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Giants dominate backup QB, Vikings

New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs (27) celebrates his touchdown in the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday.

AP PHOTO

DETROIT — Brett Favre stood on the sidelines for the start of a game for the first time since 1992, rubbing his salt-and-pepper beard in frustration because his body couldn’t take another pounding.

His replacement struggled early and often, thanks to the New York Giants.

Brandon Jacobs ran for a go-ahead touchdown midway through the second quarter, Eli Manning threw a lead-padding TD just before halftime and Ahmad Bradshaw added a 48-yard run to help the Giants beat Minnesota 21-3 Monday night.

Favre’s NFL-record streak of 297 straight starts ended because of his banged-up right shoulder and numb hand in a game moved from Minneapolis because the Metrodome roof collapsed under heavy snow early Sunday.

The Giants sacked Favre replacement Tarvaris Jackson four times, knocking him out of the game late in the third period and again in the final seconds.

New York (9-4) moved back into a first-place tie with Philadelphia in the NFC East. Minnesota, which went to the NFC title game last January, (5-8) was eliminated from the playoff race.

The game was switched from Sunday afternoon when the Giants couldn’t get to Minneapolis because of the severe weather, then was moved to the Detroit Lions’ indoor stadium with a steel roof. The Vikings were technically the home team at Ford Field — which was adorned with their logo at midfield and “VIKINGS” in the end zones — but they didn’t have much of an edge.

“The whole thing is bizarre,” Vikings radio analyst Pete Bercich said.

Nothing, though, was more odd than seeing Favre watch a game.

He stood on the sideline, trying to tutor Jackson at times, and sporting a purple knit hat, short-sleeved black shirt with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath, and black warmup pants.

The game drew an announced crowd of 45,910 — there seemed to be at least 10,000 more people in the 65,000-seat stadium late in the first half — and some fans made the trek to see Favre.

Even though most got in for free, they left disappointed, especially if they were rooting for the Vikings.

New York has won three straight and eight of 10 games.

N.Y. Giants
0
14
7
0

21

Minnesota
3
0
0
0

3

First Quarter

Min—FG Longwell 21, 5:25.

Second Quarter

NYG—Jacobs 1 run (Tynes kick), 8:11.

NYG—Boss 6 pass from Manning (Tynes kick), :03.

Third Quarter

NYG—Bradshaw 48 run (Tynes kick), 2:46.

A—45,910.

NYG
Min

First downs
21
10

Total Net Yards
395
164

Rushes-yards
28-213
22-61

Passing
182
103

Punt Returns
3-14
5-90

Kickoff Returns
1-19
4-123

Interceptions Ret.
1-1
2-10

Comp-Att-Int
22-37-2
17-35-1

Sacked-Yards Lost
1-5
4-23

Punts
7-46.3
10-45.8

Fumbles-Lost
0-0
2-0

Penalties-Yards
7-55
10-71

Time of Possession
32:42
27:18

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—N.Y. Giants, Jacobs 14-116, Bradshaw 11-103, Ware 3-(minus 6). Minnesota, Peterson 14-26, Webb 1-16, Gerhart 3-11, Jackson 4-8.

PASSING—N.Y. Giants, Manning 22-37-2-187. Minnesota, Jackson 15-30-1-118, Webb 2-5-0-8.

RECEIVING—N.Y. Giants, Nicks 7-96, Bradshaw 5-12, Boss 4-23, Pascoe 2-21, Smith 1-12, Ware 1-12, Hagan 1-10, Manningham 1-1. Minnesota, Rice 5-60, Berrian 5-30, Lewis 2-13, Shiancoe 1-7, Booker 1-6, Kleinsasser 1-6, Camarillo 1-3, Gerhart 1-1.