Giants vs Vikings NFL Wild Card Weekend: QB matchup | Daniel Jones vs Kirk Cousins
Though one has a great rushing defense and the other a terrible defense when it comes to rushing, this one is most likely going to come down to the QBs.
The New York Giants will be on the road for their Wild Card Weekend clash with the Minnesota Vikings. These are definitely two teams that have had very different fortunes this season, but with a spot in the divisional round at stake, that’s in the past now.
Giants vs Vikings: The Lay of the Land
In their first playoff appearance since the 2016 season, the New York Giants who sit on a record of 9-7-1, will be hoping to they can stop the 13-4 Minnesota Vikings from rampaging their way to the divisional round. Needless to say, that’s going to take some doing against a team that won the NFC North title. Yet, it’s got to be said that first-year head coach Brian Daboll has guided the No. 6 seed Giants to this point and it wasn’t a fluke. The last time these two met, was actually as recent as Week 16, when the Vikings scratched out a 27-24-win courtesy of a walk-off, 61-yard field goal by Greg Joseph. That’s to say, there’s definitely going to be revenge in mind when the boys from the big apple come to town. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Prepare yourself!
It’s now or never for Daniel Jones
Despite the fact that they lost, it could easily be argued that the Giants had their best offensive performance of the season against the Vikings in the aforementioned Week 16 clash. It was a season high 24-point hall and in truth they were unlucky to have lost. Where the quarterback was concerned, Daniel Jones put in a solid shift as he’s been doing for some time. On the night, Jones completed 30 of 42 passes for 334 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a quarterback rating of 92.8. Mention should be made of star Running back Saquon Barkley who added 84 yards and a TD on the ground, to go with eight catches for 49 yards through the air. That’s to say, Jones has shown himself to be a versatile QB who’s comfortable in the pocket. Keep an eye on this one.
Kirk Cousins continues to impress
Let’s be clear, the Vikings have been one of the best teams in the league this season and most definitely when it comes to playing at home. Their single loss in Minneapolis came when they faced the Dallas Cowboys back in Week 11. Since then, Minnesota has won five straight home games including that win against the Giants three weeks ago. In terms of how they’ve done that, quarterback Kirk Cousins is how they have. In their last game, Cousins threw for 299 yards to go with three touchdowns. Indeed, Cousins has been stellar all season, but the key in this one will likely come down to the way in which Minnesota can cope with New York’s ground game. Aside from the Chargers, the Vikings have given up more rushing yards than any other team in the league in their last three games. Against a team that has the second-best remaining rush offense in the playoffs, that could be a problem.