The Giants have defeated the Vikings 31-24. New York will face the Eagles next week in the NFC divisional round of the playoffs.
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New York Giants beat Minnesota Vikings in NFL playoffs as Saquon Barkley and Darius Slayton shine
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Daniel Jones passed for 301 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 78 yards in his first career playoff game for the New York Giants, a 31-24 victory over Minnesota in the wild-card round that gave the Vikings their first loss in 12 one-score games this season.
Saquon Barkley rushed for two scores, including the tiebreaker midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants' defense finished off the franchise's first playoff win since the Super Bowl 11 years ago by swarming tight end T.J. Hockenson after a 3-yard catch on a pass from Kirk Cousins at midfield on fourth-and-8. The Vikings turned the ball over on downs with 1:44 to go and no timeouts left.
Jones became the first quarterback in NFL history with 300-plus passing yards, two-plus passing touchdowns and 70-plus rushing yards in a postseason game as first-year head coach Brian Daboll's Giants advanced to play No. 1 seed and NFC East rival Philadelphia in the divisional round next weekend.
Jaylon Smith celebrates after the NFL Wild Card football game against the Minnesota Vikings
The New York Giants won their first NFL playoff game since the Super Bowl 11 years ago
It was a bad night for Minnesota, and their quarterback Kirk Cousins (pictured after the game)
'We did what we wanted to do, come out with a win,' Barkley said. 'Celebrate on the way back, watch film, learn from it and get ready for Philly.'
Isaiah Hodgins and Daniel Bellinger had touchdown receptions for New York.
Cousins went 31 for 39 for 273 yards and two scores and a rushing touchdown to cap the game's opening possession, the too-short throw to Hockenson his one glaring mistake. Justin Jefferson, the NFL's leading receiver, had only one catch after halftime and finished with 47 yards.
The Vikings stayed on brand by facing 10-point deficits late in the second quarter and again early in the third quarter.
Cousins, who delivered all kinds of on-target throws as he was knocked to the turf by the blitz-fueled Giants defense, hit Irv Smith Jr. for a short touchdown pass that brought the Vikings within three at 24-21.
Daniel Jones of the New York Giants looks to pass during the fourth quarter against the Vikings
Giants running back Saquon Barkley looks to get past Minnesota Vikings' Camryn Bynum
T.J. Hockenson runs with the ball and evades the tackle by New York Giants safety Julian Love
Then a funny thing happened - the defense got a stop.
Danielle Hunter´s sack forced the first Giants punt, and the Vikings went the other way for the tying field goal. They left behind some crucial points, though, when Cousins ran successful sneak on fourth-and-1 at the 15 that was negated by a false start on left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
Jones converted a penalty-free fourth-and-1 sneak on the next drive for the Giants. Barkley - who had 109 total yards on only 14 touches - chugged into the end zone for the lead with 7:47 to go.
The Giants and Vikings were among seven teams in the playoffs that missed out last season, a six-year absence for the Giants that ended with their 9-7-1 finish under Daboll to grab a wild-card spot.
Vikings coach Kevin O´Connell was a first-timer on the job, too, directing a 13-4 division champion team that - in an NFL season with a record number of close margins and comeback wins - set an all-time mark by going 11-0 in one-score games.
Coach Brian Daboll reacts after an NFL wild card football game against the Minnesota Vikings
Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. makes a catch for a touchdown against the New York Giants
Five years and one day after Case Keenum´s 61-yard last-play touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs gave the Vikings a 29-24 victory over New Orleans in the divisional round, Cousins finally got a postseason game in Minnesota in his fifth season with the team.
His injured right tackle Brian O´Neill led the crowd in the pregame 'Skol' chant, helping crank up the decibel level. The fans went wild in the first quarter when franchise leading rusher Adrian Peterson was shown on the videoboard for an interview.
The Giants, having played here just three weeks ago, were clearly unfazed by the noise. They cruised for 166 yards on their first nine plays for touchdowns on their first two drives, then gained 90 yards in a whopping 20 plays for a field goal and a 17-7 lead.
The Vikings' season has come to a premature end; Josh Metellus and Garrett Bradbury (L-R)
A Vikings fan looks dejected at the end of the game at US Bank Stadium on Sunday night
Jones took advantage of the typically deep drops by Vikings linebackers into their coverages to run free when he didn´t see anyone open. Usually he did, with Hodgins and Slayton especially successful at working the spaces in the zone in the middle of the field.
The Vikings punted twice, both on what-could-have-been drives in the first half.
On third-and-1 at their own 34, O´Connell called a trick play that resulted in a 2-yard loss on a throwback pass from Jefferson to Cousins. Then on second-and-3 at their own 47, a wide-open Smith dropped a short throw to the sideline before another incompletion.
Scroll down to recap how all the action unfolded with DailyMail.com's live blog...
00:49
Thats the game folks and boy was it a good one
00:48
Giants defense gets game clinching stop on 4th down
The Vikings are unable to convert a 4th&8 and will hand the ball back to NY with no timeouts left.
00:43
It's the two minute warning in the fourth quarter
The Vikings have the ball and are trying to reach the endzone to keep their season alive
00:40
Darious Slayton drops a crucial pass for NY
Slatyon's drop on third and long not only gives the Vikings the ball back but also stops the clock as we reach crunch time
00:35
Giants convert another big first down
Daniel Jones converts a QB sneak on 4th&1 as they try to run down the final three minutes and change on the clock
00:25
New York has another player down
This time safety Jason Pinnock was injured defending the kickoff after Barkley's touchdown. He was carted off after being helped onto the cart in clear distress.
00:20
Its another trip to the endzone for Saquon Barkley
Following a successful conversion on fourth and short, Saquon powers his way through the defense to score for his second time today. Following the extra point the score is Giants 31-Vikings 24
00:06
We're all tied up here in the fourth quarter
A 38-yard field goal from Greg Joseph ties the game up at 24-24
23:53
Kayvon Thibodeaux is now down
Thibodeaux had his hand taped on the sideline after it was stepped on by an offensive lineman
23:40
And just like that the touchdowns keep on coming
After the extra point the score is Giants 24- Vikings 21
23:36
Vikings are still fighting back
Two big passing plays have the Vikings offense in shouting distance of the endzone
23:33
Giants edge rusher out rest of game
Azeez Ojulari has been ruled out the remainder of the game with a quad injury
23:32
And we have another touchdown to start the half
Following the extra point the score is Giants 27- Vikings 14
23:29
The second half is back underway
The Giants once again have the ball to start the half
23:08
And that brings us to a close to an entertaining first half
The score as we head into half time is Giants 17-Vikings 14
23:04
And just like that the Vikings have scored points before the end of the half
Following the extra point the score is Giants 17-14 Vikings. There are only 45 seconds left in the half.
22:59
We've reached the two-minute warning in the second quarter
Minnesota is trying to narrow the deficit before the half comes to an end
New York kicks a field goal after clock killing drive
After running 18 plays and taking nearly 11 minutes off the clock the Giants convert a 25-yard field goal to make the score Giants 17-7 Vikings
22:47
Giants offense once again knocking on the door of the endzone
The Giants have eaten up majority of the quarter on this drive which has currently reached 16 plays and eaten 10 minutes off the clock
And that's the end of the first quarter
The score is currently Giants 14 - 7 Vikings
22:24
Giants take the lead on a second touchdown
Following the extra point New York leads 14-7.
22:23
Giants offense still rolling
Despite seeing the Vikings offense stall out after back-to-back scores New York's offense has made it to the redzone after multiple big plays
22:17
After two straight touchdown drives we finally have a punt
Following Minnesota's punt it's Giants ball at their own 19-yard line
22:15
Justin Jefferson is cooking
Jefferson already has five catches in the first quarter
Saquon breaks a big one for a touchdown run
Following the extra point the score is tied at 7-7
22:04
One drive one touchdown
After Justin Jefferson's touchdown is overturned, Kirk Cousins takes the ball in for a one-yard touchdown. Following the extra point the score is Vikings 7-0 Giants
21:54
First play of the game goes to the NFL's leading receiver
Justin Jefferson catches the ball for a first down on the Vikings first play
21:52
We're underway in Minnesota folks
The Vikings offense will start things off with the ball at the 25-yard line following the kickoff
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The university stressed a fair, diligent process while also emphasizing player safety to be its top priority. Northwestern said it had been made aware of the allegations after the 2022 season.
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21:10
Things got a little during today's first game, will this be a common theme throughout the night?
After Xavien Howard got a huge 49-yard return. Allen was clearly frustrated and seemingly took it out on Miami defensive tackle Wilkins, which led to an all-out scuffle between both teams.
20:57
Daniel Jones is in the house and in the zone...
20:53
Bills currently hold a narrow lead over the Dolphins
The playoff action is already well underway today as the Buffalo Bills are currently playing the Miami Dolphins.
It's been a thrilling, tight contest so far with the Dolphins rallying back from 14-0 down to monetarily take the lead before Josh Allen and Co. tried to fend them off.
You can keep up with the action from that wild card game before the Giants kick off below...
Follow all the action as the NFL postseason continues with the Miami Dolphins' trip to Orchard Park to face MVP contender Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills with DailyMail.com's live blog...
20:37
Good afternnon!
Good afternoon and welcome to DailyMail.com's live blog as the New York Giants take on the Minnesota Vikings in their first playoff game in six seasons.
Host commentator