NFC Wild Card
(6) New York Giants at (3) Minnesota Vikings
Giants: They’re in the postseason! Who would’ve imagined? Brian Daboll deserves all the credit, and they finally hired a coach that the players respect and most importantly want to play for. Their entire mentality changed this year compared to four or five years ago because there were times then when they found different ways to lose a game. This year, they may have been down in games, but they always found a way to fight back and climb back into the contest. I understand it’s been a tough start to the career of Daniel Jones. He was very turnover prone. This season, you didn’t see that so much because Brian really helped him, and the Offensive Coordinator catered to his skillset. A big help for the New York Giants this year was Saquon Barkley who showed he’s a difference maker when healthy. That was the key, to build the offense around Saquon and allow Daniel to control the game, just be that manager and everything else will fall into place. Their only downfall has been the lack of depth at Wide Receiver and if they can get that fixed, they could be a problem, especially with Brian’s background as an offensive minded guy. What’s also kept the Giants afloat this year has been their defense and if you go back to when they last won Super Bowls, the Defensive Line was always stacked. Nothing has changed. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams and Azeez Ojulari form a front four that can all do different things to be impactful. On Sunday afternoon, they will face a team they saw on Christmas Eve.
Vikings: The coaching change was very evident. I’ve said it throughout the regular season, and I will say it again, many of those one score games they came out on top in are losses if Mike Zimmer is coaching this team. There’s no other way around it and you can’t place a lot of the blame on Kirk Cousins at times because he can only play on one side of the football. There have been plenty of times when he’s put the Vikings in prime position to win games and the defense lets him down and gives the lead up. For the first time since 2017, they are NFC North division champions, and the division was theirs to lose at one point. It wasn’t even close if you ask me because the Packers losing Davante Adams impacted them in more ways than imaginable. Speaking of Wide Receivers, how about Justin Jefferson? This kid continues to wow me and this year, he showed why he should be mentioned as one of the best receivers in this league. He and Kirk have developed such a strong connection and the Quarterback knows when and where to find him. This offense travels through him and when you shut him down, it’s shown. Just look what happened a few weeks ago when he was held to one catch in Green Bay. Their defense worries me because they struggle to get off the field. This Sunday, they will host their first playoff game since 2018 when the Giants come back to town.
Giants X-Factor: Isaiah Hodgins– He’s becoming Daniel Jones’ go to guy in the passing game. The Giants claimed him back in November when the Bills practice squad released him. He’s familiar with Daboll’s offensive scheme. This is who Daniel targets when he needs someone to make a play down the field or to move the chains on third down. Since joining the Giants, Isaiah has recorded 351 yards receiving and four touchdowns in eight games with Big Blue. He was big time in the first meeting with the Vikings and will need that same effort again.
Vikings X-Factor: Za’Darius Smith– He’s a radiant ball of energy. Za’Darius is such an underrated pass rusher. He can rush from the edge, or he can get to the Quarterback from the inside of the line. He’s relentless in his pursuit of the passer and he’s gritty (no pun intended). Za’Darius has impacted the Vikings front seven and he’s that guy that brings enthusiasm to the team. Those are the guys you want to play with. He’s a savvy veteran that can be disruptive in multiple ways.
Final Analysis: This was one of the best games of the year when they met back on Christmas Eve in week 16. The Giants had their best offensive game of the day and once again, it was another game the Vikings had to grind out and they came away with another close victory. This was the game they won on a 61-yard field goal by Greg Joseph. Weeks later, here we are for the playoffs! When these two last met, Saquon Barkley was vital as a runner and a receiver. He had 84 rushing yards and 49 receiving yards. For the Giants to pull the upset, they will need a similar performance from number 26. The Giants must also be better on third down to keep the Minnesota offense on the sideline. I need to see the Vikings get off to a quick start. Build up a lead and keep the opponent down. They’ve been too comfortable in letting teams hang around too much for my liking. They must also do all they can to bottle up Saquon and dare Daniel Jones to beat them.
Prediction: Vikings 26, Giants 21
