Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
GAMEDAY Open Thread and Updates: Vikings at Giants | Week 5
Welcome to Week 5!
The New York Giants (2-2) are looking to finish today with their first 3-2 start to a season since 2015. A win over the visiting Minnesota Vikings would also give the Giants their first three-game winning streak since 2016 when they won six straight from Week 6-12.
A Giants win today would improve rookie quarterback Daniel Jones' record as a starter to 3-0, which would put him in company with Phil Simms as the only rookie quarterback to win his first three starts. (Simms won his first four games as a rookie starter in 1979.)
The Vikings (2-2) are currently in last place in the NFC North, but don't let that lull you into thinking they will be a pushover. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook begins this week second in the league in rushing yards
The Vikings also have the sixth-best defense, allowing 312.8 points per game to opponents, and promise to be one tough customer for this Giants team.
Join us as we live-blog and discuss MINvsNYG here in this week's GAMEDAY Open Thread, and dive into the conversation. It's easy; go to the top of the site, and in the bottom right-hand corner of the NY Giants Maven masthead, click the FOLLOW button.
You can log in with Facebook or Google (if you don't have a Facebook or Google account, you can register for a free account by clicking on the LOGIN button on the bottom of the vertical menu on the left side of this page).
From there, sound off in the comment section with your reactions, observations, and questions as we react to the game in real-time.
Pregame
You can bet the network would love nothing more than to see Saquon Barkley in a game against the defending World Champions whose run defense is currently ranked second (61.2 yards per game) ahead of the start of Week 5 games.
But I still think we need to pump the brakes here as history isn't necessarily on Barkley's side.
Olivier Vernon rushed back from a high ankle sprain that ended up becoming a multi-year injury for him. So did Odell Beckham Jr. In both cases, it didn't end well for either player.
The Giants aren't Super Bowl contenders yet, so let's hope they're smarter this time around and have learned from history about letting players with high ankle sprains rush back just to appease a network.
Shurmur Catches Up with Vikings Staff
Giants head coach Pat Shurmur usually doesn't make a pre-game appearance on the field, but this week is an exception.
Shurmur came out on the MetLife Stadium field early to catch up with members of the Vikings coaching staff.
The Giants head coach was on Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer's staff for two seasons before being hired by the Giants.
Saquon Doing Some Pregame Work
Saquon Barkley won't play today, but that didn't stop him from coming out on the field to do some warmups.
As previously noted, Barkley is reportedly targeting a return next week, but we'll see if he meets that goal.
Inactives
For the Giants, three of the seven players who are inactive are linebackers.
Here is the official list:
Check out this more in-depth article that talks about what they're going to do given these injuries, plus hear from David Mayo on his chance to wear the radio in his helmet this week.
Mayo Gets the Green Dot
No surprise here, but ILB David Mayo has the green dot on the back of his helmet, meaning he'll get the calls from defensive coordinator James Bettcher.
Engram Breaks Down the Huddle
For the second week in a row, tight end Evan Engram broke down the Giants huddle at midfield. Engram has been doing the final pre-game pep talk with linebacker Alec Ogletree sidelined.
Big Day Ahead for Giants Interior?
The Giants starting defensive front--Dalvin Tomlinson, BJ Hill, and Dexter Lawrence--has five quarterback hits and just one sack. Might today be a breakout showing for that trio?
The NFL's "A Crucial Catch" Campaign Kicks Off
Giant Captains/Coin Toss
Antoine Bethea, Zak DeOssie, Nate Solder, and Mike Thomas represented the Giants at midfield for the coin toss. The Giants won the toss and defer.
First Quarter
Minnesota is making this look too easy, as they're driving down the field using play action.
Kirk Cousins found Adam Thielen, who had exploited the soft spot in the Giants zone coverage. Giants defenders are also having trouble disengaging from blocks at the point of attack.
the Giants have Sean Chandler playing the slot so far in anticipation against the run. Chandler is stouter against the run. Haley moves into the slot on passing downs.
Giants second-year DT R.J. McIntosh recors his first NFL sack for minus 9 yards to knock the Vikings out of the red zone.
STAT: Kirk Cousins was sacked 22 times on 3rd down last season -- tied for 5th most among QBs in NFL
Vikings settle for a 31-yard field goal by K Dan Bailey. Minnesota 3 - Giants 0.
The Giants now go on offense for the first time. They are the only team left in the NFL who has scored on each of their opening drives. Can they keep the streak alive?
STAT: The Vikings defense has allowed 197.0 Passing Yards per game (7,092/36) since the start of the 2017 season -- 2nd best in NFL; League Avg: 232.6
Jones took a huge hit when LB Anthony Barr came through untouched and ended up overthrowing wide open Sterling Shepard, who could have walked in for the touchdown.
Wayne Gallman is in the tent being evaluated for a head injury after being walloped on a running play.
Jon Hilliman took the last two running plays. Besides Hilliman, the only other healthy RB on the Giants is Eli Penny.
And the Giants streak of scoring on their opening drive comes to an end. But the good news is the Giants punt coverage team has done it again, pinning the Vikings at their 1-yard line.
The Giants' zone coverage today leaves something to be desired. The Giants just let Minny convert another 3rd and long and they went right after slot CB Grant Haley.
The Vikings are having success running play-action boots to the right. Their last four plays: 15-yard pass, 8-yard pass, 23-yard pass, 19-yard Mattison run. And the Giants have a couple missed tackles on them.
Jabrill Peppers was shaken up on a tackle but walked off the field under his own power. He is now back in the game.
That will do it for the first quarter. Vikings lead the Giants 3-0, and are threatening to punch it in, as they'll have 3rd-and-4 on the Giants 15-yard line to start the second quarter.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins went 9-of-10 for 119 yards in the first quarter. Not bad for a guy who has been under fire of late.
Second Quarter
On the first play of the quarter, Cousins connects with Thielen (who beat Grant Haley) on third down for a 15-yard touchdown score capping a 98-yard scoring drive. Vikings 10 - Giants 0
Ballentine returns a kickoff for 52 yards to give the Giants the ball at midfield. Meanwhile no sign of Wayne Gallman, who was dinged in the first quarter.
And the Giants are on the board thanks to a 35-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Darius Slayton, who managed to get a couple of steps of separation in the end zone against CB Xavier Rhodes with 12:08 left in the quarter.
That's the rookie's first career touchdown. Vikings 10 - Giants 7
STAT: The Vikings defense allowed 0.9 TD passes per game (15/16) last season -- best in NFL.
Rookie LB Josiah Tauaefa is now in the game taking his first regular-season NFL snaps.
Meanwhile, Janoris Jenkins just gets flagged for illegal use-of-hands on third down which negated a sack. The Giants defense is getting killed on third down today.
INJURY UPDATE: Giants say Wayne Gallman is out of the game with a concussion. Jon Hilliman will likely carry the running game the rest of the way.
Giants defense holds this time and thee Vikings settle for a 48-yard field goal. Minnesota 13- Giants 7 with 7:51 left.
Slump? What Slump? Kirk Cousins has completed 14 of 16 passes (87.5%) so far this game. Cousins' high during a game since the 2017 season is 83.3% (His Average: 67.1%).
The Giants have no answers for these designed rollouts and crossing routes by Cousins. None. And the missed tackles are adding up.
STAT: Adam Thielen has caught 5 passes for 111 yards (22.2 YPR). Thielen's high during a game this season is 15.0 YPR (Average: 13.8).
BIG PLAY ALERT: RB Dalvin Cook was on his way to the end zone when safety Jabrill Peppers stripped him of the ball. LB Tuza Skipper recovered the ball on the Giants 1-yard line.
So much for the turnover. On the Giants' first play following the turnover, RB Jon Hilliman was tackled in the end zone for a safety by Anthony Barr. That was a BAD play call by the Giants. Vikings 15-Giants 7.
And Davin Cook takes a screen pass for 24 yards. Vikings are driving again.
The undermanned Giants linebacking corps is getting gashed every which way by screens, play-action--you name it.
Dexter Lawrence comes up with a huge sack for minus 11 yards to bring up a 4th and 14 and a 32-yard Vikings field goal. The conversion is good. Vikings 18 - Giants 7.
Well so much for giving Jones one more chance before the half. Ifaedi Odenigbo sacks Jones for minus 12 yards and the Giants' drive stalls
It's Vikings 18 - Giants 7 at the half.
Halftime Stats
It's been al Vikings so far. Minnesota has 16 first downs and has converted 57% of their third-down attempts. Minnesota also has 351 yards of total offense to the Giants' 92, and have dominated the time of possession, 20:40 to 9:20.
Kirk Cousins is 19 of 23 for 278 yards, 1 TD and 131.5 rating. That's an 82.6% completion rate, by the way.
Also, Adam Thielen has caught all six pass targets for 121 yards and 1 touchdown. That's a full day's work for some receivers.
The Giants are 2 of 5 on third down. The Vikings defense has allowed 38.7 Passing Yards per game (1,392/36) on 3rd down since the start of the 2017 season -- the best in NFL.
Third Quarter
1st-and-10 (13:34) Xavier Rhodes gets called for a big horse-collar tackle against Darius Slayton on a Giants 1st-and-10 to set up the ball at the Giants 48.
The drive, however, appeared to stall for the Giants who were set to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Aldrick Rosas.
But a personal foul against Linval Joseph, who made contact with Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie, on the field goal attempt gave the Giants a fresh set of downs.
Jones was sacked by Danielle Hunter for a loss of 10 yards on a play in which Jones should have thrown the ball away.
The Giants then drew an illegal man downfield penalty when center Jon Halapio was past the line of scrimmage before the ball.
After losing nine yards after the penalty, the Giants settled for a 32-yard field goal by Rosas. Giants really needed to come away with a touchdown there. Vikings 18 - Giants 10.
DeAndre Baker comes up with a solid tackle of Cook to stop him for three yards and then goes and draws a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for taunting. Not smart there, rookie.
And Cook responds with a big 41-yard rush to set up a 1st-and-goal from the Giants' 9-yard line. That set up Thielen's second touchdown reception of the day. Vikings 25 - Giants 10.
INJURY WATCH: Receiver Sterling Shepard was just escorted off the field following an incomplete deep pass so he can be evaluated for a head injury. Shepard just returned last week from a concussion.
There is the break the Giants offense needed. Jones' deep pass to Cody Latimer falls incomplete but the Vikings are flagged for defensive pass interference, which Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is challenging. The play stands as called and the Vikings lose a time out.
STAT: Daniel Jones has completed 7 of 8 passes (87.5%) on first down. Jones's high during a game since the 2017 season is 66.7% (His Average: 67.9%).
STAT: Daniel Jones has completed 14 of 22 passes (63.6%). His low since the 2017 season is 63.9% (Average: 69%).
Meanwhile, Giants receiver Sterling Shepard is out of the medical tent and is back on the field.
The Vikings get called for another penalty, this one on Xavier Rhodes for illegal contact on a pass intended for Golden Tate in the red zone. Automatic Giants first down.
Unfortunately, the Giants once again went backward. There was an incomplete pass to tight end Evan Engram in the end zone (wich sure looked like defensive pass interference that went nowhere.
On 4th-and-2, Joens was sacked by Danielle Hunter, Hunter's second sack of the day. This one went for minus nine yards and ended the Giants scoring drive at the Vikings' 3-yard line.
STAT: Daniel Jones has completed 4 of 8 passes (50%) on third down. His low since the 2017 season is 55.6% (Average: 73.7%).
Following the change of possession on downs, Giants edge rusher Markus Golden recorded a sack against Cousins to close out the third quarter.
End of Quarter Score: Minnesota 25, Giants 10.
Fourth Quarter
The Vikings finally punt. Huzzah! And for those wondering, Golden Tate was deep to field it.
This Vikings defense is just too much for the Giants to handle. Nate Solder was beaten on a sack by Griffen for minus-four yards.
The Giants again went for it on fourth down and again came up empty. This time, head coach Pat Shurmur decided to challenge that there was DPI, but the play stood as called. Vikings ball.
The Vikings are, at this point looking, to run the clock out. The Giants, meanwhile, who are so severely strapped at linebacker, are playing nickel to try to stop the bleeding.
Speaking of bleeding, the Giants tackling has been awful in this game, I've counted seven missed tackles, but I'm sure there is more.
And speaking of more, Bailey added a 45--yard field goal to ice the win, not that the Vikings needed the extra points. Minnesota 28, Giants 10.
Jones gets picked off by Anthony Barr in a pass intended for Golden Tate. Interestingly, Sterling Shepard was not on the field for that drive.
Daniel Jones will get his first loss as a starting quarterback thanks in part to an undermanned linebacker unit and no running game. And he will fail to match Phil Simms' streak of four straight wins as a starter in his rookie season.
Jones will finish the game 21 of 38, 182 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. He was sacked 3 times.
Final Score
The Vikings pound the Giants, 28-10 as New York falls to 2-3. Stay tuned for postgame coverage and reactions.
Connect with the NY Giants Maven!
Giants Maven Weekly Fan Friday Mailbag
Want to participate in our Friday Fan Day mailbag? Send your questions to us at nygiantsmaven@gmail.com.
Giants Maven Social Media
Follow Patricia on Twitter @Patricia_Traina and don’t forget to check out and like our Facebook page.
Sign up for our free newsletter
Sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Giants news, notes, and more delivered to your inbox!
Can’t get enough Big Blue news and analysis?
Subscribe to the FREE LockedOn Giants podcast, your daily podcast featuring all things New York Giants, available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, FM Player and wherever else podcasts are offered.
