The New York Giants are the first road-winners of the 2023 NFL playoffs as the sixth-seeded G-Men, led by rookie head coach Brian Daboll headed into Minneapolis and beat the Minnesota Vikings, whom fellow rookie head coach Kevin O’Connell led.
Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley played terrific in this one for New York; Jones threw two touchdowns along with 301 passing yards and a team-high 78 rushing yards, while Barkley added 53 yards of his own on the ground along with two rushing touchdowns and 56 receiving yards.
The recipients of Jones’ touchdown passes were wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins who had eight catches for 105 yards and a score, as well as rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger who had two receptions for seventeen yards and a touchdown catch of his own.
As for Minnesota’s offense, Kirk Cousins ended the playoff loss with two throwing touchdowns and one running touchdown with 273 yards through the air; joining Cousins in the touchdown club was wideout K.J. Osborn.
Saquon Barkley was so locked in on watching film during the flight back from Minnesota.
Job’s not finished mentality.
pic.twitter.com/K4YaeyGkz7— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 16, 2023
The Giants held a commanding 17-7 win with a little over three minutes to go in the contest’s first half. Followed by another ten-point lead at 24-14 in the early part of the third quarter of play; the Vikings would race back up and tie it at 24 a piece in the very early part of the fourth quarter, and the Giants would score the finals points of the game on Saquon Barkley’s second rushing TD of the game with a little under eight minutes remaining in the final period which would end up being the game-winning touchdown to seal the deal for the Giants and win a road playoff game by a final score of 31-24.
Three rookie head coaches made it into the playoffs; just one remains as Miami’s Mike McDaniel and Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell have officially been eliminated; therefore, the Giants head man Brian Daboll remains the lone representative of first-year head coaches around the National Football League.
The Giants will look to keep their winning ways alive in an NFC East divisional showdown at Philadelphia against the Eagles on Saturday, January 21, at 8:15pm ET.
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