Vikings shock Giants 41-17

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 11/28/2007

 It’s been said that if you can make it in New York , you can make it anywhere. The Minnesota Vikings (5-6) made it two wins in a row by upsetting the New York Giants (7-4) on Sunday 41-17.

 The Vikings scored three defensive touchdowns returning three interceptions for scores in routing the Giants. Darren Sharper (20 yards), Dwight Smith (93 yards) and Chad Greenway (37 yards) all took interceptions to the house.

 That trifecta led to a chorus of boos from 80,000 unhappy Giants fans directed at quarterback Eli Manning, who had an awful day throwing four interceptions. The three interceptions for touchdowns set a Vikings franchise record.

 Vikings quarterback Tavaris Jackson was far and away the best quarterback on Sunday, completing 10 of 12 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown of 60 yards to Sidney Rice with zero interceptions. The Vikings have won all three games this year when Jackson throws a 60-yard touchdown pass. 

 The win gets the Vikings back in the NFC Wild Card playoff chase with five games left. If the season ended this week, the NFC playoff teams would be Dallas , Green Bay , Tampa Bay and Seattle , with New York and Detroit as wild cards. However, with five weeks left, suddenly the Vikings have a shot, particularly because they play the Detroit Lions (6-5) at home Sunday and are expected to get the NFL’s leading rusher, Adrian Peterson, back after missing Sunday’s game. Peterson has not played since injuring his left knee two weeks ago in the 34-0 loss at Green Bay .

 The Vikings lead the NFL in average rushing yards (177) per game. Hard-running Chester Taylor scored another rushing touchdown; he has run for four in the last two games.

 Marcus Fitzgerald invited to Hula Bowl

 Marcus Fitzgerald, senior wide receiver for Marshall University , had two catches for 47 yards in helping Marshall beat Alabama Birmingham Saturday 46-39 on Senior Day.

 Fitzgerald, playing in his final game for the Thundering Herd, graduated in the spring with a degree in sports management and was rewarded for four solid years at Marshall . He graduated from the Academy of Holy Angels High School in Richfield , Minnesota .

 Fitzgerald was invited to play in the 62nd Annual Hula Bowl Game in Honolulu , Hawaii , Saturday, January 12, 2008. The Hula Bowl game will be televised nationally on Versus. Fitzgerald’s teammates senior quarterback Bernard Morris and center Doug Legursky were also selected for the senior All-Star game.

 Larry Fitzgerald breaks 4,000

 Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals has gone over 4,000 receiving yards in his career in this, his fourth NFL season. The NFC’s leading receiver with 75 receptions for 1,060 yards and six touchdowns, Fitzgerald trails only his mentor, New England’s Randy Moss (1,095), and Terrell Owens of Dallas (1,093) for the NFL lead in most yards by a receiver.

 Fitzgerald also has 305 career receptions and 30 career touchdowns, the most by any player since the Cardinals moved to Arizona . The Cardinals are 4-1 when Larry catches eight or more passes in a game this year, and they are 3-1 when he catches at least one touchdown pass.

The Cardinals lost in overtime Sunday 37-31 to San Francisco . Larry had nine receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns.  

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Fitz Notes & Quotes

 Former Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Dennis Green is now working for Westwood One as the game broadcast analyst on five NFL National Radio Thursday Night games. Green is paired with broadcasting legend Dick Edberg. Their first game was Thanksgiving’s Indianapolis vs. Atlanta ; this week, it’s the NFC showdown between Green Bay (10-1) and Dallas (10-1).

 Cretin Derham Hall star wide receiver Michael Floyd has verbally committed to attend college at Notre Dame.

 Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at 8:25 am, and biweekly he commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2). He welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-recorder.com, or visit www.Larry-Fitzgerald.com.