MINNEAPOLIS — Daniel Jones passed for 301 yards, threw two touchdown and ran for 78 yards in his first career playoff game to give the New York Giants and first-year head coach Brian Daboll a 31-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in the NFC Wild Card round.
It was the first time this season the Vikings lost a one-score game. Prior to Sunday Minnesota was 12-0.
Jones became the first quarterback in NFL history to have 300-plus yards passing, two-plus passing touchdowns and 70-plus yards rushing in a postseason game.
Saquon Barkley ran for two scores, including the go-ahead score midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants were 7-of-13 on third downs and moved the ball all afternoon against a Vikings defense that had been vulnerable all season.
The New York defense shut the door on a Vikings comeback on their final possession. On third-and-8, Cor'Dale Flott would knock down Kirk Cousins' pass attempt to K.J. Osborn. Then on fourth down, Cousins would hit tight end T.J. Hockenson at midfield but he would be dropped for a three-yard gain to turnover the ball over on downs with 1:44 to go and no timeouts left for the Vikings (13-5).
Cousins went 31 for 39 for 273 yards and two scores and a rushing touchdown to cap the game's opening possession.
The win was the first postseason victory for New York since the Super Bowl 11 years ago.
The Giants will now (10-7-1) move on to play No. 1 seed and NFC East rival Philadelphia in the divisional round next weekend.
Buffalo 34, Mami 31
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen shook off three-turnovers to rally the Buffalo Bills to a 34-31 win over the seventh-seeded Miami Dolphins on Sunday in the AFC Wild Card round.
The Bills built up a 17-0 lead only to squander it in the second quarter when Miami's third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson hit Mike Gesicki for a seven-yard score to tie the game up at 17 with 0:33 remaining before halftime.
Buffalo would managed to move into position to let Tyler Bass convert a 39-yard field goal and give the Bills a 20-17 lead at the break, but the momentum was clearly not in their favor.
The Dolphins would take the lead just one minute into the second half when Allen fumbled while getting sacked on a cornerback blitz. Zach Sieler scooped up the loose ball and returned it five yards for the touchdown to give Miami a 24-20 advantage.
The turnover served as a wake up call for the Bills, who responded accordingly.
Allen would toss two touchdown passes over a span of 3:11, the first to Cole Beasley for the go-ahead score on a six-yard catch and the second to Gabe Davis for 23-yards to extend the lead to 34-24 with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter.
The Buffalo defense would do their part, forcing Miami to punt six times and force two turnovers.
The Bills made Miami turn the ball over on downs on its final possession as Thompson’s pass on fourth-and-6 would sail just off the fingertips of tight end Mike Gesicki with 2:22 remaining.
Buffalo would run out the remaining clock on a bruising 7-yard run from Devin Singletary on third-and-7.
Allen finished the afternoon 23 of 39 for 352 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw two interceptions, which Miami converted into 11 points.
Buffalo will host the third-seeded Cincinnati Bengals in the divisional round. The two teams faced off three weeks, but the game was cancelled during the first quarter after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field.
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