Tag: playoffs

Longtime voice of primetime NFL games Al Michaels is not part of NBC's postseason plans.

NBC passes on Al Michaels, 26-year-old Noah Eagle gets playoff play-by-play gig

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NBC plans to use 26-year-old Noah Eagle as the play-by-play voice for its No. 2 NFL playoff broadcast crew in January, passing on venerable voice Al Michaels.

NBC “Sunday Night Football” tandem Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth have the call of the network’s primary playoff broadcast next month, but NBC declined to bring back Michaels for the second game. Instead, the college football broadcast team of Eagle and Todd Blackledge with sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen was assigned the No. 2 game.

Michaels, 79, reportedly earns $1 million per game in an agreement with Amazon that affords him the opportunity to accept assignments from NBC in his “emeritus” label granted when he left at the end of his last contract in 2022.

Michaels and Tony Dungy called the AFC wild-card game in Jacksonville last year, when the Jaguars rallied from a 27-point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers.

Eagle is the son of Ian Eagle, an established play-by-play announcer for CBS, TBS and TNT, working college basketball, NBA and NFL games. Noah Eagle replaced Ian Eagle on YES Network NBA broadcasts this season.

Noah Eagle, Blackledge and Tappen are also assigned to the NBC regular-season broadcast of Steelers-Bengals on Dec. 23 and the Nickelodeon kid-focused broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11.

Michaels has been the voice of primetime NFL coverage since 1986, first on “Monday Night Football” until he took the “Sunday Night Football” job alongside John Madden in 2006. He worked in the SNF role until the end of the 2021 season.

He currently calls Thursday night games streamed on Amazon Prime Video with analyst Kirk Herbstreit.

–Field Level Media

The 49ers jumped to the No. 1 seed in the NFC this month and officially clinched a playoff spot when the Packers lost to the Giants on Monday. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

49ers first team in playoffs; Bears, Giants close on wild-card teams

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Welcome to the 2023 playoffs, San Francisco 49ers.

And don’t look now, but howdy to New York Giants and Chicago Bears, both just one game out in an overflowing NFC wild-card chase.

San Francisco (10-3) stands as the No. 1 seed in the NFC entering Week 15. The 49ers received the initial entry into the NFL postseason by virtue of the Giants’ win over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.

The 49ers have the same record as the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys. San Francisco beat both teams in head-to-head matchups and can secure the NFC West division title this weekend.

Green Bay is one of five 6-7 teams in the NFC and holds the seventh and final playoff spot in the conference through 13 games.

Right behind the Packers are the Giants and Bears — 5-8 entering Week 15 — and still very much alive while also currently looking at top 10 draft picks based on their 2023 record. Chicago and Green Bay play in the regular-season finale Week 18 at Soldier Field.

The Baltimore Ravens (10-3) are alone in first place in the AFC following the loss by the Miami Dolphins (9-4) on Monday night to the Tennessee Titans.

Kansas City (8-5) and Jacksonville (8-5) lead their respective divisions by narrow margins to currently sit No. 3 (Chiefs) and No. 4 (Jaguars) in the conference.

At No. 5 are the Cleveland Browns (8-5), a game up on the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) and Indianapolis Colts (7-6).

The Colts play the Steelers on Saturday and Cleveland hosts the Bears.

Three teams with 6-7 records are angling for position in the NFC South. Tampa Bay, outscored 270-262 this season, is 5-4 in the NFC and own head-to-head victories of the Minnesota Vikings (7-6) and Bears with a trip to Lambeau Field to play the Packers this week.

–Field Level Media

May 6, 2022; Ashburn, Virginia, USA; Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera (R) talks with Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) during Washington Commanders rookie minicamp at Inova Performance Center In Ashburn, VA. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Ron Rivera senses pressure to make playoffs in Washington

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A new team owner brings new expectations, and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera confessed he feels pressure to make sure Josh Harris gets his money’s worth in 2023.

Harris, approved as owner of the Commanders last week, takes over a team with two playoff wins in the past 24 seasons — all on the watch of previous owner Dan Snyder.

Rivera, 61, went 8-8-1 last season and Washington missed the postseason for the sixth time in the team’s past seven seasons. Rivera is 22-27-1 since Snyder hired him before the 2020 season, and guided the team to the wild-card playoffs that year. He said the Commanders came “too close” the past two seasons not to sense a bit of pressure to make it back to the playoffs.

“Most certainly, I have a lot to prove. We put ourselves in a good position, we have a young team but with some vets in key positions,” Rivera said Tuesday. “I feel like I want to prove myself.”

Harris plans to be on the field observing his team Wednesday and could be involved in multiple facets of the decision-making process Snyder had placed in the purview of president Jason Wright and Rivera.

Rivera said Harris was direct about where the franchise was headed and how soon that direction needed to be established.

“I appreciate how forward he was about that — about winning, about developing, about growing, about culture,” Rivera said.

–Field Level Media

Dec 4, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) makes an adjustment as the Bengals go for it on 4th and 1 in the second quarter of a Week 13 NFL game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit:Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Burrow, Bengals target another win over Chiefs

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Only one quarterback in the NFL has three consecutive wins against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and he’ll have the striped orange helmet in the AFC championship game in Kansas City on Sunday night.

Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals (14-4) can return to the Super Bowl by eliminating Mahomes and the Chiefs (15-3) in the conference title game for the second year in a row.

“Last time we played him, he didn’t make a mistake all game,” Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said Wednesday of Burrow.

That last time was Dec. 4, a 27-24 win for the host Bengals that was near the middle of the team’s current 10-game winning streak.

Cincinnati’s most recent loss was to Cleveland on Halloween. Burrow would tie Russell Wilson for most wins (six) by a quarterback in their first three seasons if he can knock off the Chiefs again.

“He’s got an edge to him,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said of Burrow. “I like that in our quarterback.”

He hasn’t been intercepted in his past three playoff games. In three starts against the Chiefs, Burrow has nine TDs (one rushing), one interception and a combined passer rating of 121.

“They know us, we know them,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.

A takeaway on a fumble by Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce turned the game at Cincinnati at December in the fourth quarter, and kicker Harrison Butker missed a 55-yard field goal that would have sent the game into overtime.

Mahomes will start his fifth conference championship game. His overall playoff record is 9-3, and he has 32 touchdowns (28 TD passes, four rushing) and three interceptions in 10 career home playoff starts.

But Mahomes is dealing with a sprain of his upper right ankle. The initial sprain forced him out of the Chiefs’ divisional playoff win over the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. He returned to the game with limited mobility, completing 22 of 30 passes for a season-low 195 yards with two touchdowns and was not sacked.

The expectation from the Chiefs is more shotgun formation and the max-protection looks Kansas City showed in the second half of the divisional playoffs.

If he’s operating within a designed barricade in the pocket this week, the Chiefs know the drill. Even though Kansas City leads the NFL with pass attempts on the move, Mahomes also had an NFL-best 34 TD passes from the pocket (41 total TD passes).

“They’re just a physical team. They play physical, from start to finish, all four quarters,” Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said.

From Mahomes’ view behind center, he said the challenge of solving the Bengals’ defense is the ever-changing approach behind a defensive line without a weakness. In the AFC championship game last season, defensive end Trey Hendrickson had 1.5 sacks and Sam Hubbard had two sacks and a forced fumble.

To beat the Buffalo Bills last week, the Bengals used 10 designed cornerback blitzes, a look Mahomes said was rarely seen this season.

“They have no weakness,” Mahomes said.

With three starters on the offensive line injured and out at Buffalo last week, Burrow was rarely pressured. But protection could be a problem for the Bengals if left tackle Jonah Williams (knee) and right guard Alex Cappa (ankle) are out again. Neither practiced Wednesday.

Taylor said the Bengals leaned on running back Joe Mixon heavily last week (105 rushing yards at Buffalo) to get their fill-in linemen comfortable. The plan has also worked against the Chiefs. Kansas City runs nickel or dime base defense more than only four other teams in 2022.

“We can’t let Joe Burrow sit in the pocket and get rhythm throws. We have to force him out of the pocket,” Chiefs safety Justin Reid said. “We’re not gonna win the game if we don’t get sacks or turnovers.”

Wide receiver Mecole Hardman (pelvis) returned to practice, but Reid said the Chiefs will monitor him closely this week. Hardman didn’t play against the Jaguars and has been sidelined since Nov. 6.

The Chiefs aren’t expecting running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire to be activated from injured reserve. He has missed the past eight games.

If Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo shifts gears from a tendency to rush four, Burrow’s options in the passing game are led by wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase (513 career postseason receiving yards) and Tee Higgins (103 yards in last year’s AFC championship game).

Andy Reid is seeking his third Super Bowl appearance in four seasons and could find his former employer, the Philadelphia Eagles, on the other sideline in Arizona on Feb. 12. A Bengals’ win on Sunday would make Taylor the third head coach in NFL history to appear in two Super Bowls in his first four seasons.

–Field Level Media

Jan 22, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner (54) celebrates with teammates after an interception during the second quarter of a NFC divisional round game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Defense powers 49ers over Cowboys, into NFC title game

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Christian McCaffrey rushed for the tiebreaking touchdown and the San Francisco 49ers went on to a 19-12 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in Santa Clara, Calif., to advance to the NFC Championship Game.

Robbie Gould kicked four field goals and rookie Brock Purdy completed 19 of 29 passes for 214 yards as the second-seeded 49ers won their 12th consecutive game. George Kittle caught five passes for 95 yards for San Francisco, which eliminated Dallas from the postseason for the second straight year.

Dak Prescott was 23-of-37 passing for 206 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Cowboys. Prescott tied for the regular-season high of 15 interceptions before tacking on more miscues against the 49ers.

San Francisco will visit the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in next Sunday’s NFC title game. It is the 49ers’ third appearance in the past four seasons.

Deommodore Lenoir and Fred Warner had the interceptions for San Francisco.

CeeDee Lamb had 10 receptions for 117 yards for the fifth-seeded Cowboys.

Dallas lost running back Tony Pollard to a left ankle injury late in the second quarter. He was carted off the field.

McCaffrey’s 2-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter capped a 10-play, 91-yard drive and gave the 49ers a 16-9 lead.

Brett Maher booted a 43-yard field goal to move the Cowboys within four with 11:03 to play.

Gould kicked a 28-yard field goal with 3:04 remaining to restore the seven-point advantage.

Dallas was unable to threaten on its final drive before time ran out on its season.

Gould kicked three first-half goals to give San Francisco a 9-6 halftime lead.

Lenoir’s interception of Prescott set up Gould’s 26-yard field goal with 2:12 left in the opening quarter.

Dallas took a 6-3 lead on Prescott’s 4-yard pass to Dalton Schultz with 9:25 remaining in the second quarter. San Francisco’s Samson Ebukam used his left hand to block Maher’s extra point, his fifth such miss this postseason, one shy of the career playoff record held by Roy Gerela (1969-79).

Gould booted a 47-yard field goal to tie the score with 3:43 left. Warner intercepted Prescott at the 49ers’ 12 with 1:15 left and San Francisco took advantage with Gould’s 50-yard kick as time expired in the half.

Ray-Ray McCloud fumbled on a punt return early in the third quarter and Dallas’ Damone Clark recovered at the San Francisco 21. The Cowboys cashed in when Maher sent a 25-yard field goal through the middle of the uprights to tie it at 9 with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Jan 22, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) passes the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter of an AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals skate past Bills to reach another AFC title game

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Joe Burrow passed for 242 yards and two touchdowns and the Cincinnati Bengals rolled to a 27-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Orchard Park, N.Y., to return to the AFC Championship Game for the second straight season.

Joe Mixon rushed for 105 yards and one touchdown in the divisional round contest as third-seeded Cincinnati recorded its 10th straight victory. Ja’Marr Chase and Hayden Hurst had scoring receptions for the Bengals, who prevailed during game-long snowy conditions.

Josh Allen was 25-of-42 passing for 265 yards and one interception and also rushed for a touchdown for second-seeded Buffalo. Stefon Diggs had just 35 yards on four catches and the Bills were outgained 412 to 325 while seeing their eight-game winning streak come to an end.

The Bengals will visit the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday in a rematch of last season’s AFC title game. The Bengals won that contest 27-24 in overtime.

Burrow completed 23 of 36 passes while increasing his franchise record for playoff victories to five. Cincinnati racked up 30 first downs.

Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest 20 days earlier when these teams met in Cincinnati, attended the contest.

The Bengals led 24-10 after Mixon scored from the 1-yard line with 1:17 left in the third quarter. Mixon was initially ruled short of the goal line but Cincinnati challenged the result and the call was overturned by the replay review.

Cincinnati’s Evan McPherson made it a three-possession game with a 20-yard field goal with 11:22 left in the contest.

The Bills came up empty on their next drive when Allen’s fourth-and-6 pass from the Bengals’ 16 fell incomplete with 7:23 remaining. Allen was later picked off by Cam Taylor-Britt with 1:02 left.

Cincinnati had 18 first downs and outgained the Bills 274-135 in the first half to take a 17-7 lead at the break.

Burrow connected with Chase on a 28-yard touchdown pass on the game-opening drive and followed with a 15-yard scoring pass to Hurst on the second drive to make it 14-0 with 3:47 left in the first quarter.

Cincinnati 10 first downs in the opening period and Buffalo was outgained 160-8 without gaining a first down. But the Bills put together a 15-play, 75-yard drive in the second quarter with Allen scoring on a 1-yard sneak with 7:25 left in the half.

Burrow and Chase nearly teamed up for a 10-yard scoring pass late in the second quarter but a replay review displayed that Chase didn’t have possession of the ball while in the end zone. McPherson entered to kick a 28-yard field goal with 1:49 remaining.

Buffalo began the third quarter with a drive that took 7:18 but settled for Tyler Bass’ 25-yard field goal to trail 17-10.

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2019; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterbacks Eli Manning (10) and Daniel Jones (8) warm up prior to their game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Giants QB Daniel Jones received ‘little pep talk’ from Eli Manning

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During Monday night’s “ManningCast” of the Dallas Cowboys’ 31-14 wild-card win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Eli Manning discussed the advice he gave to his successor with the New York Giants.

Manning said Giants quarterback Daniel Jones reached out to him before his first playoff game Sunday, and Manning kept it brief with a “little pep talk.” The Giants went on to upset the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 and Jones drew plaudits for his performance.

“With Daniel, I never reach out to Daniel,” Manning said. “I told him, ‘I’m always a resource for you. I’m here for you. I’m not going to be the annoying guy like calling you and telling you what you should do or shouldn’t.’

“But he reached out and was kind of like, ‘Hey, first playoff game. Anything I need to know about?’ And I said, ‘Just play the way you’ve been playing. You don’t all of a sudden get to the playoffs and say I’ve got to try to change something or do something new.’ I said, ‘You’ve been playing great all year.’”

Manning said Jones asked if the old adage that the playoffs are “faster” had any truth behind it.

“I’m like, ‘That’s just something people say because they’ve got to say something,’” Manning said. “The speed’s the same. No one all of a sudden gets faster all of a sudden for this game. It’s just if people are playing harder, you’re going to play harder. … People are just going to the whistle.”

Jones completed 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns and added 78 rushing yards. He became the first player in NFL history to reach 300 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and 70 rushing yards in a playoff game.

Sunday marked New York’s first playoff victory since 2011, the second of two Super Bowl runs by Manning’s Giants. Manning was the MVP of both Super Bowls (XLII and XLVI) and started 234 games at quarterback for the Giants until his retirement following the 2019 season, the same year New York drafted Jones sixth overall.

The sixth-seeded Giants will visit the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night in the divisional round.

–Field Level Media

Jan 8, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs with the ball in front of New York Giants linebacker Tomon Fox (49) during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts rested, ready for Giants

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Quarterback Jalen Hurts use his bye week wisely to be ready for work as the Philadelphia Eagles hit the practice field Tuesday.

Hurts said he rested and reviewed his two regular-season wins over the New York Giants to prepare for the NFC Divisional playoff meeting Saturday.

“We put ourselves in this position by what we did all season, the consistency we had all season and the focus,” Hurts said. “I don’t think anything changes in terms of the process. The process remains the same … but the standard rises.”

Hurts sprained his right shoulder Dec. 18, meaning he’ll be five weeks removed from the initial injury when the No. 1 seed in the NFC hosts the divisional rival Giants in prime time Saturday. Hurts missed two games and returned to the lineup Jan. 8 to help the Eagles clinch the first-round bye and homefield advantage.

Head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t allow Hurts to throw in the team’s full practice last Thursday. He said the decision was precautionary with progress toward complete health for Saturday the main objective.

“(Hurts) is better than he was two weeks ago,” Sirianni said Tuesday, before Hurts was to be on the practice field without a limited designated for the first time since Dec. 16.

Philadelphia won the first meeting vs. the Giants 48-22 and took the Week 18 regular-season finale 22-16.

Cumulatively, Hurts had 16 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown, threw two TD passes and was intercepted once. But the Giants recorded seven sacks of Hurts in the defeats, which brings up the question of how much he can handle physically.

“It’s football, I got a bounty on me every week. I just gotta go out there and play my game,” Hurts said.

Giants head coach Brian Daboll knows exactly what he expects from Hurts, one of his prized pupils during one year working with Alabama head coach Nick Saban. In 2017, Daboll was a Tuscaloosa resident and on Alabama’s staff for the Crimson Tide’s national title win. During the championship game, Saban benched Hurts for Tua Tagovailoa.

“Tremendous person first and foremost. Highly competitive, extremely smart, great leader. He means a lot to me,” Daboll said. “He’s a winner. He’s a leader at that position. I think he can galvanize a locker room, which obviously he’s done. He’s made every throw he’s had to make. He’s tough to bring down when he runs, whether it’s designed runs or scrambles. He’s just gotten better and better. He’s as competitive and mentally tough as I’ve ever been around. Nothing rattles him.”

–Field Level Media

The Cincinnati Bengals celebrate a touchdown by wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) in the second quarter during an NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.The Ravens led 10-9 at halftime. Baltimore Ravens At Cincinnati Bengals Afc Wild Card Jan 15 105

Bengals knock off Ravens on historic fumble return TD

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Sam Hubbard scored on a 98-yard fumble return, the longest in postseason history, and Joe Burrow accounted for two touchdowns as the Cincinnati Bengals registered a 24-17 victory over the visiting Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night in the AFC wild-card round.

Logan Wilson had 10 tackles and forced the fumble on the game-changing play and Ja’Marr Chase had nine receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown for third-seeded Cincinnati. Burrow passed for 209 yards and one touchdown and rushed for another score for the Bengals, who won their eighth straight game and will visit the Buffalo Bills in next weekend’s divisional round.

Tyler Huntley passed for 226 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for sixth-seeded Baltimore. Huntley started in place of Lamar Jackson (knee), who missed his sixth consecutive game.

Huntley was involved in the big play that changed the momentum early in the fourth quarter.

The score was tied and the Ravens had third-and-goal from the Cincinnati 1-yard line when Huntley kept the ball and tried to lunge it over the goal line. But Wilson leaped and knocked the ball out of Huntley’s hands and right to Hubbard, who raced 98 yards to give the Bengals a 24-17 lead with 11:39 remaining in the contest.

Baltimore’s final drive was plagued by shaky time management and the last play came on fourth-and-20 from the Cincinnati 27. Huntley’s last-ditch throw into the end zone was deflected and the Ravens’ James Proche II was unable to grab it.

J.K. Dobbins and Demarcus Robinson caught touchdown passes for the Ravens.

Burrow scored on a 1-yard keeper and then threw a two-point conversion pass to Tee Higgins to give Cincinnati a 17-10 advantage with 5:02 left in the third quarter.

Baltimore knotted the score less than three minutes later as Huntley teamed up with Robinson on a 41-yard touchdown pass.

Baltimore possessed the ball for 12:34 of the second quarter while scoring 10 points to take a 10-9 halftime lead.

The Bengals received a 39-yard field goal from Evan McPherson in the opening quarter and Burrow’s 7-yard scoring pass to Chase on the opening play of the second quarter. McPherson missed the extra point, leaving Cincinnati up by nine.

The Ravens followed up the Bengals’ touchdown with a 17-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 10:03. Huntley tossed a 2-yard scoring pass to Dobbins in which the latter dove and barely got the ball to the goal line before his knee hit the turf.

Justin Tucker booted a 22-yard field goal with seven seconds left to give Baltimore the halftime advantage.

Cincinnati left tackle Jonah Williams exited in the second quarter with a left knee injury.

–Field Level Media

Jan 15, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) passes the ball against the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter of a wild card game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Giants upset Vikings in Daniel Jones’ strong playoff debut

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Daniel Jones accounted for 379 total yards in his first NFL playoff start and the sixth-seeded New York Giants pulled off a 31-24 wild-card upset of the third-seeded Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in Minneapolis.

Jones threw for 301 yards on 24 of 35 passes with two touchdowns while adding 78 yards on 17 rushes. That made him the first quarterback in playoff history to throw for more than 300 yards and two scores while adding more than 70 yards on the ground.

Saquon Barkley snapped a 24-24 tie on a 2-yard touchdown run with 7:47 left, carrying 325-pound defensive end and former teammate Dalvon Tomlinson into the end zone. Barkley rushed for 53 yards and a pair of scores while adding another 56 yards in the air.

Minnesota’s last possession ended with 1:44 left when tight end T.J. Hockenson was stopped 5 yards shy of first down by Xavier McKinney on a 4th-and-8 reception.

Kirk Cousins hit 31 of 39 passes for 273 yards and two scores, but it wasn’t enough to move the Vikings into the NFC semifinals. That spot goes to New York, which visits top-seeded Philadelphia next weekend. The Eagles won both games in the season series, including last weekend to clinch a bye week.

Minnesota initiated scoring on the game’s first possession, eating more than 6 ½ minutes of clock on a 75-yard drive that Cousins ended with a 1-yard sneak. New York countered with Barkley’s 28-yard touchdown run at the 5:11 mark.

The Giants made it 14-7 with 1:03 remaining in the first quarter when Jones zipped a 14-yard scoring strike to Isaiah Hudgins. At that point, New York had the ball for nine plays and gained a whopping 156 yards, totaling seven first downs.

The Giants’ next possession lasted 20 plays and 85 yards, chewing up nearly 11 minutes, before Graham Gano converted a 25-yard field goal with 3:25 left. The Vikings rallied within 17-14 at halftime when Cousins hit K.J. Osborn with a 9-yard touchdown pass 45 seconds before the break.

–Field Level Media