Vikings at Giants, Open Thread
by Gonzo
on Nov 25, 2007 10:04 AM CST
in Game Threads
Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants
Giants Stadium
East Rutherford, New Jersey
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th+OT | F | |
| Vikings | 14 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 41 |
| Giants | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| Minnesota | Stat | New York |
| 177.9 ypg (1st) | Rush Offense | 128 ypg (7th) |
| 162.3 ypg (31st) | Pass Offense | 203.3 ypg (18th) |
| 340.2 ypg (12th) | Total Offense | 331.3 ypg (15th) |
| 19.5 ppg (19th) | Scoring Offense | 23.6 ppg (8th) |
| 74.8 ypg (1st) | Rush Defense | 91.3 ypg (7th) |
| 288 ypg (32nd) | Pass Defense | 215.5 ypg (19th) |
| 362.8 ypg (27th) | Total Defense | 306.8 ypg (8th) |
| 21 ppg (14th) | Scoring Defense | 20 ppg (11th) |
A Minneapolis-area sports columnist wrote over the course of this past week that today just might be the most important game of the Brad Childress era in Minnesota, and there's a good chance that he's probably right on that front. The Beloved Purple sit at 4-6 and currently reside near the bottom of the NFC Playoff race. Today they face a Giants team with a record at 7-3 and is currently one of the best teams in the conference, but they're also a team that's having some injury problems. The Giants will be without their top 2 tailbacks for today's game, as both Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward will be sidelined with injuries. They also lost Mathias Kiwanuka last week, a loss that our Giants blogger over at Big Blue View sees as a "HUGE" one.
This game could be the springboard that the Vikings need to make a sort of mini-run at a post-season spot if they can pull off the upset. And make no mistake. . .it would be an upset if it were to happen. The Giants are very good against the run defensively, but at this point the Vikings have shown that they can pretty much run against anybody (the spineless, gutless, cheap shot-taking scum from Wisconsin not withstanding). Adrian Peterson is still listed as questionable, but I really doubt that we'll see him on the field today, so we can expect a pretty big dose of Chester Taylor this afternoon. . .and we're going to need him if the Minnesota passing attack is going to generate anything. Even with the loss of Kiwanuka, New York's pass rush is very good, and if the Vikings end up in a lot of second or third and long situations, it's going to be a long day.
Surprisingly, the Giants have been a more effective running offense this season than a passing offense, as the above numbers show. Kind of strange for an offense that has Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, and Amani Toomer in the passing game and a group of running backs that are, by and large, unknown. But, once again, the key to this one is going to be whether or not the Vikings can get enough pressure on Eli Manning to disrupt the Giants' passing game.
The last time these two teams got together, the Vikings had their own "Miracle at the Meadowlands" as they won 24-21, courtesy of an interception return for a touchdown (Darren Sharper), a punt return for a touchdown (Mewelde Moore), and a kickoff return for a touchdown (former Viking and current drunken loser Koren Robinson). I don't think that's going to be necessary for the Vikings to win this afternoon. However. . .and you can pull my homer credentials for this if you wish. . .I just don't think we're going to be able to pull this one off. The Giants are a quality football team, and I can't pick the Beloved Purple to win a big game on the road until I actually see it happen. I think it's going to be close, but I can't see the upset happening.
Gonzo's Final Score Prediction: Giants 20, Vikings 17
Incidentally. . .why is it "Giants Stadium" when it's a Giants' game and "The Meadowlands" when the Jets are hosting a game? I've always wondered about that. Seems a bit weird to me.
Hour and a half until game time, folks. . .the inactives should be getting put out there any time now.
SKOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!
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Vikings Inactives
S Mike Doss
QB Kelly Holcomb (#3 QB)
OL Chase Johnson
TE Garrett Mills
DE Jayme Mitchell
RB Adrian Peterson
CB Antoine Winfield
No AP today. . .thank goodness.
Giants' inactives as soon as they're posted somewhere.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 10:45 AM CST 0 recs
Giants Inactives
RB Brandon Jacobs
T Adam Koetes
QB Jared Lorenzen (#3 QB)
WR Steve Smith
RB Derrick Ward
CB Corey Webster
DT Manny Wright
Game is on DirecTV Channel 705 if that's how you're viewing the game.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:00 PM CST 0 recs
Opening Kickoff
1st and 10, Vikings, from their own 40 to start with.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:05 PM CST 0 recs
TOUCHDOWN, VIKINGS!!
The announcers thought the flag that was thrown on the play was going to be pass interference on Rice, but it was correctly called as PI on the Giants' Aaron Ross.
Drive went 60 yards in 2 plays, taking 41 seconds to accomplish.
Longwell tacks on the extra point to make it 7-0.
Vikings 7, Giants 0, 14:19 left in the first quarter.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:07 PM CST 0 recs
Touchdown, Giants
Tynes hits the extra point to tie the score.
Giants' drive went 65 yards in 8 plays, taking 4:54 to accomplish.
Vikings 7, Giants 7, 9:19 left in the first quarter.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:19 PM CST 0 recs
Vikings punt
Vikings 7, Giants 7, 4:13 left in the first quarter.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:27 PM CST 0 recs
TOUCHDOWN, VIKINGS!!
Longwell tacks on the extra point, and the Vikings have a touchdown lead once again.
Vikings 14, Giants 7, 3:15 left in the first quarter.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:32 PM CST 0 recs
Turnover on Downs
1st and 10, Vikings, from the Minnesota 35.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:42 PM CST 0 recs
End of the first quarter
Vikings 14, Giants 7, one quarter of football in the books.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:43 PM CST 0 recs
Drive dies again
Vikings 14, Giants 7, 11:21 left until halftime.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:51 PM CST 0 recs
INTERCEPTION!
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:54 PM CST 0 recs
TOUCHDOWN, VIKINGS!!
Longwell adds the extra point, and the Vikings have a two-TD lead.
Vikings 21, Giants 7, 9:49 left until halftime.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 12:56 PM CST 0 recs
Longwell adds to the lead
Vikings' drive went 37 yards in 9 plays and took 4:47 to accomplish.
Vikings 24, Giants 7, 3:16 left until halftime.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 1:13 PM CST 0 recs
Two-minute warning
Be interesting to see what the Vikings do here with a 17-point lead and a full complement of time outs.
Vikings 24, Giants 7, 1:58 left until halftime.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 1:18 PM CST 0 recs
And what we do is
Vikings 24, Giants 7, :45 until halftime.
by Gonzo on
Nov 25, 2007 1:24 PM CST
up
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And that's halftime
Man, I don't know if it's something we're doing on defense or if it's something with the Giants, but New York's passing game looks like a complete disaster so far. Against OUR pass defense, no less. "Surprised" isn't nearly accurate enough a word to describe what I'm feeling right now.
Vikings 24, Giants 7, halftime at The Mead. . .er, Giants Stadium.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 1:30 PM CST 0 recs
I do love the fact
Ah, well, if we can hold on to this one, maybe we'll start getting some respect.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 1:36 PM CST 0 recs
Tynes cuts into the lead
New York drive went 48 yards in 10 plays, taking 3:53 off the clock.
Vikings 24, Giants 10, 11:07 left in the third quarter. Vikings' first possession of the half coming up.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 1:50 PM CST 0 recs
Longwell makes it 17 again
The Vikings moved 69 yards on that drive in 14 plays, taking a whopping 9:24 off of the clock. One of the best drives this team has put together all season, to be sure.
Vikings 27, Giants 10, 1:43 left in the third quarter.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 2:06 PM CST 0 recs
Oh, and don't look now. . .
But I think young Tarvaris Jackson is starting to really "get it" out there.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 2:07 PM CST 0 recs
INTERCEPTION!
It looks like it's going to be challenged, though. . .and it should be overturned, because I'm pretty sure that Griffin never had possession of it.
That play ends the third quarter, regardless.
Minnesota 27, New York 10 after three quarters.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 2:13 PM CST 0 recs
Interception overturned
And, as it turns out, there's still :02 left in the third quarter. Who knew?
by Gonzo on
Nov 25, 2007 2:16 PM CST
up
0 recs
And, naturally
Damn it. . .Griffin should have paid more attention to the ball.
1st and 10, Giants, on the Minnesota 25 when we come back.
Vikings 27, Giants 10 after 3 quarters.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 2:18 PM CST 0 recs
TOUCHDOWN, VIKINGS!!
By God, that should just about ice it. I hope.
And Ryan Longwell, for aesthetic purposes, decides he'll bounce the extra point in off of the right upright.
Vikings 34, Giants 10, 13:41 left in the ball game.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 2:24 PM CST 0 recs
INTERCEPTION!!
Manning decides to hit Chad Greenway on this one instead, and Greenway takes it back 37 yards for a touchdown of his own.
Truly, I'm flabbergasted by this entire performance.
Vikings 41, Giants 10, 12:59 left to 5-6.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 2:29 PM CST 0 recs
Sorry for the lack of recent updates
Turns out that he is.
The Giants added a TD pass from Manning to Burress to make it 41-17, but then turned it over on downs, and the Vikings are now deep in Giants territory.
Vikings 41, Giants 17, 2:00 left to 5-6.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 2:58 PM CST 0 recs
And there's your ball game
I'm really sorry for doubting this team earlier in the day. Outstanding performance for the Vikings all around.
by Gonzo on Nov 25, 2007 3:03 PM CST 0 recs
Giants stadium
by JasonB on Nov 25, 2007 6:13 PM CST 0 recs
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