 yard line and Giants required only 3 plays to extend their lead.
Minnesota returner Lorenzo Booker returned a 96-yard kickoff for touchdown but that was null and void due to an unlawful blocking penalty, and Vikings’ offensive regularity never improved.
It seemed to be a different story for the Minnesota in the beginning.
Frank Walker picked off manning on the Giants' 1st series. Despite reaching the 3 yard line, Ryan Longwell made an incomplete on 3rd-and-goal to Rice set up a 21-yard.
On Minnesota's 3rd offensive series, both Jackson and Peterson were shaken up on a 2nd down play and Joe
Webb had to come in for a failed pass on 3rd-and-11 from the 50.
Manning was intercepted again, this time Asher Allen picked off manning early in the 2nd quarter. Vikings took over at their own 41, Jackson and Peterson returned. Vikings were unsuccessful to score on its resulting drive, though.
Giants reached the Vikings one yard line with seconds left in the quarter, and in spite of a bogus start on 2nd-and-goal, moved ahead 14-3 with 3 seconds as Boss dragged in a 6 yard pass from Manning.
Manning bounced back from throwing a 2nd interception in the opening minute of the 2nd quarter by completing 22 of 37 passes for 187 yards and a TD on a completely lined pass to Kevin Boss. That put the New York ahead 14-3 with 3 seconds
left in the 3rd quarter.
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