Giants vs. Vikings Recap: Misery Loves Company as Dart Struggles in Ninth Straight Loss

If you’re a Giants fan, you probably spent Sunday afternoon staring at the ceiling, wondering what you did in a past life to deserve this. The New York Giants didn’t just lose to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday; they put on a masterclass in offensive futility that would make 1930s football look high-powered.

The final score was 16-13, a scoreline that suggests a defensive struggle or a gritty nail-biter. Don’t let the box score fool you. This was a slog. It was the football equivalent of a rainy Monday morning commute. The Giants have now dropped nine straight games, falling to a catastrophic 2-13 record. They are currently staring down the barrel of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and frankly, they’ve earned it.

Jaxson Dart’s Rookie Growing Pains

Let’s address the elephant in the room, or rather, the quarterback in the pocket who couldn’t seem to find a way out. All eyes were on rookie signal-caller Jaxson Dart. With the season already lost, these final games are supposed to be an audition—a glimmer of hope for the future.

Instead, Dart’s performance was tough to watch.

In his 10th NFL start, Dart’s stat line looked like a typo. He finished 7-of-13 passing for a grand total of 33 yards. You read that correctly. Thirty-three yards. In a modern NFL game where passing rules are tilted heavily in favor of the offense, the Giants couldn’t crack 40 yards through the air. He was sacked five times, looked rattled by Brian Flores’ defense, and finished with a passer rating of 27.4.

To be fair to the kid, the offensive line did him no favors, and his receivers weren’t exactly snatching everything in sight (looking at you, Darius Slayton). But when you are the face of the franchise, you have to show something. You have to be the spark. On Sunday, Dart was a wet match.

The Play That Summed Up the 2025 Season

If you want to explain the Giants’ season to someone in ten seconds, just show them the “almost” pick-six in the first half.

The Giants’ defense, which has been playing with one hand tied behind its back all year due to the offense’s struggles, made a spectacular play. Jevon Holland snagged a tipped ball and took it 96 yards to the house. It was electric. For a brief moment, MetLife Stadium (or at least the fans watching at home) felt a surge of adrenaline.

Then, the yellow laundry hit the turf.

Rookie Abdul Carter was flagged for offsides. The touchdown was wiped off the board. Instead of a 10-3 Giants lead, the Vikings kept the ball and kicked a field goal to go up 6-3. That is a ten-point swing based entirely on a mental error. It’s sloppy, it’s undisciplined, and it is the defining characteristic of this 2-13 squad. Carter is a talented player, but in the NFL, you have to be a pro on every single snap.

Brian Burns: The Lone Bright Spot

We have to give credit where it’s due. Brian Burns is playing like a man possessed, regardless of the scoreboard.

Burns was a one-man wrecking crew. He secured two sacks, bringing his season total to a career-best 15. Late in the first half, he absolutely crushed Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy (who later left with a hand injury), popping the ball loose for safety Tyler Nubin to scoop and score.

It was the Giants’ only touchdown of the day. Think about that. The offense didn’t cross the paint once. The defense had to score the points and try to stop the Vikings. Burns has joined the elite company of Strahan and LT with his sack numbers, but it feels like a waste of a prime year given the team’s record.

What’s Next for Big Blue?

The Giants are now 0-8 on the road and haven’t won an away game since October of last year. Next up, they head to Las Vegas for a post-Christmas matchup that likely nobody outside of the hardcore draftniks will want to watch.

At this point, the conversation has fully shifted to the draft. With the Panthers and Titans picking up wins recently, the Giants are in the driver’s seat for the first overall pick. Is that a consolation prize? Maybe. But for the fans who have to sit through three more games of this, April feels like it’s a lifetime away.

The misery continues, folks. Buckle up.