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Giants Now: The Wild Card matchup on paper

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Giants-Vikings Wild Card Preview

The New York Giants return to Minnesota for the second time this season to take on the Vikings in U.S. Bank Stadium in the Super Wild Card Round. Sunday's kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

It is the Giants' first playoff berth since 2016 and the first time they will face Minnesota in the postseason since 2000, when they defeated the Vikings, 41-0, in the NFC Championship.

The Giants finished the 2022 regular season with a 9-7-1 record and enter the Super Wild Card Round as the sixth seed in the NFC. The two teams last met on Dec. 24 when the Giants fell to the Vikings, 27-24, on a 61-yard field goal as time expired.

Here are notes and stats for players from both teams ahead of the Wild Card matchup.

Giants

Team Notes

*New York Giants clinched playoff berth for 1st time since 2016.

*Brian Daboll was 1 of 3 rookie HCs (Mike McDaniel & Kevin O'Connell) to qualify for postseason.

*New York Giants ranked 4th in rush yards per game (148.2).

*New York Giants had 2 players selected to 2023 Pro Bowl Games: RB Saquon Barkley & DL Dexter Lawrence

Offensive Notes

*QB Daniel Jones can make 1st career playoff start. Had career highs in pass yards (3,205), rush yards (708 - 5th-most among QBs) & rush TDs (7 - tied 3rd-most among QBs) in 2022. Passed for 334 yards & TD in Week 16 meeting.

*RB Saquon Barkley ranked 4th in rush yards (1,312) & ranked 5th among RBs in scrimmage yards (1,650) & had 2nd-career season with 10+ rush TDs (10) in 2022. Had rush TD in 6 of his 7 road games this season. Had season-high 8 catches, 133 scrimmage yards (84 rush, 49 rec.) & rush TD in Week 16 meeting.

*WR Darius Slayton had 46 receptions for team-high 724 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs in 2022, his 3rd-career season with 700+ rec. yards. Had 79 rec. yards in Week 16 meeting.

*WR Richie James had career highs in receptions (57), rec. yards (569) & rec. TDs (4) in 2022. Had season highs in catches (8) & rec. yards (90) in Week 16 meeting.

*WR Isaiah Hodgins had rec. TD in 4 of his final 5 reg. season games.

Defensive Notes

*DL Dexter Lawrence had career highs in sacks (7.5), TFL (7), PD (3) & FF (2) in 2022. Led NFC DL with career-high 68 tackles this season.

*DL Leonard Williams had 5 TFL in his past 4 reg. season road games. Had sack in Week 16 meeting.

*LB Jaylon Smith had 88 tackles this season, his 5th-career season with 80+ tackles. Had 10 tackles & sack in Week 16 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row in playoffs with 7+ tackles.

*OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux was 1 of 2 rookies (George Karlaftis) with 4+ sacks (4), 5+ TFL (6) & 5+ PD (5) in 2022.

*OLB Azeez Ojulari had 5.5 sacks & 3 FFs in 7 games in 2022.

*S Julian Love led team & ranked 4th among DBs with career-high 116 tackles & was 1 of 5 DBs with 100+ tackles, 5+ TFL (6) & 5+ PD (5) in 2022.

*CB Fabian Moreau had career-high 63 tackles & 2nd-straight season with 10+ PD (10) this season.

*CB Darnay Holmes had career-high 8 PD in 2022, incl. 5 PD in his final 5 reg. season games.

Vikings

Team Notes

*Minnesota clinched NFC North for 1st time since 2017.

*Kevin O'Connell was 1 of 3 rookie HCs (Brian Daboll & Mike McDaniel) to qualify for postseason. 

Offensive Notes

*QB Kirk Cousins passed for 4,547 yards & 29 TDs in 2022 & became 5th player ever with 25+ TD passes in 8 straight seasons. Has TD pass vs. 0 INTs & 90+ rating in 2 of his past 3 playoff starts. Passed for 299 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 107.9 rating in Week 16 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NYG with 2+ TD passes & 105+ rating.

*RB Dalvin Cook had 1,468 scrimmage yards (1,173 rush, 295 rec.) & 10 TDs (8 rush, 2 rec.) in 2022 & is 1 of 2 (Alvin Kamara) with 1,300+ scrimmage yards in each of past 4 seasons. Since 2019, ranks 2nd in NFL with 43 rush TDs. Has 295 scrimmage yards (147.5 per game) in 2 career games vs. NYG.

*WR Justin Jefferson led NFL in catches (128 - 7th-most in season all- time), rec. yards (1,809 - 6th-most in season all-time) & games with 100+ rec. yards (10 - tied 4th-most in season all-time). Has 324 receptions for 4,825 yards, both most by player in 1st 3 seasons in NFL history. Had 12 catches for 133 yards & rec. TD in Week 16 meeting.

*WR Adam Thielen had 70 catches for 716 yards & 6 rec. TDs in 2022 & became 3rd undrafted player ever with 5+ rec. TDs in 6 different seasons. Has 5+ catches in 3 of his past 4 playoff games.

*WR K.J. Osborn had career-high 60 receptions for 650 yards & 5 rec. TDs in 2022. Had 5+ catches in 4 of his final 5 reg. season games.

*TE T.J. Hockenson had career highs & ranked 2nd among TEs in catches (86) & rec. yards (914) & tied his career high with 6 rec. TDs in 2022. Had 13 catches for 109 yards & 2 rec. TDs in Week 16 meeting. 

Defensive Notes

*OLB Danielle Hunter led team with 10.5 sacks in 2022, his 4th-career season with 10+ sacks. Aims for his 4th in row in playoffs with sack. Has 5 sacks in 4 career games vs. NYG, incl. 2 sacks & FF in Week 16 meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NYG with 2+ sacks.

*OLB Za'Darius Smith had 10 sacks in 2022, his 3rd-career 10+ sack season & led team with 15 TFL, his 4th-career 10+ TFL season. Has 4 sacks in his past 5 playoff games.

*LB Eric Kendricks led team with 137 tackles, his 7th-straight 100+ tackle season. Has 37 tackles (7.4 per game) & 6 PD in 5 career playoff games.

*LB Jordan Hicks had 4th-straight 100+ tackle season (129) & ranked tied-2nd among LBs with career-high 10 PD in 2022.

*CB Patrick Peterson was 1 of 2 (Tariq Woolen) with 15+ PD (15) & 5+ INTs (5) in 2022. Had INT in Week 16 meeting.

*S Harrison Smith was 1 of 2 (Minkah Fitzpatrick) with 85+ tackles (85), 10+ PD (10) & 5+ INTs (5) in 2022.

Re-live the season with the best photos from the Giants' 2022 playoff campaign.

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