Vikings Playoff Opponent and Time Revealed
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings finished 13-4 in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s maiden voyage after defeating the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday.
About seven hours later, the NFL revealed the Vikings opponent, date, and time at U.S. Bank Stadium next weekend — the New York Giants on Sunday, January 15th, at 3:30 pm CST.
Minnesota will participate in the postseason for the first time in 2019 and host a playoff game at its glass palace. The last time that happened was January 2018, when a miraculous play ended the New Orleans Saints season courtesy of Case Keenum and Stefon Diggs.
The Vikings hosted the same Giants in Week 16 in Minneapolis, so the teams will square off for the second time in three weeks. Kicker Greg Joseph ensured victory during their last matchup, crushing a walk-off, franchise-record-setting field goal from 61 yards away to beat New York 27-24.
The last time the Vikings and Giants squared off in the postseason? January 14th, 2001, at Giants Stadium when Kerry Collins and his pals disemboweled the Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Championship.
Vikings Playoff Opponent and Time Revealed
Per Football Outsiders‘ DVOA metric, the Vikings and Giants are the worst teams in the postseason, as Minnesota ranked 28th in team DVOA heading into Week 18 while New York placed at No. 22. But, hey, somebody’s gotta win.
The Giants haven’t reached the postseason since 2016 and have been transformed in one season by new head coach Brian Daboll. In fact, both teams are led by first-year head coaches, so this game will be referenced as a blueprint for a few general managers around the NFL as “what can happen” with a new coach.
Minnesota will also arrive in the playoffs with an offensive line in flux after injuries beset Brian O’Neill in Week 17 — he partially tore his Achilles tendon and is out for the year — and Garrett Bradbury over a month ago. O’Neill won’t play in the playoffs, and Bradbury is a colossal question mark.
Coincidentally, Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale absolutely adores blitzing the opposition, meaning the Vikings patchwork offensive trenches will have their hands full. However, versus the Bears in Week 18, O’Connell and his offensive coaching staff did an adept job getting the new group prepared for the postseason. We shall see if it holds up when it matters the most.
Too, former Vikings defensive coordinator Andre Patterson will get another shot at his old team next weekend. Patterson trekked to New York after former Vikings skipper Mike Zimmer was fired and now leads the Giants defensive linemen. Martindale + Patterson is a gruesome combination for any offensive line, especially a shaky one.
The Vikings are early three-point favorites to beat the Giants and move on to the Divisional Round.
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 Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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