With the New York Giants' 31-24 victory at Miami on Monday night, the Dec. 27 game between the Vikings and Giants at TCF Bank Stadium was moved from noon to 7:30 p.m.

The NFL announced Monday that the Vikings-Giants game would be flexed into the "Sunday Night Football" game on NBC for Week 16 if New York beat the Dolphins. A New York loss would have meant the Vikings and Giants would have remained at noon and NBC would have kept its originally scheduled game, Pittsburgh at Baltimore.

The Vikings will be making their first appearance on "Sunday Night Football" since Oct. 27, 2013, when they lost 44-31 to Green Bay at the Metrodome. The Vikings have lost their past seven appearances on NBC.

It will be their second night game at TCF Bank Stadium; the other one was their first game there, on Dec. 20, 2010, when they lost to the Bears 40-14 more than a week after the Dome roof collapsed from snow. Depending on the Vikings' standings in the playoffs (if they make the post-season), it could be the team's final game at TCF.

The Giants improved to 6-7 with their Monday victory, good for a share of the lead in the NFC East with Philadelphia and Washington.

Prater dropped, Trattou returns

The Vikings waived defensive back Shaun Prater on Monday and brought back defensive end Justin Trattou.

Star Tribune file, Star Tribune
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford made a shoestring tackle on Vikings defensive end Justin Trattou after he intercepted Stafford's pass in the forth quarter at TCF Bank Stadium on Sept. 20.

Shorthanded at safety, the Vikings waived Trattou last week when they added Prater and promoted Anthony Harris from the practice squad. Prater played seven snaps in Thursday's 23-20 loss to the Cardinals.

Trattou was not claimed on waivers and did not join another team.

Monday's moves suggest that at least one of the team's injured starting safeties, Harrison Smith or Andrew Sendejo, is close to returning to the lineup. Coach Mike Zimmer said Friday that Sendejo seemed closer.

MATT VENSEL