Giants' defense healthier than in first meeting with Vikings
The last time they played the Vikings, on Christmas Eve, the Giants' defense was not whole.
Linebacker Azeez Ojulari left the game after making a second-quarter sack of Kirk Cousins and having his ankle rolled up on by an offensive lineman.
Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson was unavailable, still recovering from injuring his knee while fielding a punt in Week 10 against the Lions.
And safety Xavier McKinney was parked on injured reserve with injuries to his hand, after an ATV accident during the Giants' bye week.
The Vikings won the game, 27-24, with their big playmakers — wide receiver Justin Jefferson, tight end T.J. Hockenson and cornerback Patrick Peterson— playing biggest.
Jefferson and Hockenson totaled 25 catches on 32 targets for 232 yards. Hockenson scored two touchdowns and Jefferson had one.
As these teams prepare to play Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs, the stakes are higher and the Giants' defense is healthier than it was three weeks ago.
On Wednesday, McKinney referred to himself as “a playmaker.” He will play, having returned for the New Year’s Day game against the Colts.
Ojulari said he will play. The ankle is good to go.
Jackson was not definitive, saying, “I’m not sure, we’re still taking it day by day.”
McKinney was more definitive, saying of Jackson: “Oh, yeah. He’s going to be there. He’s going to be there, for sure.”
McKinney laughed and Jackson smiled. Make of it what you will, for now.
Coach Brian Daboll offered this regarding Jackson’s availability: “I’d say with all our players, not just Adoree’, when they’re ready to play is when our medical staff feels comfortable with them playing. They have to feel comfortable. So we would never put a player out there that doesn’t feel ready or isn’t ready. So I think he’s made progress here the last couple weeks in practice. And hopefully he’ll continue to do that this week. But again, with all our guys, I’m encouraged with where we’re at.”
Ojulari sees the Giants defense coming together, particularly because the defensive front is whole again.
“Whenever we’ve had the chance to be out there all together, everything’s been good,” Ojulari said. “We’re working together and getting pressures and trying to be disruptive.”
(Ojulari stopped himself and laughed, realizing that referring to Dexter Lawrence as “disruptive” was selling his teammate short. “Dexter’s been a beast,” he said. “He’s been unblockable.”)
Part of the secret to the success of the Giants' defensive line comes from Lawrence and Leonard Williams being willing mentors.
“Dexter and Leonard, they both took me in as a rookie, gave me tips and clues just like they’re doing with Kayvon [Thibodeaux] now, and it helped us out tremendously, growing each week in this league for sure,” Ojulari said.
The confidence is high.
“I feel like when we’re all together [on the line], I think it’ll be good,” Ojulari said. “Just dominating, that’s what we want to do.”
While belief and confidence won’t guarantee a win Sunday, neither will hurt. The Giants are seeking their first postseason victory since the 2011 season.
“I just believe in us,” safety Julian Love said. “When you look at the season, [it] hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been a lot of fun because we’ve won a lot of close games and we’ve done a lot of key things in critical situations. Right now, everyone is fired up.
In his fourth year as a Giant, Love said the attention to detail has heightened.
“Everybody is excited,” he said. “I’ve been at home at this point in the season, so it’s exciting to be here.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
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