Two of the best young quarterbacks meet on the field in Week 16 when the New York Giants welcome the Minnesota Vikings to MetLife Stadium. A lot of eyes will be on the head-to-head battle between Jaxson Dart and J.J. McCarthy, with several other in-game matchups to monitor. Before the teams meet on the field, we will be making our Vikings-Giants Week 16 predictions.
While both teams have been eliminated from the playoffs, they still exist on opposite ends of the stratosphere. The Vikings have finally generated some momentum with McCarthy under center, entering Week 16 on a two-game win streak, both against NFC East teams.
The Giants, meanwhile, remain winless since Week 6. New York's losing streak extended to eight with a Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders in a game it was actually favored to win.
Without much to play for, both quarterbacks will be under a microscope. Fans have been much higher on Dart than McCarthy, but the latter's recent surge has at least paused some of the hate targeted toward him.
No real stakes will be on the line, but several players have individual incentives to play for. Regardless, we will advance to our biggest Vikings-Giants Week 16 predictions.
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J.J. McCarthy throws 300 passing yards
J.J. McCarthy has been a different player since returning from a one-game injury absence in Week 14. The pseudo-rookie has thrown for 413 passing yards, five touchdowns and one interception over the last two weeks, while leading the Vikings to a pair of wins.
After picking apart the Cowboys' secondary for a career night, McCarthy now has another advantageous matchup in front of him against the Giants' wailing defense. New York's pass-rush is an element that could give him trouble, but its pass defense could be an even softer matchup than Dallas was.
Only one quarterback, Jordan Love, has failed to surpass 200 passing yards against the Giants this season. More quarterbacks, four, have topped 250 passing yards against New York than have failed to reach 220, two.
McCarthy's accuracy will be tested against the Giants' man-heavy defense, but only one New York cornerback, Cor'Dale Flott, has an above-average player grade on Pro Football Focus.
Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson both top 100 receiving yards
McCarthy has rediscovered his groove, but Justin Jefferson remains a non-factor in this offense. The four-time All-Pro has been shockingly quiet all season, even more so in the last two weeks, while McCarthy has found a rhythm.
Jefferson has just 37 receiving yards in the last three weeks and has not gone over 100 since Week 5. The targets are still there — Jefferson has received 7.7 looks in his last seven games — but he has not even been remotely on the same page as McCarthy this season.
This Giants secondary, however, will be the worst he has faced all season. New York deploys man coverage at a top-10 rate in the league, but does not have a single cornerback capable of shadowing Jefferson. Cor'Dale Flott, the team's top cornerback, does not shadow much and will give up 20 pounds to Jefferson.
If there is a game in which Jefferson will finally go off, it will come in Week 16 against the Giants.
Assuming McCarthy does what every quarterback has done against New York in 2025, T.J. Hockenson should also play a significant role. Hockenson has topped 50 receiving yards in two of his last three games, while the Giants have struggled to defend the middle of the field all year.
Jaxson Dart tosses four scores
Jaxson Dart struggled to get on the same page as his receivers in Week 15, but he still ended with 246 passing yards, the second-most of his career. His two touchdowns marked his fourth multi-score game of the year, while his 63 rushing yards were also the second-most of his rookie campaign.
Dart and the struggling Giants offense now take on a Vikings defense that has only allowed 14 passing touchdowns in 2025, tied for the third-fewest in the league. Only four quarterbacks have thrown for multiple scores against Brian Flores' defense, and none have reached four in a single game.
The Giants, however, will be throwing from behind all game, particularly if McCarthy carries his momentum into Week 16. Dart has missed out on multiple touchdowns due to egregious drops and questionable penalties all season, and continues to be right on the doorstep of his first real breakout performance.
Dart's two main targets, Wan'Dale Robinson and Theo Johnson, should also be in for a big afternoon. The Vikings have been tormented over the middle and have struggled to defend slot receivers and tight ends over the last month.
