EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — With six losses on their resume, the New York Giants could have been wondering if they would ever win a game this season.

Instead, they searched within to see what they are made of.

“The players and coaches have great pride in what we’re doing,” Eli Manning said Monday night after — at last — the team’s first victory, 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings. “We just had to keep going, get rid of some of the mistakes, and play the way we need to play.”

They were efficient, if not overwhelming, which is all they needed to be against the mistake-prone Vikings (1-5).

The Giants began the season as the team turning over the ball (minus-16 difference) while showing little penchant for playing defense. But against the Vikings, they had three takeaways to one lost fumble.

Adrian Peterson, the league’s MVP last season and a 2,000-yard rusher, was held to 28 yards five days after his 2-year-old son was buried in South Dakota. The man accused in the death was indicted on seconddegree murder and manslaughter charges, prosecutors said Monday.

“It was tough sledding. We couldn’t get anything established up front,” Peterson said.

“I was focused on preparing for the game, unfortunately it didn’t work out the way we wanted to. It was tough. The defense made it hard.”

Peterson was not helped by a rusty Josh Freeman, making his debut as Vikings quarterback after being signed as a free agent when Tampa Bay cut the 2009 first-round draft pick. Freeman frequently missed open receivers, and several of his throws sailed yards beyond his targets.

Coach Leslie Frazier said he considered taking out Freeman, but that the score was close enough for him to stick with his new QB.

Josh Brown kicked three field goals and Rueben Randle caught a 24-yard TD pass for New York (1-6).

Marcus Sherels provided Minnesota’s points with an 86-yard punt return