Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants Betting Preview
Sunday afternoon, the No. 3 seed Vikings host the No. 6 seed Giants in the Wild Card playoffs. Wil the Giants get their revenge from their loss to the Vikings earlier this season? Sportsmemo NFL handicapper Eric Pauly shares his thoughts and makes a free, expert New York Giants vs Minnesota Vikings betting pick!
Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants NFC Wild Card Betting Odds
Sunday, January 15 | NFL Wild Card Betting Notes |
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Point Spread: | Minnesota Vikings -3 vs New York Giants |
Total: | o/u 48.5 Points |
Location: | U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN |
Game Time: | 4:30pm ET / 1:30pm PT (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings) |
TV: | FOX |
Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants Betting Preview
It is no secret that the Vikings are the worst 13-win team in NFL history, and they will have their hands full with the No. 6 seed Giants. When these two teams faced off in Week 16, The Vikings staged a last minute comeback and won 27-24.
The Giants are one of the most improved teams in the NFL, and they are looking to make their mark in the postseason. New York comes into this game rested, and they can certainly win round one.
Giants Need To Get Gritty
The Giants are not a great team by any means, but they are scrappy, well-coached, and stick to their game plans. Brian Daboll has done a great job, and while I do not think they can get past the divisional round, I expect them to put up a huge fight on Wild Card weekend.
The Giants’ offense was middle-of-the-pack this season, which is actually a bonus considering the lack of talent on the Giants. Daniel Jones only threw 15 touchdowns, but he also only had five interceptions, which is more important for the Giants’ success.
On a per-drive basis, the Giants are 8th in time, 5th in plays, 15th in yards, and 16th in points. New York is great in the red zone but 22nd on third down.
The Giants are the most blitz-heavy team on defense, and their defensive front has been solid this season to match. On a per-drive basis, the Giants are 16th in time, 26th in plays, 24th in yards, and 18th in points. On third down and in the red zone, the Giants are 5th.
For a team that lacks talent, the Giants are well-coached, and they follow their game plans to a tee. Based on just that, New York will compete in this game.
Jefferson Soul Of Vikings Offense
The Vikings won 13 games and the NFC North, but they are not scary heading into the postseason. Minnesota had a negative point differential in the regular season, and it is shocking that they won 13 games. Alas, they host the Giants and are 3-point favorites.
On offense, the Vikings are lucky to have Justin Jefferson. Kirk Cousins has actually played worse this season than he did last, and without Jefferson, this team would be a mess.
Their offensive line has been much better this year, which helps, but this offense still leaves a lot to be desired. On a per-drive basis, the Vikings are 29th in time, 24th in plays, 19th in yards, and 12th in points. The Vikings are solid on third down and in the red zone, which helps this unit out tremendously.
While the Vikings’ offense has been solid this season, their defense has been really bad. Minnesota is 28th in points against and 31st in yards against.
On a per-drive basis, the Vikings are 11th in time, 19th in plays, 28th in yards, and 27th in points. Their pass defense is horrible, and they are 30th in net yards per attempt from opposing QBs. The Vikings are in the bottom third of pressure percentage, sacks, and blitz percentage.
Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants Prediction
It is hard not to back the Giants here. While they are flawed, and beating the Vikings on the road is no easy feat, I expect New York to win outright.
When you break down the metrics, simply put, they are a better team. I think New York does enough to take the road win and head to the Divisional round.
Prediction: New York Giants Moneyline +140
Opening Line Report | NFL Wild Card Round
Join Drew Martin and Teddy Covers for this week’s edition of Opening Line Report as these two discuss betting angles to take across every matchup on the board including this Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants NFC Wild Card Round game!
NFL Odds Board
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NFL point spreads, totals and betting percentages for all NFL Playoff games, including this Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Eric Pauly, @slimeaction on Twitter, graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Finance. Eric is a die-hard Washington Commanders and New York Knicks fan and enjoys watching and writing about the NFL, NBA and MLB. His favorite gambling movements include hitting a +1000 future on Washington to win the NFC East in 2020 and predicting Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season with a +900 ticket for him to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Aside from the sports betting industry, and making a brilliant Cleveland Browns vs Los Angeles Chargers betting pick, Eric also enjoys good eats, dynasty fantasy football leagues, daily fantasy sports and playing the guitar.
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