Winless Giants and One-Win Vikings Desperate for a Win on Monday Night Football

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants have a pretty good hunch what to expect from Minnesota with newcomer Josh Freeman taking over at quarterback for the struggling Vikings.

Adrian Peterson to the left. A.P. to the right. Peterson more often than not in the nationally televised game on Monday night between two of the league's biggest flops this season.

The Giants are reasonably sure Freeman isn't going to know the offense totally after just a couple of weeks with the Vikings (1-4). That leaves Peterson to carry the load off, and that's not a bad option with the halfback coming one of the best rushing seasons in league history.

Freeman is the bigger question mark for the Giants defense, which has given up a league-high 209 points. He was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this month after a miserable start and signed by Minnesota because starter Christian Ponder hurt his ribs. Ponder is expected to be the backup this week.

Freeman started 59 games over four-plus seasons in Tampa with his best being in 2010 when he threw 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. He had four TDs and 12 interceptions in his last six games and his quarterback rating of 59.3 this season was last in the league when he was released.