Giants vs. Vikings: NFL Playoff Predictions for Wild Card Round on Sunday, January 15, 2023

Last updated: Dec 21, 2023, 8:41PM | Published: Jan 9, 2023, 8:12PM

After winning the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings will now be searching for some playoff success, but a matchup with the New York Giants on Sunday, January 15 isn't going to be easy. New York played in a very competitive division this season, but the team was still able to find a way into the postseason. With that in mind, find out how we think this one will play out in our Giants vs. Vikings betting preview. We're going to give you some in-depth analysis, as well as the NFL predictions from our predictive analytics model and world-class artificial intelligence. The Super Bowl is right around the corner, so we're pulling out all the stops. Let's have a fun couple of weeks, as this is one of the best parts of the year for sports bettors.

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Giants vs. Vikings Predictions

Predicted score: Vikings 25 - Giants 22
No edge on either team to cover the 3-point spread
62% chance the Vikings win on the moneyline
55% shot Giants-Vikings goes Under 48.5

For the best NFL computer picks, check out our Giants vs. Vikings data predictions. They are constantly updating based on hundreds of different data points.

Giants vs. Vikings Odds and Betting Lines

Will The Giants Cover The Spread?

Believe it or not, the Giants are 8-2 against the spread when facing winning teams this season. With that in mind, it's hard to rule out New York finding a way to stick around in this game. The Giants have proven that they can rise to the occasion all season long. Brian Daboll's team is also 10-2 ATS when facing defenses that allow a completion percentage of 61% or worse on the year. That one makes a lot of sense, as New York's passing game is average but can move the ball against weak competition.

This one will ultimately come down to whether or not the Giants have an answer for Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson. They definitely didn't for Jefferson in their first meeting, allowing him to haul in 12 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. They also let T.J. Hockenson go off for 13 catches, 109 yards and two touchdowns. New York absolutely must figure out a way to slow down the Minnesota passing game. If it can, the Giants might actually have a chance to win here.

Will The Vikings Cover The Spread?

Well, we pretty much got into it in our last section. Minnesota's passing game simply shredded New York in the last meeting between these two, with Kirk Cousins throwing for 299 yards with three touchdowns and no picks. And realistically, Minnesota should have scored more than just 27 in that one, so it isn't outrageous to think that the Vikings might hang a big number on a Giants defense that was the fourth-worst unit in the league in defensive DVOA.

Minnesota also happens to be one of the toughest places in the league to play, which is why the Vikings were 8-1 at home this season.

Why The Over Will Hit

The Over was 9-2 in the 11 games that the Vikings played on turf this season, and it's also 14-2 in the games in which Minnesota has been favored by 7 or fewer points over the last three seasons. This is just a team that can pretty easily get involved in shootouts, as the Vikings have explosive talent at the skill positions and a defense that is very beatable.

These teams combined to score 51 points in their last meeting, but that felt like a total that was towards the lower range of outcomes with these two. Don't be surprised if we get a bit more of a shootout this time around.

Why The Under Will Hit

The best case for this game to go Under would really be the circumstances of this game. Postseason football generally tends to be lower in scoring, with defenses really locked in and both teams trying to establish the ground game.

It was also a miracle that this matchup went Over the total last time these teams played. The score was just 13-10 heading into the fourth quarter and then there were three touchdowns and two field goals in the final 15 minutes. So, we have seen these teams struggle against one another for three quarters, but will it happen for four?

Giants vs. Vikings Prediction

Lean: Over 48

While the Giants don't have a great passing game, they have enough to exploit this weak Vikings defense. And Minnesota's offense isn't one to get slowed down by anyone, but a mediocre New York defense is a prime matchup. This should be a very high-scoring game.

Zachary Cohen

Zachary Cohen has been writing about betting and fantasy sports since his days at the University of Wisconsin. His work has since been featured for prominent players like Covers, Sports Illustrated, Forbes Sports, Tennis Channel and FOX Bet. Zach is extremely passionate about all things sports, but he's especially into the NBA and college athletics. Zach is also a sucker for bad comedies and reality TV.

Twitter: @_ZCO

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