Giants Keeping Calm Ahead of Big Playoff Date with Vikings

The Giants know what's at stake on Sunday, but they're not letting their excitement or emotions get the better of them. Here's why.

"Normal Wednesday. Ready to rock."

Those were the words New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll spoke at the start of his Wednesday press conference this week--the week before and the week before.

In case it's not evident by now, Daboll, as he has done all year long, has the Giants focused on the upcoming day's tasks. And he wouldn't have it any other way because to do so would be to go against everything he's preached to his players since Day 1 of his tenure.

"It feels like a normal Wednesday, yeah," Daboll said. "We’ll get ready to go, same practice, same meetings, same schedule."

To the Giants faithful that have waited six long years for New York to get back into the playoffs, this week is more than another week in the NFL calendar. It's a week that, win or lose, marks the Giants' return to relevancy after suffering consecutive double-digit losing seasons since 2016, their last postseason berth.

And given how tightly the Giants played the Vikings in the first meeting on Christmas Eve, the fan base is fully energized over the possibility that maybe, just maybe, the giants, currently an underdog in this week's game, but who have been playing some solid ball in the closing weeks of the 2022 regular-season, could surprise a few people and go on something of a run.

Daboll doesn't need to remind his players about what's at stake when they head to Minnesota for a Super Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Minnesota Vikings this weekend.

"I think we all know what’s at stake, so nobody has to say anything," said safety Xavier McKinney. "We’ve got some guys on this team that have been in the playoffs, so they know how it goes. We’ve played in big games, so we know how it goes, so we just try not to get too high, try not to be too low, but stay even-keeled and just be ready for Sunday."

Easier said than done?

"I don’t think so. If you prepare the right way, if you stick to your routine, which we’re doing," McKinney said.

"I feel like the moment outside of the building is big for a lot of people," added safety Julian Love. "In here, I feel like this is another Wednesday. We’re taking advantage of just taking it one day at a time and making sure our prep is good."

Quarterback Daniel Jones agreed.

"We’re trying to have the best Wednesday we can, and then we’re going to take that approach each day this week," he said.

Daboll's message about staying in the moment and taking each practice day, each hour, and each minute as they come has resonated well within the locker room. It is a big reason why the Giants have enjoyed success in the first year of Daboll's tenure.

And for those who think the Giants' laid-back attitude toward the playoffs is off-putting or an act, rest assured that nothing could be further from the truth.

"I think everyone understands where we are now. We’re in the playoffs. We’re past the regular season," Jones said. "The games mean more from the sense that you lose, you go home. So, people understand that.

"But the only way we’re going to play as well as we want to play is to prepare how we have all year, to trust our process, and stick to that. So, that’s largely been the conversation amongst the guys."

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