Dec 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates his touchdown against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
The VikingsTerritory collective staff prediction for New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings is ready.
The Vikings can win their first playoff game in three years, last defeating the New Orleans Saints on the road in 2019. Too, Minnesota hasn’t hosted a playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium since 2017 against those same Saints, so this weekend’s tryst with New York is long overdue.
The Giants reached the postseason after finishing in third place behind the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in the NFC North. New York’s roster isn’t overly daunting, but first-year head coach Brian Daboll weaponized a hungry group of men to drag the Giants to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The writers at VikingsTerritory predict the Vikings will win their first playoff game of the Kevin O’Connell era.
The group unanimously picked the Vikings, evidently confident that Minnesota won’t fall prey to various upset sentiments circulating in NFL media circles.
Here’s how the panel sees the score for the Wildcard Round:
Dustin Baker: Vikings Win, 30-13
Sean Borman: Vikings Win, 26-24
Janik Eckardt: Vikings Win, 27-24
Josh Frey: Vikings Win, 24-20
Will Goodwin: Vikings Win, 27-22
Kyle Joudry: Vikings Win, 31-20
Adam New: Vikings Win, 26-20
Ted Schwerzler: Vikings Win, 28-21
Ali Siddiqui: Vikings Win, 31-24
Cole Smith: Vikings Win, 34-24
Mathematically en masse, we predict the Vikings top the Giants by a score of 28-21.
Here are the season standings for our writers’ predictions:
Dustin Baker: 15-2
Adam New: 15-2
Sean Borman: 14-3
Josh Frey: 14-3
Will Goodwin: 13-4
Ted Schwerzler: 13-4
Ali Siddiqui: 13-4
Janik Eckardt: 12-5
Cole Smith: 12-5
Kyle Joudry: 10-7
Last week, Adam New and Josh Frey most accurately picked the outcome. New picked the Vikings by 15 while Frey opted for Minnesota by 17. The Vikings won by 16.
The Vikings are currently three-point favorites to defeat the Giants on Sunday. The Giants haven’t beaten the Vikings since 2013 — the “Josh Freeman Game.”
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).