By Jim Scott
DNAinfo Senior Editor
MANHATTAN — Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre sat out a game for the first time in 19 years and his back up didn't fare well in his place as the New York Giants beat the Vikings 21-3 in Detroit on Monday night.
Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 219 yards rushing and two scores to lead the Giants attack on offense.
Tavaris Jackson started at quarterback for the Vikings (5-8), ending Favre's consecutive games started streak at 297.
"I just couldn’t play," said the 41-year-old Favre, who was sitting with an injured right shoulder. "I didn’t feel like I could function good enough."
The Giants defense held Jackson to 118 yards passing and knocked him out of the game in the third quarter with a leg injury.
The game was switched from Sunday afternoon to Monday night when the Giants couldn’t get to Minneapolis because of a blizzard. The location of the game was later moved to Detroit's Ford Field after the Metrodome was caved in by heavy snow on Sunday.
"The word of the day is resiliency," Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck told the Associated Press on Monday. "We’ve flown all over the Midwest this week."
Jacobs ran for 116 yards and scored on a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Bradshaw ran for 103 and reeled off a 48-yard touchdown run for te go ahead score in the third quarter.
The big rushing night helped the Giants overcome another sub par performance by quarterback Eli Manning. Manning threw two interceptions to give him 19 on the season, one shy of his career high set in 2007.
The Giants (9-4) moved back into a tie with Philadelphia (9-4) atop the NFC East. The two teams will square off in the Meadowlands on Sunday.
