Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants: 5 keys to victory

When the Minnesota Vikings take on the New York Giants on December 27, 2015’s Sunday Night Football, there could be a lot on the line for the boys in purple.

It’s week 16 of the NFL season and things are heating up in the race for playoff spots and division titles. That is the case for the Minnesota Vikings, who play the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football this week.

Winning this game might not be essential. If the Green Bay Packers lose to the Arizona Cardinals earlier on Sunday, Minnesota may find themselves resting some of the players struggling to come back from injuries. However, the team will not lose focus on the two major goals for the season: an NFC North division title and a Super Bowl appearance.

For the sake of this article, I’ll assume that this game will be a meaningful one and players will not be rested for it. So let’s take a look at the five things that the Minnesota Vikings must do on Sunday to get a victory at home against the Giants:

Be efficient picking up first downs on the ground. Adrian Peterson doesn’t need to have a massive game. The Vikings don’t have to rely on him getting 150-200 yards rushing to win games anymore. However, they do need him to help grind down the defensive front and keep the ball in Minnesota’s hands.

Stuff the middle. With Linval Joseph possibly returning, Minnesota should be back among the best in the league in stuffing the run. However, the Giants only average 93.6 rushing yards per game (24th in the league) and reached the end zone 4 times on the ground. Forcing the Giants to be one-dimensional could be key.

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Let the quarterback sling the ball around.

To put it bluntly, the Giants pass defense is bad. In fact, they give up the most passing yards per game (308.4) and are tied for 6th in giving up the most passing touchdowns (28). Teddy Bridgewater should be able to pick the team apart through the air with calculated throws.

Make Eli Manning’s day hard. This could be a problem, since the Giants allow the third fewest sacks in the league. However, the Minnesota Vikings are relentless when it comes to getting to the quarterback, even if they don’t bring him down. I expect a lot of pressures and hits even if the sack totals aren’t there.

Milk the effectiveness of the tight end. Kyle Rudolph has emerged as a major target for Teddy Bridgewater recently, and that shouldn’t slow down against the Giants. He has caught every pass thrown his way the last two weeks and should be a reliable part of the Minnesota Vikings offense.

Those are my five keys to victory for the Vikings against the Giants on Sunday Night Football in week 16. Do you disagree with some of them? Have some keys that you’d like to add to the list? Let me know in the comments below.

When the Minnesota Vikings take on the New York Giants on December 27, 2015’s Sunday Night Football, there could be a lot on the line for the boys in purple.

More from The Viking Age

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