MINNEAPOLIS — At least when it comes to forcing turnovers, the Giants aren’t getting any bang for their considerable bucks.
A massive free-agent spending spree on defense last spring continued to translate into zilch in the turnover department Monday night in Big Blue’s 24-10 loss to the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.
One of the NFL’s leaders in forced turnovers last year, the Giants’ defense was shut out in that department once again and is still awaiting its first takeaway of the season. Their only turnover as a team was a blocked field goal returned for a score in Week 2 against the Saints.
But if that surprising drought worries coach Ben McAdoo, he didn’t show it after his team fell to 2-2.
“We’re not going to chase takeaways,” McAdoo said. “We’re going to rally and run hard to the football and play sound football. No one needs to go rogue. When you start chasing turnovers, you start playing unsound defense.”
The Giants certainly didn’t make Sam Bradford worry Monday night. The Vikings quarterback completed 26 of 36 passes for 262 yards, most of them to wide-open receivers.
“Turnovers come in bunches,” McAdoo said. “We need to work hard at it. They come in bunches, and we’re going to get some.”
Running back Rashad Jennings traveled to Minneapolis but missed his second consecutive game with a thumb injury.
Orleans Darkwa started in place of Jennings, with Bobby Rainey and Paul Perkins as the backups. Darkwa finished with 12 carries for 48 yards and a touchdown, while Perkins had the highlight of the game — a 67-yard screen pass on the first play of the fourth quarter to set up Darkwa’s score.
Jennings was hopeful of playing despite being limited in practice all last week, but the Giants are proceeding cautiously — especially after losing leading rusher Shane Vereen to a season-ending triceps injury against the Redskins.
Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was in uniform, but did not play because of a groin injury that hampered him all last week.
Coupled with cornerback Eli Apple sitting out due to a hamstring issue, Rodgers-Cromartie was a key absence as the Vikings picked on fill-in Trevin Wade all night.
McAdoo said after the game that Rodgers-Cromartie would have been used only in an extreme emergency.
McAdoo labeling Odell Beckham Jr.’s sideline behavior “a distraction” prompted a meeting between the Giants coach and star wide receiver before Monday night’s matchup.
ESPN reported that Beckham sat down with McAdoo after McAdoo criticized Beckham in a conference call with reporters the day after a 29-27 home loss to the Redskins in Week 3.
Beckham told the network that he was “good” and “a work in progress” after the meeting.
The Giants reacted to their blizzard of injuries at safety by working out a host of potential replacements over the weekend, including veterans Donte Whitner, Rahim Moore, Will Allen and Dion Bailey, along with Jeron Johnson and Shamiel Gary.