Giants Lose Tight One in Minnesota on Historic 61-yard Field Goal

 As I wrote for Fox Sports New Jersey 

VIKINGS 27 - GIANTS 24

It was another epic for two teams accustomed to playing close games. For the Giants, and certainly Giants' fans, they had to be well aware of what was going around them.

While Big Blue held a 13-10 lead midway through the third quarter, the Lions and Seahawks were on their way to getting rolled by the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, meaning if Big Blue could hold on the Giants would clinch a playoff berth.

But it wasn't to be.

Sure there were moments where the Giants could have done just a little bit more to put this game away, and prevent the miracle finish that later ensued in Minnesota.

On the drive that resulted in a Graham Gano field goal that made it 13-10 G-Men, the Giants had the ball at the Vikings' 19 when Nick Gates was called for a false start penalty on second and six. Two plays later, Jones was sacked forcing the Giants to settle for three. They would have preferred seven.

The Vikings would quickly answer as Kirk Cousins drove the Vikes 75-yards in 12 plays for the go-ahead score. It was a scoring drive that wouldn't have happened had rookie safety Cor'Dale Flott held onto an Cousins interception. Instead his drop at the last second gave the Vikings renewed life.

Cousins drove the Vikings down field the rest of the way until hitting tight end T.J. Hockenson in the corner of the end zone to make it 17-13.

The miscues would continue for Big Blue in the fourth quarter. Daniel Jones was picked off on a pass i intended for Isiah Hodgins, and rookie wide out Richie James would drop a couple of huge passes. Then there was the blocked punt that helped set up Cousin's touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson that put the Vikings up 24-16.

Give credit to Big Blue, despite the hole the dug for themselves, they never gave up. Jones hit Darious Slayton for 32-yards on a critical third and two. Three plays later, Jones scrambled for eight yards to the Vikings 27.

Facing a now-or-never fourth and two, the Giants ran it up the gut with Saquon Barkely who broke a tackles and dashed like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer into the end zone for the score. Finally Jones hit Daniel Bellinger in the back of the end zone to tie it up at 24.

Unfortunately for Big Blue, they couldn't stop another Vikings miracle as Greg Joseph connected on a 61-yard field goal to win it with time expiring in regulation.