With kickoff fast-approaching, here are a few final thoughts about tonight's game.
How to Take in Tonight's Game
Game Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
TV: NBC
Radio: Vikings Radio Network; KFAN-FM 100.3/KTCN-AM 1130
Mobile: NFL Mobile (exclusively on Verizon)
Win and in
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**At the time of this posting, Seattle was losing to St. Louis and Green Bay was losing to Arizona. If those outcomes hold, the Vikings will kickoff tonight having not clinched a playoff spot; a win would get the job done. Regardless of the Vikings outcome tonight, though, the Green Bay loss means that next week's Vikings-Packers game is a NFC North championship game. To clarify, the Vikings clinch a playoff spot if any one of the following happen: Vikings win tonight, Falcons loss next week, Seahawks win next week, Vikings win next week.
Joseph's return looms large
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**Linval Joseph is a big man, and his return to the lineup tonight would mean big things for the Vikings defense. With WR Odell Beckham, Jr. suspended for this game, the Giants running game becomes more important. Joseph is a significant asset for the Vikings in defending the run.
Return of defensive starts should mean improvement in coverage units
If injured defensive starts Anthony Barr, Linval Joseph and Harrison Smith do return to the lineup tonight, don't be surprised if the Vikings special teams group benefit from that, as well. When starters go down, key backups must step into the lineup. Key backups are often times core special teams players. Case and point: In the first 11 games when the Vikings defense was healthy, the Vikings kickoff coverage group allowed only 26.3 yards per return and since the Big 3 have been missing that number has risen to 31.9; on punt returns, the Vikings have fallen from 2nd in the NFL through 11 games (4.8 yards allowed per return) to 12th (6.0 yards allowed per return).
Expect Giants to feature some no huddle
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View images of the key contributors on the New York Giants.
Jennings had the first 100-yard game for a Giants running back this season against Carolina last week.
Amukamara is in his fifth season with the Giants. The cornerback has an interception and a forced fumble this season.
Rodgers-Cromartie is the biggest playmaker in the Giants secondary. He has 52 total tackles, has forced three fumbles and has two interceptions on the season.
Harris signed as a free agent in March and has returned a kickoff for 100 yards and a punt for 80 yards for touchdowns this season.
Manning is in his 12th season in the NFL. The veteran quarterback has thrown for 32 touchdowns this year, the most in his career for a single season.
Pierre-Paul had his first sack of the season last week against the Panthers. The defensive end has played in six games this season since returning from his offseason hand injury.
Randle has 638 receiving yards and six touchdowns this season, the Giants second-leading wide receiver.
Brown made his first 25 field goal attempts this season, extending his career-high and team-record streak to 29 in a row.
Ayers is one of the Giants top pass rushing players. He has 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in his seventh NFL season.
**Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer has mentioned multiple times this week the Giants no huddle offense, which means he's taken note of it in his film study and expects it to be a factor tonight. The Giants have utilized the no huddle all season, but the approach makes even more sense this week given the Giants are on the road and with the Vikings coming off a five-sack game against Jay Cutler. One way to slow down a pass rush is to not let the defense huddle or substitute.
Weather
The forecast for kickoff tonight calls for an air temperature of 14 degrees with a wind chill that makes it feel like 4 degrees. It will easily be the coldest game for the Vikings this season, but not in the team's history. In 1972, the Vikings had an air temp of -2 and wind chills of -19 at home against Chicago and then an air temp of 0 and wind chills of -15 against Green Bay that same season. Those are the two coldest games in franchise history. The 1970 season was also a cold one, with four games from that season in the top 10 coldest in team history. If the forecast proves correct, tonight's game will be the 9th-coldest by air temp and won't register in the top 10 by wind chill.
