Giants at Vikings: Preview, Predictions, and More
New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings
Monday Night Football under the new lights in U.S. Bank Stadium is all ready to go in Week 4. The undefeated Minnesota Vikings play host to the New York Giants in an early, but important, NFC matchup.
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Minnesota currently sits atop the NFC North with an undefeated record of 3-0. The Giants, however, are one game short of the unblemished Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East at 2-1.
Eli Manning and the Giants hit a bump in the road last week, suffering a road loss to the Washington Redskins, suffering mental lapses throughout critical moments of the game. Now down Shane Vereen and possibly heading to Minnesota without Rashad Jennings, the Giants find themselves on unleveled ground as they meet one of the hottest teams in football.
Keys to Victory
The Vikings have continued to use elite defensive play to carry them thus far through three games. a defensive front led by Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph, Danielle Hunter, and Brian Robison have played a vital role in their early season success. Minnesota will look to continue to pressure quarterbacks into their breaking point.
Luckily enough for Minnesota, Eli Manning’s tenancy to turn the ball over hasn’t withered. Another disturbing fact not favoring the Giants is that they have been brutally unsuccessful versus the Vikings with Eli under center. The New York signal-caller has gone a meager 3-5 against Minnesota with a touchdown to interception ratio of 5-to-14.
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Quite frankly the Vikings have Eli’s number. Furthermore, the Vikings defense look to be flirting with “elite” status at this very moment and this game is in Minnesota.
Sam Bradford has done an exceptional job managing the game on offense for the Vikings, but for this team to take that next step they will need to see some more progression out of a guy they just spent a first round pick on. Rudolph and Diggs have been the key targets through three games, Minnesota will have to implement other options to be better as a whole.
Even though anything can happen in any given football game, don’t broaden above the obvious in this one. The Giants are coming off a heart wrenching loss, Mike Zimmer and his Vikings are steam rolling through premier caliber teams early, and U.S. Bank Stadium will be rocking the “Purple Jesus” throughout the stadium.
Odds
Minnesota: -4
Moneyline: New York +160, Minnesota -192
Over/Under: 43.5
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Prediction
The early thought here is that the New York Giants will become one-dimensional quickly, a turnover will come, and the Vikings will take control before the half is through. Even with all the key losses, with a defense like this, the Minnesota Vikings of 2016-17 look a bit reminiscent of last year’s Denver Broncos.
Pick: New York Giants: 13, Minnesota Vikings: 24