MINNEAPOLIS — Cheer up, Giants fans. The worst loss of the season, a severe 49-17 beatdown by the Vikings on Sunday night, pushed the Giants into the No. 10 spot in the 2016 NFL Draft. So there’s that.
The Giants can ensure a top-10 pick if they lose in their season finale to the Eagles, who at present have the No. 12 pick in the first round. Last year, with the No. 9 pick, the Giants selected offensive lineman Ereck Flowers. The year before that, with the No. 12 pick, the Giants took receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
There is something about the Vikings that always brings out the worst in Eli Manning. With one touchdown and three interceptions Sunday, Manning in his career has five TD passes and 14 interceptions against Minnesota.
LB J.T. Thomas was ejected early in the fourth quarter after taking a swing at Vikes’ TE MyCole Pruitt.
The Vikings did not get any breaks during Sunday afternoon’s games. They would have clinched a wild-card spot if the (then) undefeated Panthers beat the Falcons or the Seahawks beat the out-of-contention Rams. Neither game went the way the Vikings needed, giving them plenty to play for against the Giants. And they took care of business. With the victory over the Giants, the Vikings clinched a playoff spot. The Vikings in Week 17 play for the NFC North division title when they play the Packers in Green Bay, a game that was flexed into the Sunday-night slot.
The Giants are the second team in NFL history to win a Super Bowl and fail to make the playoffs the next four seasons. The first was the Packers from 1968-71, starting the year after Vince Lombardi left.
Hakeem Nicks started at receiver in place of the suspended Beckham. Nicks, showing that he is pretty much done, did not have a catch. … Former Giants DT Linval Joseph missed the past three games for the Vikings with a toe injury. He started, re-injured his toe early in the first quarter but only missed one series. … Safety Craig Dahl left in the second quarter with a concussion. … RT Marshall Newhouse left in the third quarter with a concussion.
It was not a good sign that rookie WR Geremy Davis was inactive, again, even though the Giants were so thin at receiver they activated Ben Edwards, a player they signed off their practice squad. How depleted is the Giants’ roster? In addition to Edwards, two other players signed this week off the practice squad — TE Matt LaCosse and DE Brad Bars — were all active for the game. All three made their NFL debuts. Other Giants inactives: CB Jayron Hosley, S Cooper Taylor, LB Devon Kennard, G Adam Gettis, T Emmett Cleary, DE Stansly Maponga.
The Giants have two possible long, long road trips in 2016. They will either play in Seattle against the Seahawks or in London against the Rams, depending on whether they finish in second place (in Seattle) or third place (in London). The deciding game is Sunday in the final regular season game against the Eagles, who, like the Giants, are 6-9.