In Game 4 of the NFL playoffs this season, Minnesota became the first top-seeded team to lose as the No. 6 New York Giants defeated the No. 3 Vikings 31-24 in Sunday’s Super Wild Card Weekend contest. became.<\/p>\n
New York safety Xavier McKinney, a former Alabama standout, tackled Minnesota tight end T.J. Hockenson for a 4-down pass short of the line to seal the Vikings’ final possession with 1:44 remaining. Finished. On the previous play, former Saraland High School star Giants cornerback Cordell Flott had broken a pass to Vikings wide receiver KJ Osborne.<\/p>\n
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Hockenson had 10 receptions for 129 yards on Sunday.<\/p>\n
“I knew it was four down and I knew I had to play,” McKinney said. \u201cI knew[Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson]doubled, and I knew I had one job, and that was to stop. .”<\/p>\n
The New York defense held on to their touchdown lead, and Saequon Barkley’s second scoring run broke the tie 24-24 with 7:47 left.<\/p>\n
Until Barkley’s 2-yard touchdown carry, every yard on the Giants’ 12-play, 75-yard drive was a pass and run by quarterback Daniels Jones and two Minnesota penalties.<\/p>\n
Jones completed 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, and ran for 78 yards on 17 carries. Jones became the first player in NFL postseason history to record at least he 300 passing yards, two he TD passing, and 70 yards rushing in one game.<\/p>\n
“He played well,” Giants coach Brian Dabor said. “Winning Football”.<\/p>\n
For the New York vs. Minnesota game, eight players from Alabama high schools and colleges took to the field.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Giants inside linebacker Landon Collins (Alabama) made one tackle.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Giants offensive tackle Corey Cunningham (Montevallo) is on the practice team and is ineligible to play.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Giants cornerback Cordell Flott (Saraland) broke one pass.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Xavier McKinney (Alabama) started safe for the Giants. McKinney led New York with his eight tackles, and in the second game he broke one pass after a broken finger kept him out seven weeks.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (Spain Park) was dressed but not in the game.<\/p>\n
Evan Neal (Alabama) started right-attack tackle for the Giants.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Giants cornerback Aaron Robinson (Alabama) is on the injured reserve and ineligible to play.<\/p>\n
Darius Slayton (Auburn) is the starting wide receiver for the Giants. Slayton he caught four passes for 88 yards and ran for 3 yards for him. Slayton had New York’s longest play from scrimmage with a 47-yard reception to start his second scoring drive for the Giants in the first quarter.<\/p>\n
Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) caught a 3-yard touchdown pass with 7:46 left in the third quarter as Minnesota started the rally from a 24-14 deficit. Smith was playing in the second game after returning from a nine-game absence due to his ankle injury.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Zadarius Smith (Greenville) is the starting outside linebacker for the Vikings. Smith made three tackles and recorded one tackle in the loss.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama) starts at the Vikings’ defensive end. Tomlinson made four tackles and recorded one tackle.<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Giants defensive lineman Nick Williams (minor, Samford) is on injured reserve and ineligible to play.<\/p>\n
Slayton had an opportunity to practically close the game, but dropped a third-down pass with 3:03 remaining.<\/p>\n
“I said, ‘Keep your head up.’ You made a lot of good plays for us.”<\/p>\n
“He’s a very good teammate. He’s done everything he could for us all year and, as you know, he makes physical mistakes. That happens in football. And he made it in a critical time, and nobody feels as bad as him. We’ll need him when we get back there. Let’s get ready to go.”<\/p>\n
Minnesota dominates the NFC North with a 13-4 record, and the Giants, who won 27-24 on December 24, are 9-7-1 and qualified for the postseason as the NFC’s second wild-card team. I got<\/p>\n
The Giants will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round next weekend. The San Francisco 49ers will face the winner of Monday night’s game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.<\/p>\n
As the NFC’s No. 1 seed, the Eagles received a first-round bye. In his NFC East games this season, New York lost to Philadelphia on December 11, where he lost 48-22, and on January 8, where he lost 22-16.<\/p>\n Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. catches a touchdown pass during the NFL playoff game against the New York Giants at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, January 15, 2023.(Photo by Stephen Maturen\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n see more <\/b>AL.COM<\/b>NFL coverage, go to us <\/b>NFL page<\/b><\/p>\n Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter. <\/i>@AMarkG1<\/i><\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney passed a pass to Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson during an NFL playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, January 15, 2023. I broke it.(AP Photo\/Bruce Kluckhohn)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"Minnesota](\"https:\/\/www.al.com\/resizer\/ipc9DpqHMHE_s25aeeaxhxT10dM=\/1280x0\/smart\/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com\/advancelocal\/VOS6NBKJCFABJDBORRFMXAOC5Y.jpg\")
![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.al.com\/resizer\/_bRzTQqI_yddq5z-xPsXTc6IVMk=\/1280x0\/smart\/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com\/advancelocal\/FASRIKMSWBFPFOW5IWXJENJG7A.jpg\")