Vikings Defense Overwhelms Giants as Losing Streak Reaches Nine

The New York Giants lost 16–13 to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, extending their losing streak to nine games and raising concerns about their future. Pregame attention was on rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, but the Giants were inconsistent all afternoon.

Minnesota’s defense dominated early and never relented. Dart’s 10th NFL start against Brian Flores’ tough Vikings defense lacked rhythm. Pressured, Dart completed 7 of 13 passes for 33 yards and a 27.4 passing rating. Five sacks left him little time to establish his feet or push the ball downfield as the Giants gained 141 yards.

Giants trailed 13–10 at halftime despite offensive problems. Late in the second quarter, Brian Burns crushed Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, forcing a fumble returned for a score. It was one of the season’s few bright spots and demonstrated Burns’ pass rush breakout.

McCarthy left with a throwing-hand injury in the second half, forcing the Vikings to use undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. However, the Giants failed to capitalize. Minnesota took the lead with a late field goal after theirs tied it at 13.

After falling behind by three with four minutes left, the Giants had one more chance. From 34 yards, the drive was promising until stopped. After Darius Slayton dropped a crucial pass early in the game, the Giants turned the ball over on downs before midfield, sealing another close but sad loss.

Despite a 2–13 record, New York is a 2026 NFL Draft candidate. The Giants have a franchise-worst 13-game road losing streak since last season. The team has struggled since 2024.

Dart’s bad play revealed his problems. Protection issues, dropped throws, and mental errors slowed the rookie quarterback’s transition. Teammates made multiple mistakes and squandered opportunities, demonstrating a roster-wide execution concern.

Giants defense exhibited irritation and flashes. A crucial offside penalty earlier in the game prevented a momentum-shifting interception return for a score, forcing the defense to settle for another stop and a Vikings field goal. Self-inflicted wounds are seasonal.

Questions arise as the Giants enter the final weeks of the season, including a post-Christmas road trip to Vegas. The club had many winnable games in the final stretch but kept losing. If the decline continues, the franchise may have its worst winning % in decades with two wins.

We value development and evaluation over results. Our loss on Sunday showed that progress is hard to find. Fans were dismayed when the Giants lost again to a defensive Vikings squad.