The New York Giants hosted the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in a matchup between two teams already eliminated from playoff contention.
The contest remained competitive throughout, albeit sloppy, but the Giants ultimately fell short, extending their losing streak to nine games.
The Giants’ only touchdown came from the defense, when Brian Burns sacked Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and forced a fumble that rookie safety Tyler Nubin recovered and returned for a score.
With the offense struggling to generate momentum, that play proved pivotal and earned Burns recognition as the Giants Wire Player of the Game.
It marked the defense’s first touchdown of the season — a fitting moment given that Burns has been the unit’s most consistent performer all year.
Burns also contributed to a turnover the previous week, recovering a fumble in the Week 15 loss.
On Sunday, he finished with four total tackles, including 2.0 sacks, ending a three-game sack drought and bringing his season total to 15 with two games remaining.
In a difficult season for the Giants, Burns has been a clear bright spot, consistently exceeding expectations on a defense that has otherwise fallen short.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings Player of the Game: Brian Burns
Reporting by Tyler Henry, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
