Special Teams Carry Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings reversed two negative trends Sunday despite having their worst offensive day of the season.

The Vikings became the first team in NFL history to return a punt, kickoff and interception for touchdowns, then their offense came to life long enough to set up Paul Edinger’s 48-yard field goal with 10 seconds left in a 24-21 win over the New York Giants.

Minnesota (4-5) entered the game having lost nine of its last 13 games to the Giants (6-3), including four of its last five. The Vikings were also 0-4 on the road this season.

“I’m glad the guys figured out that we can win the game on defense and on special teams,” Coach Mike Tice said.

Safety Darren Sharper had three interceptions for the Vikings, including one he returned for a 92-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Koren Robinson returned the second-half kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown and Mewelde Moore ran a punt back 71 yards for a score later in the quarter.

The Vikings also confused Giant quarterback Eli Manning with shifting coverages, and the second-year quarterback finished 23 for 48 for 291 yards with four interceptions.

“We had a plan where we were going to bait him into calling certain things and then move,” said Tice. Minnesota appeared to have the game in hand when Sharper intercepted Manning for a third time with 3:48 left and the Vikings leading 21-13. But the Giants got the ball back and drove 67 yards, tying the game with 1:21 left on a three-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion run by Tiki Barber.

Brad Johnson (17 for 30 for 144 yards) then drove the Vikings 42 yards in eight plays, completing four passes in the drive to set up Edinger, who had missed earlier from 40 and 32 yards.

The Vikings had their worst offensive performance of the season with 137 total yards, and were held to six yards in the first half.

But the Giants couldn’t capitalize despite racking up 405 yards of offense.

“We fumbled the opening kickoff, had a punt returned against us for a touchdown, a kickoff returned, an interception when we were knocking on the goal line,” Giant Coach Tom Coughlin said. “It’s beyond belief that we would play that poorly.”