Category: 2022 Week 16 vs NY Giants

3 things we learned from Vikings win over Giants

After the Vikings’ thrilling victory over the Giants, here are three things we learned about the Vikings as we approach the playoffs

Yesterday, the Minnesota Vikings beat the New York Giants in another thrilling victory as kicker Greg Joseph hit a Vikings-record 61-yard field goal as time expired. With this victory, the Vikings moved to 12-3 on the season and kept themselves in the driver’s seat to secure the second seed in the NFC.

With each thrilling victory this season, it feels as if we learn something new about this team or that any prior thoughts get cemented. As we inch closer to the playoffs, here are a few things we learned yesterday about our favorite team

Justin Jefferson is starting to own the Vikings’ record books

In just three seasons in the NFL, the superstar wide receiver has found himself in elite company in Vikings franchise history

When wide receiver Justin Jefferson took the field yesterday vs. the New York Giants, he was chasing the single-season reception record in Minnesota Vikings franchise history. Late in the fourth quarter, Jefferson secured that
record, but he also accomplished something else in yesterday’s win over the Giants.

Jefferson cemented himself atop the leaderboard for the most receiving yards in Vikings history in a given season. More impressively, Jefferson has three of the top six seasons in team history.

Vikings fans all know how great wide receiver Randy Moss was when he played, and there is a reason he’s highly regarded as one of the best receivers. Now, in just three seasons in the NFL, Jefferson is slowly surpassing Moss’s records, and he’s quickly made his mark in the league as well. Vikings fans are in for a treat for the next decade as long as Jefferson is around, and I’m sure we’ll see him break many more records.

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Vikings set an NFL record with Saturday’s win vs. Giants

The Vikings have been great in clutch situations this season

It isn’t often that you see a team extremely effective in one-score games over the course of a season. Winning those games consistently is very unstable and isn’t something you can count on.

Well, nobody told the 2022 Minnesota Vikings.

With Saturday’s 27-24 win over the New York Giants, the Vikings won their 11th game in the 2022 season by one score and that sets an NFL Record. Before this season, only two teams in NFL history had won 10 such games in a season: the 2019 Seattle Seahawks who went 10-2 and the 1978 Houston Oilers who went 10-3.

You can’t count on the Vikings to win those games forever, but the work and focus that Kevin O’Connell’s staff has put into situational football is what has made the difference this season.

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WATCH Greg Joseph kick the longest field goal in Vikings history

The new team record sealed the game against the Giants

Heart attacks go hand-in-hand with being a Minnesota Vikings fan as they gave us another one on Saturday afternoon against the New York Giants.

After going up by eight with three minutes left in the game, they allowed Daniel Jones to lead a 75-yard drive on seven plays to tie the game.

After that, the Vikings had a chance to go and win the game and Kirk Cousins did just that, albeit with struggles and poor clock management.

After a rough sack, they needed Justin Jefferson to bail them out with a 17-yard tunnel screen. That set up kicker Greg Joseph to hit a 61-yard field goal which he did with ease.

That 61-yard field goal wasn’t just the longest in the career of Joseph, but also the longest in the history of the Minnesota Vikings. A tremendous way to end the game and the regular season home finale.

Vikings vs. Giants: Studs and Duds from Week 16

There were some exceptional performances from Saturday’s game

The Minnesota Vikings chose not to give the fanbase a breather on Christmas Eve, as Greg Joseph had to nail a 61-yarder to secure the win 27-24 to improve their record to 12-3.

The game was a very competitive battle throughout as the Vikings took an early 10-0 lead. The Giants had a lead at 13-10 for a short time before the Vikings threw their second touchdown to T.J. Hockenson and didn’t trail for the rest of the game.

The studs and duds for this game were pretty obvious but there were a couple that flew under the radar. Let’s break it down.

Vikings improve to 12-3 as Greg Joseph nails 61 yard field goal

The Vikings have now won an NFL record 11 one score games

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The Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants played in a very competitive, tough game that once again went down to the wire for the Vikings. Greg Joseph had to hit a 61-yard field goal as time expired to secure a 27-24 victory and improved their record in one-score games to 11-0.

It started off in a more nonchalant fashion with both teams punting twice before the Vikings drove down the field in eight plays for the first score of the game. T.J. Hockenson ran a corner post and caught a wide-open touchdown. He was the best Vikings receiver on the day catching a team-record 12 catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns.

The Vikings were able to capitalize right afterward when rookie Brian Asamoah forced and recovered a fumble that turned into a field goal.

Daniel Jones did a good job leading them back. He was consistent in letting the game come to him and taking what the defense gave him underneath.

His weapons Richie James and Isaiah Hodgins were both playing really well throughout the day. James had eight catches for 90 yards and Hodgins had eight catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. He finished 30-42 for 334 yards, a touchdown and one interception.

The key play came at the end of the game when the Giants tried to drive to take the lead down 17-16. The Vikings got a stop and forced a punt which was blocked by Josh Metellus. Kirk Cousins then hit Justin Jefferson for a touchdown on third and 10 to cap off a 12-reception, 133-yard performance that started off by breaking Randy Moss’ team record of receiving yards in a season.

The Giants didn’t go away though, as Jones led the Giants to a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with a fourth-down draw play to Saquon Barkley and an excellent two-point conversion pass from Jones to Daniel Belinger.

The Vikings have set an NFL record by winning their 11th one-score game and they head to Green Bay next weekend to take on the Packers.

WATCH rookie Brian Asamoah makes the play of the day

The rookie will have more opportunities to make big plays

Head coach Kevin O’Connell has been vocal about want to see rookie Brian Asamoah on the field more often and the numbers are bearing that out. After playing a career-high 21 snaps against the Indianapolis Colts, Asamoah forced a fumble and recovered it himself.

Playing in zone, Asamoah followed rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger on a crossing route. With his speed, he caught up to Bellinger and punched the ball out with ease. Asamoah then picked the ball up and returned it for a modest gain.

Greg Joseph hit a 40-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to extend the Vikings lead to 10-0.

The Vikings second level could use the speed and aggressive nature of Asamoah down the stretch, as this won’t be the last time that he makes a big play.

Justin Jefferson overtakes Randy Moss for receiving yards record

The best receiver in the NFL continues to set records

The Minnesota Vikings receiving yardage record was contentious last season as Justin Jefferson was only a few yards from passing Randy Moss’s single-season record. There were multiple opportunities for Jefferson to get the record but former head coach Mike Zimmer didn’t allow it to happen at the end of the game.

On Christmas Eve against the New York Giants, Jefferson surpassed that record with a beautiful 25-yard blaze out on the Vikings’ third drive.

Jefferson is also just two catches away from breaking Cris Carter’s team record of 122 catches which he did in both 1994 and 1995.

Jefferson continues to prove that he is the best receiver in football and the stats leave little doubt.

 

Vikings CB Cameron Dantzler leads inactives in Week 16 vs. Giants

The Vikings will be without two starters vs. Giants

The Minnesota Vikings are set for their first-ever Winter Whiteout and will be doing so without the help of starting cornerback Cameron Dantzler.

This shouldn’t come as a big surprise, as he didn’t play a single snap while dressing last week against the Indianapolis Colts.

That means we will be seeing cornerback Duke Shelley, who led the Vikings in PFF grade last week, will be getting the start opposite Patrick Peterson.

The only real surprise is that the Vikings made C Kyle Hinton inactive. They elevated him with the idea that he would be the backup to Austin Schlottmann but that role will go to Chris Reed who worked at center during the preseason.

Vikings offensive line will be tested Saturday vs Giants defense

The Giants defense could give Cousins fits with the blitz

When the Vikings take on the New York Giants this Saturday, they will be without starting center Garrett Bradbury for the third straight week. Although backup center Austin Schlottmann has filled in decently well in Bradbury’s absence, this weekend might be a different story.

The Giants’ defense is one of the worst in the NFL, but they blitz at the highest rate in the league, which could mean that Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins could be in for a long day.

Kirk Cousins under pressure 87/173 (50.3%) 1,311 yards seven touchdowns  four interceptions

Kirk Cousins kept clean 268/371 (72.2 %) 2,507 yards 17 touchdowns seven interceptions

This likely isn’t new news for the Vikings coaches and Kevin O’Connell has likely built a game plan around this information. Regardless, the Vikings offensive line will certainly have their hands full if the Giants continue to blitz at this rate in Saturday’s matchup, and it’s something to monitor as the game plays out.