Giants at Vikings Officially Flexed To Sunday Night Football

After blowing an NFL-leading five fourth-quarter leads this season – and along the way becoming pioneers in new, creative ways to lose a game late – the Giants finally flipped the script and held on to a late lead against the Dolphins on the road, winning 31-24 to save their season and maintain pace with Philadelphia and Washington atop the NFC East.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – Killing time hours before kickoff at the New York Giants’ hotel, Eli Manning plotted a play he wanted to try against the Miami Dolphins. “We’re responsible for it. But now, we’ll find out who really loves it. We’ll find out who wants to finish this thing out and who wants to play for the logo on the helmet and who wants to play for the logo on the jersey”.

Quarterback Eli Manning (27 of 31 for 337 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, 151.5 passer rating) hit Beckham in stride as the receiver beat cornerback Jamar Taylor. Completing 87 percent of his passes, Manning delivered unquestionably his most impressive performance of the season. Eli Manning’s near-perfect game and a pair of Odell Beckham Jr. touchdowns gave the Giants just enough offense to overcome poor defensive play across the board.

The loss mathematically eliminated Miami (5-8) from playoff contention with three games left in the regular season.

Miami has now gone seven years without making the playoffs, a franchise record for a team that once dominated the National Football League and is still the only club to complete a ideal season.

Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw 25 completions for 236 yards with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills in the third quarter.

Beckham caught seven balls for 166 yards for his sixth straight 100-yard plus game. Victor Cruz (2,032), Boldin (1,969) and A.J. Green (1,968) put up great numbers to begin their careers, but none of them were within 20 receiving yards of Beckham Jr.’s per-game average at the same point in their careers.

“It does keep us alive”, Coughlin said.

Fifty years of all-time Dolphin memories couldn’t trump 60 minutes of real-time Dolphin disappointment on Monday night.

As a result of the offensive line’s solid play, the running game actually played a significant part in the offense. Beckham caught a ball in the end zone in which his toes were blades of grass away from the sideline to tie the score at 24 with 5:01 left in the third. You have to make plays, and we have to be excited to make those opportunities.

“I think he’s at his best most of the time, to be honest with you”, Coughlin said.

On the other side, Lamar Miller posted 89 yards and his two touchdowns on 12 rushes. Defensive end George Selvie was evaluated for a concussion in fourth quarter and didn’t return.

Even that question feels like make-believe, since the Dolphins aren’t going to be in an actual playoff situation for some time. It could be Campbell, but Monday night’s lack of discipline didn’t do much to bolster his case for getting the job on the permanent basis. The running game was vitally important in this game due to the unseasonable heat and humidity.

For Monday night’s win to mean anything, the Giants must parlay it into at least a couple of wins over the next three weeks.

New York, which led 3-0 after kicker Josh Brown’s 35-yard field goal, fell behind and battled back from three deficits.

It helps to have Odell Beckham; junior as a target.