Final Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings misplaced to the New York Giants 31-24 within the Wild Card spherical of the NFC Playoffs. Second-year quarterback Daniel Jones loved among the finest video games of his younger profession, racking up 301 passing yards, two touchdowns and a 114.1 passer ranking. The Giants racked up the second-most factors they’d in a recreation this yr and the third-most whole yards (431).
4 days later, the Vikings fired defensive coordinator Ed Donatell after only one season with the group.
There have been loads of official causes for Donatell to be relieved of his duties. The Vikings protection ranked twenty eighth in factors allowed and twenty seventh in DVOA—and with probably the most seasoned defensive rosters within the NFL.
However, for a lot of, final week’s Wild Card recreation wasn’t about how unhealthy the Vikings have been. It was, as an alternative, extra about Jones’ breakout recreation and New York lastly discovering their groove on offense. With a robust protection to enrich, the Giants have been all of the sudden trying like a sneaky-good group that would doubtlessly make a run.
The Philadelphia Eagles put an finish to that narrative in a rush. Throughout Saturday evening’s Divisional Spherical matchup with the Giants, the Eagles proved that the Giants offense hadn’t made any actual noticeable strides. Their success within the Wild Card spherical was nearly all as a result of horrible Vikings protection they confronted.
The Giants have been completely obliterated by the Eagles to the tune of a 38-7 blowout. Jones and the Giants offense have been shut out of the primary half and managed simply 227 yards for all the recreation— simply 2 yards above their season low. Daniel Jones completed with a season-low 53.8 passer ranking, was sacked 5 instances, and threw his seventh interception of the season.
In different phrases, after almost setting season highs in each yards and factors final week, the Giants set a brand new low for factors scored and have been 3 yards away from hitting all-time low in yardage.
However the Giants’ offensive efficiency towards the Eagles was far nearer to their norm for the 2022 season. New York averaged simply 21.5 factors per recreation this yr and Jones crossed over 300 passing yards in simply three video games this season—two of which have been towards the Vikings.
Positive, the Eagles deserve a ton of credit score for his or her efficiency on Saturday. They do have among the finest defenses within the league, rating eighth in factors allowed and sixth in DVOA. However it’s much more telling that this Giants offense that seemed fully misplaced on Saturday towards the Eagles didn’t even must punt the ball till late within the third quarter towards the Vikings.
There’s a chasm between the Eagles and Vikings defenses, and whereas the offense was capable of carry Minnesota to the playoffs, the group’s Achilles heal was finally uncovered—and so they proceed to be uncovered even after being eradicated from the playoffs.
