Giants Could Gift Wrap Playoffs for Christmas
There is no Christmas gift that the New York Giants would like to deliever to their fans than the clubs first playoff berth in over six years.
All that stands in the way is the 11-3 Minnesota Vikings.
The Giants could clinch a playoff berth today if one of the three following scenarios play out:
1) Giants win + Washington losses to San Francisco and Detroit losses to Carolina.
OR
2) Giants win + Washington losses to San Francisco and Seattle losses to Kansas City.
OR
3) Giants win + Seattle and Detroit both lose.
In other words, it’s very, very possible.
The Washington Commanders are flying into a buzzsaw today when they meet the San Francisco 49ers, who not only pack a punch defensively, but quarterback Brock Purdy has looked great the past three weeks and is every NFL analysts newest member to the “Next Tom Brady” conversation.
The Seahawks play in Kansas City against the Chiefs, who are trying to desperately to keep pace with Cincinnati and Buffalo for the top seed in the AFC. So it’s a safe bet, Seattle losses on Saturday.
The Lions-Panthers game is tricky. The Lions have been playing inspired football for two months, winning six of its last seven, and the Panthers are nothing spectacular. Expecting Detroit to lose might be a hard ask.
That leaves this contest between the Giants and Vikings.
This is going to be very big test for Big Blue, not only from the standpoint of clinching a playoff berth, but the Vikings have built a reputation as a team that is never out of a ball game. Just look at last week’s historic comeback against the Indianapolis Colts, where the Vikes erased a 33-0 deficit and won 39-36 in overtime.
The Vikings are stacked talent wise at wide receiver between Justin Jefferson and Adam Theilen and will test a battered Giants secondary. Defensive tackle Kayvonn Thibodeaux has to dominate the line of scrimmage and make things uncomfortable for Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is always prime for a big mistake.
Offensively, the Giants must control the clock. That means run Saquon Barkely all day, all night.
PREDICTION: VIKINGS 30 – GIANTS 27
The Giants will put up a fight and will come close to pulling out the upset, but a late fourth quarter rally by Minnesota will make up the difference. The Giants will have to wait til next week to clinch in front of their fans against the woe-be-gone Colts.
