Giants lose to Vikings on Greg Joseph's walk-off 61-yard field goal

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — For nearly 120 seconds, it appeared that Saquon Barkley had powered the Giants to paradise (or at least overtime).  

On an inside zone blitz that was identified perfectly by center Jon Feliciano on fourth-and-2, Barkley scored on a 27-yard run with 2:01 remaining in Saturday's game against the Vikings. When  Daniel Jones found tight end Daniel Bellinger in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion, the Giants had pulled even.

“The offensive line did a great job of blocking out,” Barkley said. “I was able to get a seam, one-on-one with the safety.''

But the good feelings were short-lived. 

Bah, humbug. 

With 121 seconds to play with, Kirk Cousins had time to move the Vikings 33 yards — and that proved to be just enough.

The big plays came from all-world wide receiver Justin Jefferson: a 16-yard completion  on third-and-9 to the Minnesota 42  and a 17-yarder on third-and-11 that put the ball at the Giants' 42 with five seconds left.

Cousins spiked the ball to stop the clock with four seconds remaining, and in the friendly confines of the domed U.S. Bank Stadium,  Greg Joseph attempted a 61-yard field goal.

It was down the middle, would have been good from 65 yards and sent his team's fans into a frenzy. Vikings 27, Giants 24. 

The playoff scenario is simple for the Giants (8-6-1). They could have clinched a postseason berth with a victory Saturday, given that the Commanders (7-7-1), Lions (7-8) and Seahawks (7-8)   lost, but they will make the playoffs if they defeat the Colts (4-9-1) on Jan. 1 at MetLife Stadium. 

“Take away the rock and go to OT,” Barkley said of the Giants' goal after his touchdown. “That’s the belief  that we have in each other. Sometimes it goes the other way. Got to give credit to the Vikings; that’s a great team over there, heady players. Justin Jefferson is probably an MVP candidate, in my opinion, and he should win MVP.''  

The Vikings (12-3) are 11-0 in games decided by one touchdown or less this season.

“They made a little more plays than us,'' Barkley said. "But sometimes you can learn from a loss. We played a really good team today, we fought hard. Gotta go watch film and put it in the past and get ready for the Colts.” 

In the Giants' first season under coach Brian Daboll and his staff, win and they’re in. Which would be remarkable, especially considering where they were the previous five years:  home for the playoffs. 

Daboll and his players lamented self-inflicted mistakes after the game. With the Vikings leading 17-13, a fourth-quarter pass intended for Isaiah Hodgins was intercepted by Patrick Peterson at the Vikings' 18 with 11:42 to play. On third-and-5 from the Vikings' 37, Richie James dropped a pass with 6:29 left, and the Giants had to settle for a 55-yard field goal by Graham Gano that brought them within 17-16. The Vikings then blocked a punt by Jamie Gillan, took over at the Giants' 29 and went ahead 24-16 with three minutes left on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jefferson. 

The Giants' inability to handle tight end T.J. Hockenson and wide receiver Jefferson, who had a combined 25 receptions for 242 receiving yards and three touchdowns, did not help the cause.  Cousins completed 34 of 48 passes for 299 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.  Hockenson had 13 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns and Jefferson had 12 receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Jones completed 30 of 42 passes for 334 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Barkley gained 84 yards on 14 carries and 49 yards on eight receptions.

By Kimberly Jones

kimberly.jones@newsday.comkimjonessports

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.