Giants First Playoff Opponent Will Be Eagles, Falcons, or Cardinals: With a first-round playoff bye, the Giants will have to wait two weeks for their first playoff game. Who their first opponent will be will depend on what transpires in the first-round of the NFC playoffs.
If the Eagles beat the Vikings, then the Giants will play the Eagles. If the Vikings beat the Eagles, then the Giants will play the winner of the Falcons-Cardinals first-round playoff game.
Giants Fall to Vikings in Regular-Season Finale, Lose CB Sam Madison: The New York Giants fell to the Minnesota Vikings 20-19 earlier today in Minneapolis as the Vikings kicked a game-winning 50-yard field goal as time expired.
The Giants finished the 2008 regular season 12-4, losing three of their last four games. Worse for the Giants, in what was a relatively meaningless game, the Giants lost reserve CB Sam Madison for the remainder of the season with a fractured ankle. TE Michael Matthews also left the game with an ankle injury as did S Michael Johnson with a thigh contusion.
The Giants were without a number of starters and sat down even more during the contest. HB Brandon Jacobs (knee), TE Kevin Boss (ankle/concussion), CB Aaron Ross (concussion), and DT Barry Cofield (knee) were all inactive. Players such as QB Eli Manning sat out after intermission.
Neither team impressed offensively in their first two possessions as each team was forced to punt twice in the first quarter. The Vikings then managed to put together an 8-play, 37-yard drive that resulted in a 48-yard field goal by PK Ryan Longwell.
In New York’s first three offensive possessions, the Giants gained only 37 yards and two first downs.
Facing 3rd-and-1 on Minnesota’s fourth possession, HB Adrian Peterson broke off a 67-yard touchdown run that gave the Vikings a 10-0 advantage in the second quarter.
The Giants responded with three consecutive drives that resulted in field goals before halftime. The first was set up by a 58-yard kickoff return by HB Ahmad Bradshaw. After gaining one first down, the Giants had a 33-yard touchdown run by a penalty. The Giants did not gain another first down on the drive, but PK John Carney kicked a 51-yard field goal. Vikings 10 - Giants 3.
Minnesota then went three-and-out on its next possession with reserve LB Bryan Kehl sacking QB Tarvaris Jackson on 3rd-and-10. The Giants then put together a 14-play, 79-yard drive that stalled at the Vikings’ 12-yard line. Carney kicked a 30-yard field goal. Vikings 10 - Giants 6.
On the Vikings’ ensuing and last possession before halftime, Minnesota faced a 2nd-and-1 from the Giants’ 39-yard line, but the Vikings were unable to pick up the first down on three consecutive plays, including 4th-and-1. The Vikings turned the football over on downs. The Giants then drove 38 yards in 8 plays to set up Carney for a 42-yard field goal as time expired. Vikings 10 - Giants 9 at the half.
The Giants received the ball to start the second half. New York drove 80 yards in 10 plays as QB David Carr hit WR Domenik Hixon for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Giants 16 - Vikings 10.
The Vikings gained one first down and then punted. The Giants went three-and-out on their second possession of the third quarter. The Vikings then drove from their own 34-yard line to the Giants’ 6-yard line, but on 2nd-and-goal, Jackson was intercepted by safety James Butler in the end zone. Butler returned the football 47 yards to the Giants’ 45-yard line (an unnecessary roughness penalty put the ball at the Vikings’ 40). The Giants drove to the Minnesota 2-yard line but were forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Carney in the 4th quarter. Giants 19 - Vikings 10.
The Vikings quickly responded with a 3-play, 66-yard touchdown drive as Jackson found WR Bernard Berrian for a 54-yard touchdown strike. Giants 19 - Vikings 10.
The Giants might have salted the game away on their next possession as the Giants drove from their 25 to the Vikings’ 28-yard line. But after a 2-yard sack, Carney missed a 48-yard field goal.
The Vikings’ final and game-winning possession started at their own 38-yard line. It took the Vikings nine plays to move the ball 30 yards. With five seconds left, Longwell kicked the game winner as time expired.
Offensively, the item of note was that Ward rushed 77 yards on 15 carries, breaking the 1,000-yard mark. The Giants became the fourth team in NFL history with two 1,000-yard rushers. Manning finished the game 11-of-19 for 119 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Carr finished 8-of-11 for 110 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Hixon was the leading receiver with four catches for 62 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, aside from the one big touchdown run by Peterson, the Giants did a nice job against the run as Minnesota was held to 110 yards rushing. Kehl and safety Michael Butler picked up sacks and Butler picked off one pass.
Highlights of the game are available at NFL.com.
Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s Post-Game Press Conference: The video of Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s post-game press conference is available at Giants.com.
Post-Game Player Media Q&A’s: The videos of the following post-game player media Q&A’s are available at Giants.com:
Post-Game Notes: Inactive for the Giants were HB Brandon Jacobs (knee), TE Kevin Boss (ankle/concussion), CB Aaron Ross (concussion), DT Barry Cofield (knee), LB Gerris Wilkinson (knee), WR Derek Hagan, DT Leger Douzable, and PK Lawrence Tynes.
The 2008 New
