Giants vs Vikings NFL Wild Card Weekend injury report: Will Garrett Bradbury play?
Though their season records and seedings would indicate there is gulf in class between the two teams, there are many who believe the Vikings’ results over the season flatter. Could we be about to witness a major upset?
The big news for the Vikings ahead of this huge Wild Card clash with the Giants, is that they can now count on the services of one of their linchpins, Garrett Bradbury, however there are other injury concerns which may just give the Giants a leg to stand on.
Giants vs Vikings: The Lay of the Land
As they prepare for their Wild Card Round showdown, there is reason to celebrate on either side of the divide for the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings. Indeed, both teams are expected to see the return of key players to the starting lineup after uncertainty about whether they would be fit in time to play. The Giants are of course coming off a season in which they finished with a 9-7 record and managed to just squeeze into the playoffs. On the other hand, as this is the first time, they’ve made a trip to the post season since 2016, you can bet they’re not about to go down without a fight. The main problem for New York is that star wide receiver, Isaiah Hodgins has been added to the team’s injury report after tweaking his ankle during Saturday’s practice. With 33 catches out of 42 targets for an 84.6% receiving rate, he’s been an integral part of the Giants’ journey to this point.
Where the Vikings are concerned, the big news coming out of Minnesota is that yes, Garrett Bradbury will be in the lineup for Sunday’s game. Bradbury missed the last five games of the season with a back problem, but has been cleared to face New York. It goes without saying, that he couldn’t have had better timing. The down side, is that the Vikings have now listed three players on their injury report including Harrison Smith who has had a knee issue. As Minnesota’s longest serving player, it would indeed be a significant loss if he’s unable to play. Interestingly, head coach Kevin O’Connell remains positive. “I don’t have any reason to believe Harry wouldn’t be there, but he’ll go in questionable just in case,” O’Connell said on Friday. “Excited to get Harry back out there if everything goes to plan.”
The Vikings Injury Report
As we mentioned before, the good news coming out of Minnesota is the center, Garrett Bradbury, will play in Sunday’s game against the Giants. On the other hand, there have also been some losses for Minnesota which is ideal. According to the team’s final injury report, there are in fact three players who have been listed as questionable, although there is the hope that Harrison Smith will be able to suit up when game time comes.
The Giants Injury Report
Though Isaiah Hodgins was added to the injury report, the word is that he will actually face the Vikings on Sunday. If that turns out to be the case, it will mean that the Giants will go into the game with a fully healthy roster. Needless to say, that’s quite an achievement given how late in the game we are. Like we said before, season records would suggest this will end in disappointment for the Giants. We get the feeling, however, that it may not be so simple for the Vikings.