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The New York Giants (8-5-1) will visit the Minnesota Vikings (11-3) on Saturday with a playoff spot on the line. New York currently sits in the #6 spot in the NFC playoff standings and can cement a postseason birth with a win and losses by two of their three pursuers: Detroit, Seattle, and Washington. They survived a late comeback push by the Washington Commanders last weekend in a 20-12 win. Quarterback Daniel Jones played turnover-free football, finishing 21-of-32 for 160 yards with no scores or picks.
Star back Saquon Barkley had 120 all-purpose yards and a score on 23 touches. First-round pick and budding franchise cornerstone Kavyon Thibodeaux strip-sacked Washington QB Taylor Heinicke and returned it for six to get the Giants on the board.
New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings Betting Odds
Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
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Minnesota set an NFL record by coming back from a 33-point deficit to defeat the Colts, 39-36. Quarterback Kirk Cousins passed for four touchdowns on 460 yards, and RB Dalvin Cook finished with 190 total yards on 21 touches. Minnesota trailed 33-0 at the break and 36-7 late in the third quarter before C.J. Ham scored from one yard out to make it a 22-point game. The Vikings scored 22 points in the fourth and kicked the game-winning FG as time expired in OT.
New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings Key Stats
The New York Giants are 28th in the NFL in net yards per attempt, touchdowns, and passing yards. However, they have thrown the least number of interceptions at four. Quarterback Daniel Jones, who has played in all 14 games, but missed snaps in two of those games due to injury, has thrown for 2,694 yards and 12 touchdowns against four interceptions. He has also run for five touchdowns on 41.6 yards per game. The Giants are in the top six in rushing touchdowns, rushing yards, and rushing attempts, but are 12th in yards per attempt. Star running back Saquon Barkley, who has posted three straight pedestrian seasons after putting up All-Pro caliber numbers in his first two years, has tallied 1,464 yards and nine scores.
The Giants' defense is 8th in passing touchdowns allowed and 15th in opponent net yards per attempt, but 30th in interceptions forced. Safety Julian Love leads the team with 114 tackles and two interceptions. The rushing defense has been grotesque, ranking in the bottom three in rushing yards per attempt and rushing yards allowed. OLB Jihad Ward leads the team in tackles for loss with seven.
The Minnesota Vikings are 6th in passing touchdowns and 7th in passing yards, and 18th in interceptions thrown. Four-time pro bowler Kirk Cousins has thrown for 3,818 yards and 24 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Star WR Justin Jefferson leads the NFL with 111 receptions, 1,623 yards, and 115.3 yards per game. The Vikings' rushing attack has been suspect, ranking 26th in yards per attempt and 28th in yards. However, RB Dalvin Cook is a duel threat out of the backfield, totaling 1,310 yards and ten scores.
The Vikings' defense is mainly inefficient, ranking 18th in rushing yards allowed, 29th in opponent's net passing yards per attempt, and 31st in passing yards allowed. In addition, they are 9th in interceptions forced and 14th in rushing yards per attempt allowed. Veteran safety Harrison Smith leads the team with five interceptions in only 12 games. Pro-bowler Za'Darius Smith, with no relation to Harrison, has 15 tackles for a loss this season.
New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings Betting Prediction
News outlets have continued to harp on the fact that the Vikings have one of the worst point differentials in NFL history for an 11-win team. Meanwhile, the Giants have been playing better ball as of late, and RB Saquon Barkley has just had a monster game after posting modest numbers over the last month. The Vikings have a better team on paper and pose more of a threat in the postseason, but New York is getting too many points to not justify taking them to a potential postseason-clinching game.
Prediction: Giants +4.5 (-110)
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