The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 16 New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings Saturday afternoon Christmas Eve game.
| NY Giants | Rank | @ | Minnesota | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | Spread | -3.5 | ||
| 22 | Implied Total | 25.5 | ||
| 20.5 | 20 | Points/Gm | 25.1 | 8 |
| 22.3 | 14 | Points All./Gm | 24.9 | 28 |
| 64.2 | 15 | Plays/Gm | 66 | 9 |
| 62.8 | 15 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 67.2 | 31 |
| 5.1 | 24 | Off. Yards/Play | 5.4 | 19 |
| 5.8 | 28 | Def. Yards/Play | 5.9 | 31 |
| 49.05% | 6 | Rush% | 35.39% | 30 |
| 50.95% | 27 | Pass% | 64.61% | 3 |
| 44.25% | 22 | Opp. Rush % | 41.13% | 9 |
| 55.75% | 11 | Opp. Pass % | 58.87% | 24 |
- Minnesota has a 10-0 win-loss record as a favorite this season, the only remaining undefeated team as a favorite.
- The Giants have a 6-3-1 win-loss record (8-2 ATS) as an underdog this season, the best record in the league.
- The Vikings have a 7-3 record when trailing in the fourth quarter this season, the best in the NFL.
- The Giants have turned the ball over on 6.7% of their drives, the lowest rate in the league.
- Minnesota has allowed opponents to score on 52.8% of their drives since Week 10, the highest rate in the league.
- Over that same span, opponents have scored on 41.8% of drives against the Giants, eighth-highest rate in the league.
- The Giants have led for 26.7% of their offensive snaps, the lowest rate among all teams with a winning record.
- The Vikings have led for 30.3% of their offensive snaps, the second-lowest rate among teams with a winning record.
- The Vikings are last in the NFL in sack differential (-14) over the past five weeks.
Trust = spike production for that player
Quarterback
Kirk Cousins: After a dismal first half and faced with a 33-point deficit at the break, Cousins and the Vikings produced the greatest comeback in NFL history last Saturday. In the second half and overtime, Cousins was 28-of-42 passing for 417 yards with four touchdowns and an interception.
You know the drill when you face the Giants. They are blitzing on 45.2% of passing plays, the highest rate in the league. Cousins has only been blitzed on 24.2% of his dropbacks (28th) but ranks 35th in the league in completion rate against the blitz (55.6%) while his 5.6 Y/A versus the blitz is ahead of only Carson Wentz (5.2 Y/A) this season.
The Giants play man coverage on 47.6% of passing plays (58.6% of their blitzes), the highest rate in the league. Cousins has also had his bugaboos this season against man. Versus man coverage, Cousins is 25th in completion rate (53.5%) and 20th in yards per pass attempt (6.8 Y/A).
The Giants have not allowed more than two touchdown passes in a game this season. They have allowed just three top-10 scoring weeks this season, with two of those coming attached to rushing touchdowns. Cousins is one of the few passers without any weather concerns this weekend and there is still upside here based on the style of defense the Giants play, but he is more of a back-end QB1/high QB2 play.