The Minnesota Vikings will host the New York Giants on Sunday in one other battle of the Midwest and the East Coast. Vikings followers are holding their breath hoping {that a} 13-4 document is not as “fraudulent” as everybody believes however in the event you ask Giants Nation, it is the matchup they’ve wished all alongside.

The primary photographs within the weekly trash speak (unsurprisingly) got here from the New York Put up. Mike Vaccaro’s Monday morning column carried the kind of confidence you’d count on from somebody rooted in New York and declared that the Giants “won’t be patsies for anybody within the playoffs.”

“The Giants primarily had a trip week and nonetheless managed to convey some feel-good vibes dwelling with them up the Turnpike,” Vaccaro wrote. “That is been the theme all 12 months. They’ve misplaced seven video games however nearly at all times managed to sow seeds of hope, even when the scoreboard disagreed. It has bred a group that should be brimming with confidence because the NFL’s marquee season begins.”

The bravado solely received stronger because the column went on. 

“You might be positive the Vikings, given fact serum, would have most well-liked to see another person on the opposite aspect of the sphere at U.S. Financial institution Stadium given the best way final week shook out,” Vaccaro wrote, noting the Week 16 nail-biter between the Vikings and Giants. 

In actuality, the Giants may be strolling right into a buzzsaw.

Earlier than we get into that, let’s acknowledge among the issues going towards the Vikings. 

Minnesota’s offensive line is in shambles and they’ll face a Giants protection that ranks fifth in strain price (23.2%) and No. 1 in blitz price (36.4%). Simply two weeks in the past, the Vikings had been scooped up off the Lambeau Discipline turf in a nationally-televised 41-17 loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers. They’ve a head coach approaching his first profession playoff sport and a group that’s simply as prone to get blown out by 40 factors as they’re to win a good sport.

In the case of the Giants, nevertheless, this can be the group Minnesota wished to see.

Just like the Vikings, the Giants have been one of many NFL’s greatest surprises. Their 7-2 begin had them alongside the Vikings as probably the greatest groups within the NFC and with a recent, offensive-minded coach, many anticipated the Giants to be a contender in a wide-open convention.

That is the place issues began to go south. The Giants went 2-5-1 over their last eight video games and slid down the standings. The losses included a white-knuckle journey in Minneapolis but additionally a 48-22 beating at MetLife Stadium to the Philadelphia Eagles. Combine in dwelling losses to non-playoff groups Detroit and Washington and this does not appear to be a group headed in the suitable route.

That’s except you ask fellow New York Put up columnist Steve Serby, who declared the Giants a peaking group after a 38-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17.

“Daniel Jones is taking part in the perfect quarterback of his profession, they stood toe-to-toe with the Vikings at U.S. Financial institution Stadium on Christmas Eve and they are going to be fueled with the self-belief that they will beat them in a rematch – particularly with a secondary that this time will embody Xavier McKinney and Adoree’ Jackson to raised include all-world broad receiver Justin Jefferson and tight finish T.J. Hockenson.”

Serby went on to quote that O’Connell has by no means coached a playoff sport and has much less expertise than Brian Daboll – who has been on 5 Tremendous Bowl-winning staffs and a nationwide championship workers at Alabama. However he too could have his first go as a head coach within the playoffs. 

Serby additionally took a web page out of the Packer fan playbook by noting the Vikings have by no means gained a Tremendous Bowl however failed to say that the Giants have not been to the playoffs since 2016 – or as Vaccaro put it – 2,100 days.

The truth is, the final time the Giants had been within the playoffs, Peyton Manning was the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Barack Obama was nonetheless in workplace, Kobe Bryant was within the last months of his legendary profession and Odell Beckham Jr. had two good knees.

Since then, the Vikings have performed in 4 playoff video games with a number of gamers who will take the sphere on Sunday together with Harrison Smith, Danielle Hunter, Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen.

Apparently, none of that issues as Daboll downplayed the significance of expertise throughout Monday’s press convention.

“Actually the expertise might be overrated, to be trustworthy with you,” Daboll stated. “It is the way you put together, the way you follow, and, in the end, the way you play the sport and coach the sport on no matter day it’s. … I have been on loads of totally different groups that had various ranges of expertise,” he stated. “Some quite a bit, some just a little. I do know somebody talked about Malcolm Butler. I feel actually what issues is benefiting from your alternatives after they come. And taking part in soccer sport. Teaching soccer sport.”

Teaching soccer sport is one thing that O’Connell is aware of contemplating the Vikings went 11-0 in video games determined by one possession this season. That is one thing the Giants cannot say after dropping three one-score video games previously eight weeks.

Even when Daboll is saying the suitable issues and bringing the suitable vibes, the Giants aren’t as massive of a nightmare because the Lions, who gained eight of their final 10 to shut the season and defeated the Giants 31-18 on Nov. 20, or the Packers, who had gained 4 straight video games earlier than dropping to Detroit on Sunday night time.

Nonetheless, the Giants trustworthy consider it is their proper to be on this place even within the first 12 months of Daboll’s partnership with common supervisor Joe Schoen.

“It is even flawed to say they’re taking part in with home cash,” Vaccaro wrote. “If you clinch your spot with room to spare, it means you are ok to count on greater than merely a participation trophy.”

The Vikings have had the NFC North wrapped up for weeks and on Sunday they’re going to have the possibility to point out groups just like the Giants that they’re a group to worry within the playoffs.