With the NY Giants set to face the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round this Sunday, many fans are excited to see the team’s first playoff game since 2016. When looking at who else the Giants could’ve faced in the first round, this seems like the best-case scenario.
Not only did the Giants end the season with two promising games, but considering how close they came to beating the Vikings in Week 16, there is a very good chance this Wild Card matchup goes in the Giants favor.
This won’t be an easy game, and the stars of the NY Giants will have to step up big time in order to help deliver this potential victory. However, if these four under-the-radar guys have quality games, New York could very well move on to the Divisional Round and face the Philadelphia Eagles next weekend.
4: LB Jarrad Davis
In just one game with the NY Giants, Jarrad Davis showed more than any of the previous linebackers on the Giants have in an entire season. Not only did Davis rack up 10 tackles, half a sack, a tackle for loss, and a QB hit, but he also displayed a certain downhill speed and read/react ability that New York has not seen in 2022. Finally.
Alongside this, Davis also posted a coverage grade of 77.7 – something that could be a real game-changer going into the Giants matchup against Minnesota. In Week 16, Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson caught 13 passes for 109 yards and two TDs. While yes, not every pass was caught while being covered by a linebacker, adding someone with any ability in coverage to guard Hockenson will certainly help.
Even outside of this, the Vikings have one of the best running backs in the NFL in the form of Dalvin Cook. While he may not have been that dominant in Week 16, he could be unleashed at any second, and the Giants need someone to help contain him.
When you consider just how bad the linebackers of the Giants have been all season, it seems as if there are no excuses for Davis not to get a rather large snap count this week. It is the biggest game of the Giants season and there are no excuses to not to whatever it will take to win, even if it means benching a season long starter in favor of someone who would be more fit to play.