The New York Giants will travel to take on the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NFL odds series, which includes a Giants-Vikings prediction and pick, laid out below.
For the first time since 2016, the New York Giants have reached the playoffs, finishing their regular season at 9-7-1. In the first season under head coach Brian Daboll, the Giants have broken the six-year “boat picture” curse. A convincing win against Indianapolis clinched the playoffs for New York.
For our Giants-Vikings preview and full Wild Card playoff predictions, listen below:
Minnesota fell back to earth for a bit after their 10-2 start, finishing the season at 13-4. First-year head coach Kevin O'Connell has guided the Vikings to the playoffs on the backs of a strong offense. In a Christmas Eve matchup against New York, Minnesota won on a game-ending field goal.
Here are the Giants-Vikings NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFC Wild Card Odds: Giants-Vikings Odds
New York Giants: +3 (-114)
Minnesota Vikings: -3 (-106)
Over: 48.5 (-104)
Under: 48.5 (-118)
How To Watch Giants vs. Vikings
TV: Fox
Stream: NFL Plus, Fox App
Time: 4:30 PM ET/ 1:30 PM PT
*Watch Giants-Vikings LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Giants Could Cover The Spread
Daniel Jones made huge progress in his fourth season as the starting quarterback with the Giants, throwing for 3,205 yards with 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions. On the ground, Jones ranked second on the team with 708 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Saquon Barkley made a strong case for Comeback Player of the Year, rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns. New York rushed for 2,519 yards and 21 touchdowns as a team, while Minnesota allowed 2,093 yards and 18 touchdowns to their opponents.
Injuries have decimated an already thin receiving core, with Darius Slayton leading the team with 724 receiving yards, catching two touchdowns. Richie James and Isaiah Hodgins both lead the team with four touchdown catches. Rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger has been solid when healthy, catching two touchdowns in 12 games. Minnesota allowed 4,756 passing yards to their opponents this year. New York's offense caught a bit of a hot streak toward the end of the season, ranking 15th by averaging 21.5 points per game.
New York's defense has been solid, ranking 17th by allowing 21.8 points per game. Outside of a 48-point disaster against Philadelphia, New York has not allowed more than 31 points to their opponents. Dexter Lawrence led the team with seven and a half sacks, while the team totaled 41 sacks. Minnesota's offensive line struggled, allowing 47 sacks.
Why The Vikings Could Cover The Spread
Kirk Cousins has been good this season, throwing for 4,547 yards with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. While the interceptions may be a cause for concern, New York has only picked off six passes. Cousins has also rushed for two touchdowns. Dalvin Cook has been great this season, rushing for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns, both of which lead the team. Alexander Mattison is second with five rushing touchdowns.
Justin Jefferson leads the team with 1,809 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, once again a favorite target of Cousins. Adam Thielen is second with six receiving touchdowns, while K.J. Osborn is third with five touchdowns. New York allowed nearly 4,000 passing yards to their opponents. Minnesota ranks eighth by averaging 24.9 points per game.
Minnesota's defense has been a bit disappointing, allowing 25.1 points per game, which ranks 28th in the league. Danielle Hunter and Za'darius Smith each totaled at least ten sacks, while the Vikings totaled 38 as a team. New York's offensive line struggled, allowing 49 sacks to their opponents.
Final Giants-Vikings Prediction & Pick
I will put every single ounce of my rooting ability behind New York in this one.
Final Giants-Vikings Prediction & Pick: New York +3 (-114), over 48.5 (-104)
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