NFL Wild Card picks: Best bets for Giants vs Vikings
Alex Buck makes his Sunday afternoon football picks and predictions for the New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs 2023.
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NFL Wild Card Playoff Schedule - Giants @ Vikings
NFL Super Wild Card Playoff Games This Weekend
New York Giants (9-7-1, 4-4 Away) vs Minnesota Vikings (13-4, 8-1 Home)
Date: Sunday, 15th January 2023
Time: 4:30 pm EST
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium
TV Channel: FOX
Live Stream: FuboTV/NFL+
Live Radio: Sirius XM
Giants vs Vikings Preview
The New York Giants will play against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in a rematch of their exciting Week 16 game from the 2022 NFL season. The previous game, which took place on Christmas Eve, was won by the Vikings with a 61-yard field goal in the final moments.
Both teams had strong offensive performances that day, from star players such as Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson for the Vikings and Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones for the Giants.
The stakes are high in this rematch, as it is a win-or-go-home game, adding extra tension to what was already a thrilling matchup.
Giants vs Vikings Odds, Spread, Moneyline, Over/Under - NFL Wild Card Odds
Moneyline: New York Giants +140, Minnesota Vikings -165
Spread: New York Giants +3, Minnesota Vikings -3
Total: Over/Under 48.5
Game Preview
Greg Joseph might have ultimately been the deciding factor when these two sides faced off less than a month ago, but both teams' star players also had a significant impact on the outcome of the game.
Kirk Cousins had one of his best games of the year, throwing for 299 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Twelve of his completions went to the MVP candidate Justin Jefferson, who had 12 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. Despite facing double coverage with a defender underneath and over the top of him, Jefferson was able to score a touchdown.
The Vikings threw the football all over the Giants secondary with guys like Fabian Moreau having a terrible day in coverage. Jefferson's performance proved too much for Moreau to handle and the Giants felt the absence of both cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and safety Xavier McKinney.
New York's secondary was unable to prevent Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson from scoring touchdowns, even when using double coverage. Jefferson was able to slip past his defenders and catch a pass over the middle of the field for a touchdown. Hockenson did the same thing in the front corner of the endzone going up and over two defenders to bring down one of his two TDs on the day.
The New York Giants are expecting both Jackson and McKinney to play in the upcoming NFC Wildcard playoff game, which will be a major boost for a secondary unit that has been struggling. McKinney returned on New Year's Day and added seven tackles and a pass deflection in the win over the Colts, while Adoree’ Jackson has been out since Week 11.
The Giants offense were equally as impactful as the Vikings in the previous game. Saquon Barkley dashed for 84 yards and a touchdown in what has been a superb bounce-back season, recording over 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Daniel Jones had 334 yards passing with three guys having at least 79 yards receiving on the day. Danny was throwing dimes and found Richie James, Isaiah Hodgins, and Darius Slayton numerous times with an additional 49-yard contribution from Saquon.
Jones was given a rest in Week 18 as the Giants decided to sit many of their starters to focus on the playoffs. The big blue's quarterback has certainly earned himself an extension as the starter in New York.
It's remarkable to see the positive impact that a new system and an effective scheme can have on a quarterback who looked almost finished. Jones had his best season as a pro this year, despite not having any elite-level weapons to throw to. It's likely the Giants will try to acquire wide receiver talent in the off-season which will make the team even stronger.
As a result of Daniel Jones's improvement, offensive coordinator, Mike Kafka, is being considered for head coaching positions around the league. Rookie head coach, Brian Daboll, and his staff deserve immense credit for turning the franchise around.
For the Giants to pull off an upset and win on the road, their offensive line must perform better. The Vikings defense is not one of the most dominant up front, but the Giants offensive line allowed three sacks against them in Week 16. Jones has been sacked 44 times this season, and while the line is young and has potential, they need to step up under the pressure of a playoff game.
Giants vs Vikings Predictions and Picks for NFC Wild Card Playoff Game
The Giants have impressed this year. The improvement of Daniel Jones, who went from a potential draft bust to a solid upper-half quarterback, is remarkable. The work of Brian Daboll to lead the Giants to playoffs in his first season as head coach is outstanding. With a little tweaking and a few more draft picks, this team could be a real NFC threat next season.
This is not a criticism of their performance, because they've had a great season but without a few elite offensive players, the Vikings edge this matchup. The odd makers see it this way too. If the Giants had a player of Justin Jefferson's caliber or a prime Odell Beckham Jr. like when he was in New York, the Giants become real contenders here and beyond.
This year just feels too early for the Giants to make a deep playoff run. It'll be a close game, and it may come down to a field goal once again but I'm favoring the Vikings to emerge victorious.
The Pick: Minnesota Vikings Moneyline (-165)
Both teams should be looking to tighten up defensively. That must be a priority for this game. The Giants need to do a better job covering Justin Jefferson and you would hope if Adoree’ Jackson returns and with Xavier McKinney back in the lineup that this could be a possibility.
The Vikings need to do the same, and either defense forcing a turnover could swing the pendulum here. I'm backing both teams to improve defensively, which is why I am choosing the under.
The Pick: New York Giants vs Minnesota Vikings Under 48.5 Points
Best Giants vs Vikings Player Prop Bets Today for NFC Wild Card Playoff Game
Best Giants Player Prop Bets Today
The Richie James yard marker is a standout here. New York are going to need their receivers to step up as they did against the Vikings on Christmas Eve. James' role in the team has increased throughout the season, and he has consistently reached 40 yards or more when targeted at least six times in a game.
He had 90 yards in the first game between the Giants and Vikings, and has had 60+ yards in three of his last four games.
The Pick: Richie James Over 47.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
The importance of running the ball increases in the playoffs. Whilst the 'under' bet on Daniel Jones passing yardage has lots of promise, I'm backing Saquon Barkley to produce another strong performance on the ground.
Barkley hasn't had 20+ carries since mid-November, with 18 being the peak since then. But in the playoffs, when the stakes are high, teams know that running the football effectively gives you an edge. He's carried the football 20+ times this season on six occasions and cleared the 71.5-yard marker set for this game in five of those six games.
