Giants - Vikings
1999 Game 15 - 1PM ET

Yikes, It's the Vikes!

The last time the Vikings (8-6) played the Giants (7-7) was in the wild card round in December 1997 and the Giants won that game, right?
Wrong! It only felt like they won that game. I remember watching the Giants play a great game up until about the last 2 minutes.
That's when strange things started happening.
The Giants were even fighting with each other on the field, the main match being Phillippi Sparks, who probably won't play in this game due to a nagging groin injury, against Conrad Hamilton who is starting after being out most all of the season with an injury.
Tito Wooten and Jessie Armstead were also involved for those who want to know.
Anyway, here's another look at that game review.

What Happened??
Shock, disbelief, horror, anguish !!
There are just not enough words to describe the feelings as the final minutes of the game wound down. Giants players, coaches, fans in the stadium, fans at home, Viking fans, even people in China, were astounded at the turn of events.
The Giants dominated the game for the first half, held steady for most of the second half, and then - they just blew it. They had to weather some player skirmishes in the second half, with "sparks" flying between Phillippi Sparks and Conrad Hamilton, but at that point in the game it looked like the players were just really into the game.
On the other side of the ball, Minnesota seemed to be giving up as if they were foolishly letting the clock run down while trailing 19-10.
Through luck, against all odds, and with everything going exactly right for them, the Vikings managed a touchdown, onside kick, and field goal to steal the game away.
As the year turns, let's not forget that the Giants went to 10-5-1, bringing themselves up from last place to first, to become the 1997 NFC East Conference Champions.
Enthusiasm and excitement was apparent both on and off the field this year as the Giants grew themselves into a formidable team.
First the defense jelled, and the offense struggled, but kept working and working and working at it.
The offense didn't exactly jell, but at least it began to develop some consistency as the season drew to a close.
Special team play wasn't one of the strong points this past year, but the coaching staff really showed their stuff, and can be counted on to bring it all together next year."
Game Notes:
This was the first wildcard loss for the Giants.
Daluiso kicked for a career high of 5 field goals, tying the NFL playoff record.
Eddie Murry, who kicked the winning field goal for Minnesota, is the oldest player in the NFL.
Fassel confirmed that Danny Kanell is the Giant's quarterback for the future.
Minnesota goes on to play San Francisco, Saturday, Jan 3 at 4PM.

Look closely at those game notes
Danny Kanell was survived by Kent Graham, who is survived by the current (and still counting?) Kerry Collins.
Minnesota somehow managed to survive that game, but they were beaten badly the following week in the Divisional playoff game by the San Francisco 49ers, 38-22.
Unlike what the author (me) said, the Giants did worse the following year, finishing 3rd in the NFC East with an 8-8 record.

That was then, and this is now
All right, so here we go. This year started with the Giants taking on the Minnesota Vikings in their first preseason game.
The Vikings were coming off a hot 15-1 record from the previous year, but were overwhelmed by the Giants in that preseason encounter.
The Giants outscored the Vikings 17-0 when the first stringers were in, and went on to win it 36-21.
That game showed the Vikings (8-6) that things were not going to be quite the same for them this year, as it was last time (15-1).
Also, head Coach Jim Fassel missed that preseason opener against the Vikings when he was in Phoenix tending to family matters.
The Giants didn't pick up on it early enough from that game, but if the play calling had been turned over to others as it was then, they might have enjoyed a better season record this year..
If you want to check on the recap on that game, it's here at Preseason Game 1.

BTW - The top message board for the Vikings is The Vikings Update Board.

How about this game?
The Giants are ranked 10th in passing in the NFL, and they will have to use that passing game against the Vikings' banged up secondary.
Of course, I could also say that the Vikings are 5th in passing in the NFL, and they will have to use that passing game against the Giants' banged up secondary.
The big thing here is that the Giants are better at pass defense, and their replacement players at safety and corner have held up very well.
They will be challenged big time this week against star players Randy Moss (72 catches for 1,214 yards and 10 TDs), and Cris Carter (82 catches, 1,058 yards, 12 TDs), but Carter is playing on a badly injured ankle and may see limited action.
Some would say that all the Vikings need is Randy Moss, who is extremely healthy, and he will be up against Jeremy Lincoln who has said that Moss is the best athlete he's ever seen as a wide receiver.

Vikings QB Jeff George, replaced Randall Cunningham (34 TDs and awarded a $25 million contract for '99) as the starter after six games, when they were sitting with a 2-4 record.
Jeff George (awarded a $400,000 1 year contract for '99) has 22 TDs and only 8 INTs, is 6-2 as the starter, and his 99.7 passing rating ranks 2nd in the NFL.
The Giants faced the 1st ranked QB last week, Kurt Warner of the Rams, (111.1 passing rating).
Giants DE Michael Strahan says that Jeff George throws the ball probably better than any quarterback who ever played football.
The only knock on Jeff George is that he supposedly doesn't like to take a hit.

Before anyone snickers or makes any character remarks, I'm told we should all be seeing that new football movie, "Any Given Sunday" to see what the players are up against.
An old Giants fan favorite, Ottis Anderson reviewed the movie and gave it four "footballs" out of four, and former Giants great Lawrence Taylor, has a role in the movie as well.
Anyway, getting back to the game, being behind the big offensive line of the Vikings is a big plus for George, and the Giants haven't been putting many big hits on QBs anyway. That lack of QB pressure could really hurt them here.

The passing stats have gone up for the Giants since they made QB Kerry Collins the starter. He actually played against Jeff George in his 1995 rookie year when he led Carolina to a 21-17 comeback win over the Falcons.
The Giants need Collins to step up against a pass defense that ranks last in the league, and to use RB Joe Montgomery to keep the ball in the hands of the offense while Jeff George sits on the bench.

Averaged 34.8 points a game in '98.
Average 24.4 this year.

Scored 556 points in '98.
Have scored 341 points so far this year

Lead the NFC with 5.99 yards per play on 1st down.

Are tied for 30th in the NFL with 35 turnovers.

QB Jeff George has fumbled 7 times in 8 1/2 games.

Giants on offense: 17th in total offense, 23rd in rushing, 10th in passing.

Giants on defense: tied for 11th in total defense, 7th against the rush, 14th against the pass.

Giants, who are currently ranked 10th in passing with two games left to play, haven't finished that high since they were 10th in passing in 1987.
In the past ten years, they haven't been ranked higher than 20th.

Next week
The Giants play at Dallas on Sunday Jan 2, at 4 PM.
The Vikings play Detroit at home on Sunday Jan 2, at 1 PM.

Click on the Team Giants logo to be informed of all Giants game previews and reviews.

Previous Stories

Bring on the Bills click here

The Quarterback Spot click here

Round 2 - The Rematch click here

The Bratzke Meadowlands Curse click here

No Giants Game - What to do? click here

Eagles Can Fly click here

Obscene Gestures click here

Keeping it Simple click here

Quarterback Respect click here

Bring on Brown click here

Focus on Defense click here

Will the offense please take the field? click here

Opening Day at Last click here

The Last Preseason Game click here

Subway Series click here

Who are these Jaguars anyway? click here

We don't need no stinkin' Running Backs!! click here

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1999 NFC EAST - Week 15
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	Home	Away	AFC	NFC	DIV	Streak
Washington	8	6	0	.571	396	347	5-2	3-4	1-2	7-4	5-3	L1
NY Giants	7	7	0	.500	264	298	4-3	3-4	2-2	5-5	3-4	L1
Dallas	7	7	0	.500	302	227	6-1	1-6	1-3	6-4	4-3	L1
Arizona	6	8	0	.429	207	296	4-4	2-4	0-4	6-4	5-3	L2
Philadelphia	4	11	0	.267	234	326	3-4	1-7	1-3	3-8	2-6	W1

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