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News | Minnesota Vikings – vikings.com

Vikings Improve to 4-0 with Takedown of Giants

MINNEAPOLIS — No sacks? No problem for Minnesota.

The Vikings limited an opponent to 10 points for the second straight week, neutralizing the Giants offense and trio of receivers in a 24-10 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium on Monday Night Football.

Click here to watch a replay of the Vikings 24-10 victory over the Giants with NFL Game Pass.

Instead of the eight-sack, three interception convincer on the road at Carolina the week before, the Vikings (4-0) hurried Eli Manning considerably and limited receivers Odell Beckham, Jr., Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard to a total of 103 combined receiving yards on 12 total catches and 25 targets by Manning, who was 25-of-45 passing for 261 yards and an interception.

The Vikings upped their turnover margin to plus-10 when Xavier Rhodes picked off Manning in the third quarter and returned it 29 yards. Rhodes frequently matched up with Beckham, and the Vikings limited Beckham to a career low 23 yards on three catches.

Minnesota's other takeaway came on special teams. The Vikings capitalized on a muffed punt by Dwayne Harris at the New York 41-yard line.

View images as the Vikings take on the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.

Cordarrelle Patterson lined up as a gunner for the second straight week and pressured Harris. Marcus Sherels was rewarded for his hustle as the other gunner with a fumble recovery.

Matt Asiata scored the Vikings first rushing touchdown of the season, powering in from a yard out after Patterson drew a pass interference call in the end zone against Janoris Jenkins.

The touchdown, with 6:28 left in the first quarter, was Minnesota's first in a first quarter this season. It capped a six-play, 41-yard drive. The Vikings never trailed to the Giants (2-2), who lost for the second straight week.

The Vikings, who entered Week 4 with 15 sacks, were unable to tackle Manning for a loss, but they frequently appeared to affect throws and where he went with the football.

As for the Vikings quarterback, Sam Bradford improved to 3-0 since joining Minnesota on Sept. 3 and debuting with the Vikings on Sept. 18.

Bradford and the Vikings moved the chains on third down, when Minnesota had a 50-percent success rate (8-for-16).

Bradford found the matchup he wanted on third-and-4 in the second quarter, connecting with the 6-foot-6, 265-pound Kyle Rudolph against Giants corner Trevin Wade (listed at 5-10, 190 pounds). Rudolph wrapped his yellow gloves around the pigskin and held tight during the diving grab for a 14-0 lead with 7:59 left in the first half.

Rudolph, Stefon Diggs and Patterson each had five catches for the Vikings, and Charles Johnson had receptions that gained 30 and 40 yards.

The second grab by Johnson set up the Vikings at the Giants 4, and Jerick McKinnon scored untouched. He finished with 85 yards on 18 carries with a long of 25.

The Giants got on the board with a 40-yard field goal by Josh Brown with two seconds left in the first half. New York capitalized with a fresh set of downs with 54 seconds left after a false start penalty on Everson Griffen on fourth-and-4.

Manning found Bobby Rainey for a gain of 10, and Victor Cruz for another gain of 10 in time to set up Brown's field goal. Prior to that kick, the Vikings went 80 minutes, 18 seconds without allowing points.

Blair Walsh bounced back from missing a 46-yard field goal to make an attempt on the 44-yard line on the Vikings following possession to make it 17-3 with 7:39 left in the third quarter.

The Giants drove 91 yards on five plays, thanks to a 67-yard gain on a short completion from Manning to Paul Perkins that moved New York from its own 27 to the Minnesota 4-yard line. Officials flagged Trae Waynes for pass interference in the end zone two plays later, and Orleans Darkwa scored from a yard out to make it 17-10 with 13:38 to play.

The Vikings, however, answered immediately with an eight-play, 76-yard drive capped by McKinnon and kept the Giants at bay the rest of the way.

Minnesota won a Monday Night Football game for the first time since 2009, snapping a seven-game losing streak and extending its regular-season win streak to seven games.

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