Giants Open As Underdogs Ahead of Week 16 Game at Minnesota

Plus what the Giants have to have happen if they're to clinch a postseason berth this weekend.

Maybe it was the fact that the Minnesota Vikings recorded the largest comeback in NFL history--they were down 33 points at halftime in their game last week against the Colts only to win 39-36--that has impressed the odds makers.

Or maybe it's because the New York Giants, thanks to their Sunday night game against Washington, have had to modify the upcoming work week just a bit.

Whatever the case, the Giants open up Week 16 as a 3.5-point underdog, according to SI Sportsbook.

The Giants did what they needed to do on Sunday Night Football. On the road in Washington, they beat the Commanders 20-12 and improved their chances of qualifying for a postseason berth for the first time since 2016.

The next task is to clinch a playoff spot, which the Giants can do with a win and one of the other following scenarios:

1. DET loss + SEA loss OR
2. DET loss + WAS loss OR
3. SEA loss + WAS loss

The Seahawks are at Kansas City. Washington is at San Francisco. And Detroit is at Carolina. All three teams play their games on Saturday, the same as the Giants.

Even if none of the three scenarios don't happen, the Giants would, according to FiveThirtyEight.com, improve their postseason chances to 99 percent with a win over the Vikings Sunday.

But if they were to find themselves with the same record as Detroit and/or Seattle, the Giants would lose out thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker each of those teams holds over New York.

---

 Join the Giants Country Community

• Sign up for our FREE digest newsletter
• Follow and like us on Facebook
• Submit your questions for our mailbag
• Check out the new Giants Country YouTube Channel.
• Listen and subscribe to the daily LockedOn Giants podcast.
• Subscribe and like the LockedOn Giants YouTube Channel
• Sign up for our FREE message board forums
• Get your Giants tickets today from SI Tickets!