After months of football, the 2023 NFL Playoffs are finally here. With the Minnesota Vikings set to host the New York Giants at the U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, it means it is time for some Vikings predictions for the Wild Card showdown.
Minnesota finished the regular season 13-4 and clinched the NFC North. Most recently, the team defeated the Chicago Bears 29-13 in Week 18, but could not move up in the standings. The Vikings ended up with the No. 3 seed in the conference.
One of the biggest surprises of the season, the Giants returned to the postseason for the first time since 2016 when they still had Eli Manning. They had a 9-7-1 record, highlighted by a 6-1 start, and earned the No. 6 seed in the NFC.
For our Vikings-Giants preview and full Wild Card playoff predictions, listen below:
While Minnesota had one of the best records in the NFL, New York's emergence cannot be ignored. With that being said, here are some Vikings' bold predictions as they face the Giants in Wild Card Round.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
3. Minnesota holds Saquon Barkley under 100 rushing yards, 0 TDs
Perhaps the biggest reason for the Giants' rise this season was the resurgence of Saquon Barkley. The star running back dealt with multiple injuries in recent years, which limited him to only two games in 2020.
This season, he had 295 carries for a total of 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns. He finished in the top 10 in all of those rushing categories. Barkley also added 57 receptions on a 75 percent catch rate for 338 yards. For his performances, Barkley earned his second Pro Bowl selection. Additionally, he is one of the frontrunners for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
On Sunday, the running back will be making his playoff debut, and so is most of the New York squad. Because of that, the Giants might face some extra challenges.
In their previous matchup this season, Barkley had 14 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown. However, Minnesota ended up winning 27-24. So, every early tackle Minnesota had against him was crucial for the final result.
To not suffer an upset in the Wild Card Round, the key for the Vikings might be stopping Barkley. The bold prediction is that they will hold Barkley to less than 100 rushing yards and keep him out of the end zone. If that happens, Minnesota will be in a good position on Sunday.
2. Justin Jefferson logs most receiving yards in Wild Card Round
Since entering the league, Justin Jefferson has carved his name as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. The LSU product recently earned his third Pro Bowl selection, being selected for the event in all three seasons since he was drafted in 2020.
This year, Jefferson had 128 catches for 1,809 yards, both the highest marks in the league, and eight touchdowns. He also added a score on the ground.
Against the Giants in Week 16, he had one of his best performances of the season. The wideout caught 12 of his 16 targets for 133 yards and a touchdown. This was one of his 10 games with at least 100 receiving yards, which included a franchise single-game record of 223 yards versus the Green Bay Packers in Week 14.
With quarterback Kirk Cousins having one of the best seasons of his career, Jefferson's production significantly improved in 2022. The wide receiver is certainly one of Cousins' most trusted weapons, so the quarterback should look for him as much as he can in the playoffs.
The bold prediction is that Jefferson will not only have a good game, likely surpassing 100 yards, but he will lead all players in receiving yards in the Wild Card Round. This should help the Vikings reach the red zone on many occasions, allowing them to put points on the boards in many of their drives.
1. Vikings win by one score
Despite what the record shows, Minnesota's season could have gone in a completely different direction. Eleven of the team's 13 wins were decided by just one possession, including two victories in overtime.
Similarly, the Giants had many close games. All but one of their wins were by one touchdown at most. Additionally, three of their seven losses were one-possession games, too. New York also had a 20-20 tie against the Washington Commanders in Week 13.
According to FanDuel, Minnesota is the favorite to win this contest. However, the spread is currently -3. This shows that even with the disparity between their records, most people believe this should be a close one.
The bold prediction is that the trend of close games for Minnesota and New York will continue on Sunday. Expect this to be a back-and-forth type of day with both teams scoring often. In the end, Jefferson's potential elite display and home advantage should give the Vikings an edge. Since the team went a perfect 11-0 in one-score games, Minnesota is probably more prepared for this kind of situation than New York.
Follow Us
Subscribe