It's the Giants – for the third time this season! An outstanding all-around game from quarterback Daniel Jones and an error-free performance from the offense led the New York Giants to a 31-24 win on Sunday over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card Playoff round, meaning the Giants will come to Philadelphia next weekend for the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field.
The game will be on Saturday, January 21, at 8:15 PM on FOX.
It will be the third time the NFC East rivals have met this season. The Eagles won both of the earlier meetings – a Week 14 48-22 win at MetLife Stadium and a Week 18 22-16 victory in South Philadelphia. New York and Philadelphia have split four games in the postseason, with the Eagles winning the most recent game, 23-11 at Giants Stadium on January 11, 2009.
Jones was brilliant on Sunday at Minnesota, completing 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns against a strong Vikings pass rush, and when Jones had chances to run the football, including some designed runs, he broke down the Vikings with 78 ground yards on 17 attempts. The Giants also did an excellent job against All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, holding him to 7 catches for 47 yards after Jefferson had caught 12 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown against New York in Week 16, when the Vikings defeated New York, 27-24.
Minnesota struck first on Sunday, driving 75 yards on 12 plays to score a touchdown and take a 7-0 lead. But New York, resilient all season, scored the next 17 points on a Saquon Barkley 28-yard touchdown run, a Jones 14-yard scoring pass to Isiah Hodgins, and Graham Gano's 25-yard field goal. A Minnesota touchdown made it 17-14 at the half before the teams exchanged offensive body blows.
New York broke a 24-24 tie in the fourth quarter with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Barkley scoring from 2 yards out. The PAT made it 31-24 Giants and then New York's defense made the final stand, stopping Minnesota on a fourth-and-8 play at midfield to effectively end the game.
Jones then took a knee and it was all over.
And the NFC East rivalry, one that started in 1933, comes to Lincoln Financial Field for the postseason. New York, in its first playoffs since 2016 and with Head Coach Brian Daboll in his first season at the helm, won with a strong performance on the road on Sunday and will be a stern test for the Eagles. Philadelphia has won the last three games in the series.
