The Minnesota Vikings took care of business on Monday night, defeating the New York Giants 24-10 and improving to 4-0 on the season.
Quarterback Sam Bradford was impressive again, completing 26-36 passes for 262 yards with a touchdown. Bradford has yet to commit a turnover this season for the Vikings.
Eli Manning – who has struggled against Vikings throughout his career – was held to 261 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception.
Cordarrelle Patterson got the momentum going for the Vikings when he pressured Giants punt returner, Dwayne Harris, forcing a fumble and the Vikings recovered on the Giants 41-yard-line.
😱😱😱😱
The @Vikings recover the fumbled punt! #NYGvsMIN https://t.co/HBfGYpoq30
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2016
Patterson continued his stellar play catching a 22-yard screen pass and also drew a pass interference call that set up Matt Asiata’s 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Vikings a 7-0 lead.
Later in the second quarter the Vikings scored again thanks to Bradford connecting with Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, which put Minnesota in the red zone.
Bradford continued slinging the ball to multiple receivers – he hit nine different receivers on the night – and hit tight end Kyle Rudolph for a 7-yard touchdown giving the Vikings a 14-0 lead.
A Giants field goal made the score 14-3 at the half.
Minnesota opened with the football to begin the second half and put themselves in field-goal range but Blair Walsh’s attempt from 46 yards was wide left.
After the Giants took over, Eli Manning threw an interception on third down to Xavier Rhodes, who returned it 29 yards across midfield. Rhodes was a monster all night, helping hold Odell Beckham Jr. to just 3 catches for 23 yards.
Eli Manning overthrows @OBJ_3…
Easy pickings!@XavierRhodes29_ comes down with the INT! #NYGvsMIN https://t.co/SB8m24O9HF— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2016
Walsh lined up again for another field goal try and he converted his 44-yard attempt.
The biggest play for the Giants came on the first play of the fourth quarter when running back Paul Perkins caught a screen pass for 67 yards to set up a Giants touchdown, cutting the Vikings lead to 17-10.
Minnesota’s offense answered right back with an impressive drive, highlighted by a big catch from Charles Johnson that set up a Jerrick McKinnon touchdown and a 24-10 lead.
Next up for the Vikings is the Houston Texans Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, with kickoff at noon.
Playmakers. #Skolpic.twitter.com/k4jdq46mMZ
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 4, 2016
