Giants make it nine straight losses as they fall to Vikings
Jaxson Dart of the New York Giants runs back to the sidelines after throwing an interception against the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Sunday was the start of the winter solstice, but for the Giants, it meant Christmas sadness instead of cheer.
A 16-13 loss to the Vikings at MetLife Stadium was the Giants’ ninth consecutive loss. Even though the Vikings played backup quarterback Max Brosmer for the entire second half, the Giants (2-13) couldn’t find their first win since Oct. 9.
With two games left, they are one loss shy of tying the franchise record for consecutive losses set last season. For the second straight year and third time in five years, they have lost at least 13 games, and they are tied with the Raiders — whom they will play in Las Vegas on Sunday — for the NFL’s worst record.
“It’s just a new experience I’ve never been through before,” said quarterback Jaxson Dart, who lost 10 games in three seasons with Ole Miss. “It doesn’t make it any easier than what it is. You just try to do your best to stay positive as much as you can.”
Fittingly, the loss was sealed on a running play, an Achilles’ heel all season for the Giants’ defense. On third-and-8 with 1:48 left, Aaron Jones ran for a 9-yard gain and the Vikings (7-8) walked away with their third consecutive win.
The Giants also lost several key players to injuries. Left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring), center John Michael Schmitz (right hand) and cornerback Cor’Dale Flott (knee) exited the game.
Interim coach Mike Kafka didn’t have any updates, but Thomas said he would have an MRI on Monday.
“I don’t want to miss any games. I already missed enough,” said Thomas, who sat out the first two games this season while recovering from foot surgery. “If I can go, I’ll go.”
Guard Jon Runyan Jr., whose wife is expecting their first child, was inactive. The Giants played the entire fourth quarter with three backup offensive linemen.
It didn’t help an offense that had its worst showing this season. They didn’t score a touchdown while leaning heavily on the running game. The Giants ran 17 plays before Dart was credited with an official pass attempt.
They called 30 runs to 13 passes and averaged only 2.9 yards per play with a season-worst 141 yards. The Giants had minus-4 net passing yards at halftime and finished with 13, their fewest since they had minus-9 passing yards on Oct. 29, 2023, against the Jets.
Kafka defended his seemingly safe play-calling by saying it was to counter the aggressive approach led by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
“I wouldn’t call running the ball conservative,” Kafka said. “I think for us, we just wanted to try and minimize some of that pressure package and let our run game go.”
Tyrone Tracy Jr. ran for 71 yards on 16 carries. Devin Singletary added 47 yards on 11 carries.
Dart was sacked five times, the most since he was sacked six times in his debut as a starter in Week 4. He finished with a career-low 33 yards on 7-for-13 passing and wasn’t helped by drops by Theo Johnson and Darius Slayton.
A pass intended for Johnson went through his hands and was intercepted by Byron Murphy Jr. in the second quarter. That set up quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s 12-yard touchdown run that made it 13-3.
On the Giants’ final drive, Dart found Slayton open on a slant route in the middle of the field that could have been a big gain near midfield. Instead, Slayton bobbled and dropped it, the latest in a season full of critical drops.
“[I] just look at what I could’ve done better to make it easier for them,” Dart said.
The defense gave the Giants chances as well. Just before halftime, Brian Burns sacked McCarthy and forced a fumble that Tyler Nubin ran back 27 yards for a touchdown. The play was McCarthy’s last as he injured his right hand.
The defense had a second potential touchdown in the second quarter negated by penalty. Jevon Holland intercepted a tipped pass and ran for what appeared to be a 96-yard touchdown, but it was nullified because rookie Abdul Carter was lined up in the neutral zone. Instead of the Giants being up 10-3, the score remained tied before Will Reichard converted a field goal.
“I didn’t know it was me, but I heard it on the loudspeaker,” said Carter, who had a sack for the third straight game. “That hurt me, that hurt the team right there, especially for Holland. He took it all the way to the house. That’s on me. I gotta be better.”
Burns recorded two sacks after having none in the previous three games. His 15 sacks lead the NFC. Ben Sauls, the Giants’ fourth kicker this season, was 2-for-2 on field goals in his NFL debut.
The Giants are mired in one of the worst stretches in franchise history. They are 3-24 in their last 27 games and an NFL-worst 5-27 since the start of the 2024 season.
“They all hurt the same, but you just got to keep going,” Dexter Lawrence said. “Just keep trying to improve and keep not making as many mistakes.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
