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EAGAN, Minn. — The end hit harder for the Minnesota Vikings than usual. Their season of exhilarating finishes and exceeded expectations was smudged by this quick exit from the playoffs. The sting was only deepened by the reality of the roster. The salary-cap crunch will likely force the departure of some of the players who contributed heavily to 13 wins, an NFC North division title and a strong chemistry that fueled this run behind new head coach Kevin O'Connell. The Vikings lost 31-24 to the New York Giants at home in the first round.
