An inside look at Saturday’s Giants-Vikings Week 16 matchup.
Marquee matchup
Vikings RB Dalvin Cook vs. Giants ILBs Jaylon Smith, Micah McFadden and Landon Collins
Stopping the run has been a bugaboo for the Giants all season. The statistical category that best fits this team should be Not Stopping the Run. This defense is 30th in the league, allowing 150.4 yards per game and showing an inability to contain any and all rushing attacks. The Vikings prefer to throw it and are just 28th in the NFL in rushing offense at 95.4 yards per game. Do not be fooled by that. Cook (230-1,045; eight TDs) is a formidable challenge. The Giants’ inside linebacker spot is a mess, which is why Collins will get some snaps and another natural safety, Tony Jefferson, also will be in the mix.
Paul’s pick
When the Vikings are rolling and the joint gets jumping and the crowd starts chanting “Skol,’’ this is a tough place to play for the road team. No wonder the Vikings are 7-1 at home this season. The Giants attained what they needed last week, but lest we forget, they managed to score just 13 points on offense. That is not going to cut it here. Forcing turnovers from Kirk Cousins and Saquon Barkley running wild is the combination required to pull off the upset.
Vikings 27, Giants 17
4 downs
Popgun attack: The Giants are last in the league in explosive pass plays — completions of 20 or more yards — with just 21. For comparison, the Chiefs lead the NFL with 62. The Vikings are tied for 13th with 43. Are the Giants not asking Daniel Jones to look deep or are his receivers incapable of breaking loose?
“I’d say just every game is just different as far as how you want to attack a defense,’’ offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said. “Some games you want to do that, some games you want to do something else.’’
On the flip side, Jones has fewer interceptions (four) than any starting quarterback. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has 11.
Tale of the two halves: There is no way to know how the Vikings will respond coming off their Week 15 experience. They put together the largest comeback in NFL history, trailing 33-0 to the Colts at halftime and roaring back to claim a 39-36 overtime triumph. Did that drain the Vikings or energize them?
“Very weird situation,’’ safety Julian Love said. “That shows how resilient they are because Kirk Cousins has been a part of a few of those. It shows you can’t let up against them, they have too many weapons to not be on your s–t. We have to be locked in.’’
Inside out: Rookie Kayvon Thibodeaux and second-year Azeez Oljulari are a pair of 22-year-old outside linebackers and ascending edge rushers. They have deservedly received acclaim for their work the past month. They are buoyed by the play of interior linemen Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams. It is no coincidence that Lawrence had a quiet game in Week 14 against the Eagles when Williams was out with a neck injury.
“If Leo’s not out there, there’s four hands going on Dex all the time,’’ defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said. Lawrence this week was selected to his first Pro Bowl. It is noteworthy that the Vikings will be without their starting center, Garrett Bradberry, out with a back issue.
Locked in: Saquon Barkley has had longer runs and more productive outings, but the three consecutive rushes he had in the fourth quarter last week — bursts for 12, 15 and 14 yards — were a show of force not often seen this season from Barkley and the offensive line.
“You, as they would say, you get in your bag,’’ Barkley said. “That means you get in your zone. You start feeling good. Obviously, ripping off the first one and you get into the second one, third one. For me, I just want to figure out how I can get four, five, six.’’
The return of Ben Bredeson at left guard made a difference. The Vikings are 18th in the league in run defense, allowing 120.4 yards per game. The Giants are sixth in rushing offense at 146.2 yards per game.