The Minnesota Vikings is fighting for a spot in the playoffs, while the New York Giants are already eliminated. The Vikings just need to win on Sunday to punch their ticket under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football and you can watch it live online here.
Giants vs. Vikings 2015 streaming: Time, TV schedule and how to watch ‘Sunday Night Football’ online
The Vikings can clinch a spot in the postseason with a win on Sunday.
Odell Beckham Jr. will serve his one-game suspension for infractions in Week 15 against the Carolina Panthers, which means the Giants will be without their top playmaker. Beckham is Eli Manning's No. 1 target and he makes a massive difference when he's on the field.
Even when he’s not making ridiculous catches, defenses often have to put Beckham in double coverage, and without that luxury the Giants could be lost. Tom Coughlin’s 6-8 team has to win out just to finish .500, and the task is even taller without Beckham playing.
Minnesota is at 9-5 on the year, one game back of the rival Green Bay Packers in the NFC North. The Vikings currently hold the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs and a win over the Giants would guarantee them a wild card berth at the minimum. But they have their sights higher, and winning the division would shoot them from fifth or sixth seed to third seed.
Winning the division would also mean they would get to host a playoff game, against either the Seattle Seahawks or Packers, both of which have already been guaranteed spots in the postseason. But first, the Vikings have a huge game on the road against the Packers in Week 17. They might even run the risk of overlooking the Giants due to how anticipated that divisional matchup has been.
But the Giants still have a lot to offer on the field, and Manning is always dangerous at quarterback. Despite all of the issues this season, the Giants rank 12th in the league in total offense, and sixth in the league in passing yards per game at 270.1. That has also led to the sixth-most productive scoring offense with 26.6 points scored per game.
Defensively is where things really fall apart for Coughlin’s Giants. They rank dead last in the league in yards allowed per game at 423.0, and 23rd in the league in points allowed, at 25.6.
The Vikings are on the opposite end of that spectrum, ranking eighth in the league in points allowed (19.4) and 13th in the league in total defense.
Veteran running back Adrian Peterson has spearheaded the Minnesota offense. Peterson has had a real return to form and comes into the week leading the league in rushing with 1,314 yards on the season. He'll be going up against a Giants defense that ranks 21st in the league in rushing yards allowed per game. Peterson also has nine touchdowns on the year, and leads the league's fifth-most productive rushing offense.
The game plan for the Vikings will be to run it early and often, though if they secure an early lead they will likely try to give Peterson a rest before next week’s showdown with the Packers.
How to Watch
When: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
TV: NBC
Commentators: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
Online: NBC Sports
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SB Nation presents: Odell Beckham Jr. deserved a suspension for his actions last week
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