Vikings edge rush couldn't find a way to contain Giants quarterback Daniel Jones

Somewhere down the long list of shortcomings for the Vikings defense during Sunday's 31-24 NFC wild-card playoff loss to the Giants was the pass rush's inability to pressure the quarterback consistently enough.

The Vikings had three sacks on Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who was hit only once outside of that despite attempting 35 passes and evading the rush and scrambling even more. Jones added 78 rushing yards on 17 carries, which were a mixed bag of dodging pass rushers and QB keepers on run options.

Jones' mobility led to a quiet game from edge rushers Za'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter, who were introduced together as the final player intros before the second Vikings playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

"We talked about it throughout the week," coach Kevin O'Connell said. "We wanted to try to keep him in the pocket, wanted to try to get a rush and change the game with some of our playmakers up there. But not let him get out and have an impact. He had some impact on designed runs as well."

Hunter had two hits (one sack) on Jones, amounting for all of the damage between the Vikings' dynamic duo. Smith was shut out less than a month after he and Hunter combined to hit Jones seven times in the Vikings' Dec. 24 win over the Giants. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell didn't blitz much, relying on the four-man rush. But Hunter's only sack came when linebacker Eric Kendricks blitzed in the third quarter, leading to the Giants' first punt of the game.

Hunter, who led the Vikings with 10½ sacks this season, declined interview requests afterward, as did backup edge rusher D.J. Wonnum. Smith was quickly out the door.

The Vikings have 15 players scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in March, meaning those players could have played their last game for Minnesota on Sunday. Running back Alexander Mattison spent four years with running back Dalvin Cook and fullback C.J. Ham. He fought back tears on Sunday night talking about the uncertainty ahead.

Mattison, defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, center Garrett Bradbury, cornerback Patrick Peterson and kicker Greg Joseph are among the pending unrestricted free agents.

Bradbury returned from a five-game absence to start against the Giants, but the offensive line struggled early. Cousins took six hits while throwing his first 14 passes; he took 11 hits by the end of the game despite not being sacked.

New York nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, who often lined up across from Bradbury, had a team-high four hits on Cousins and drew a hold on Bradbury. The Giants, who sent more pass rushers than any defense in the NFL this season, didn't blitz as much, according to O'Connell. But the Vikings still struggled to enforce their will at the line of scrimmage.

Oli Udoh remained at right tackle. Reserve lineman Blake Brandel was activated from injured reserve, returning from a Dec. 11 MCL sprain in his right knee, and was a backup.