The Vikings were devastated by injuries today against the Giants. But they still won 16-13 on a day when Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart could not do anything.
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was knocked out of the game with a hand injury. Running back Jordan Mason was carted off with an ankle injury. And center Ryan Kelly exited with a concussion.
But with the offense beaten up, the defense stepped up. Brian Burns forced a McCarthy fumble that Tyler Nubin returned for a touchdown just before halftime, and the combination of that and three Will Reichard field goals gave the Giants all the points they needed.
Dart was awful. He completed just seven of 13 passes for 33 yards, with no touchdowns, one interception and that costly fumble. He also lost 20 yards on five sacks, giving the Giants a grand total of 13 passing yards on the game.
Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka has done nothing to indicate that he’s developing Dart properly, and the Giants face major questions heading into the offseason about whether they have the right quarterback, and where they’ll find the right coach for him.
The Vikings also have major questions about McCarthy. And Kelly’s concussion is a major concern, given that it’s the sixth of his career. A lot went wrong for Minnesota today.
But enough went right that they pulled out a win.
