Dec. 20, 2025, 1:00 p.m. ET
The New York Giants (2-12) and Minnesota Vikings (6-8) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 16 matchup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Opening the week, the Giants were listed as 2.5-point home underdogs, but that line has shifted slightly with Minnesota now at -3 as of this writing.
With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Vikings Wire managing editor Andrew Harbaugh.
Harbaugh: I have always been skeptical of McCarthy personally, going back to his potential as a prospect, given the offense he was running and how limited his pass attempts were. I grew further away from believing in him during the season when he looked horrendous with turnovers and holding onto the ball too long. However, over the last two weeks, he has shown more confidence and is taking what defenses give him rather than forcing it to make plays. Of course, the Washington and Dallas defenses are not the best in the league, so I remain mildly skeptical, but there is some promise for the first time in a long time.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Brian Flores is a challenging DC with a chip on his shoulder when it comes to the Giants. How aggressive do you expect him to be on Sunday?
I expect him to be very aggressive, given that he will be down Jonathan Greenard and needs to replace his pass-rush presence. Eric Wilson has emerged as a fun player this year on defense, as well as Theo Jackson. But the real difference maker in recent weeks has been safety Harrison Smith, who is playing well both in coverage and in blitz assignments from Flores. Against a rookie quarterback, look for him to throw a lot at Dart in Week 16.
After a 1-6 stretch, the Vikings dominated the Commanders and knocked off the Cowboys. What changed over the past two weeks?
It goes back to what I said at the top: McCarthy is just playing with more confidence. When he isn’t second-guessing himself and getting the ball out quickly, this offense can move. However, the run game has been hit or miss, but McCarthy has been able to overcome that. His superpowers may be running low after two straight weeks of using them, but still, it is the main reason they have turned a corner.
With the season winding down and injuries piling up, what young or depth players have stood out in practice who could see bigger roles against the Giants?
On offense, Jalen Nailor has finally started to get more targets when he should have been all year. Everyone talks about Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison for obvious reasons, but Nailor is a really dynamic piece in the passing game to watch. On defense, Eric Wilson signed a one-year deal to play special teams, essentially, but now he has replaced Ivan Pace as a starter and is zooming all over the field. He covers the middle of the field well in run and pass support, but he also has some pass-rushing chops as well.
How do you see Sunday’s game playing out, who wins, and what’s the final score?
I hate predicting Vikings games anymore because this team has been all over the place. They beat the Lions one week, and then they drop their next four. Right now, they are riding high, but the competition they have beaten is not so great, so it’s hard to say. However, I think Brian Flores will overwhelm Jaxson Dart and the Giants’ offense, and that is the key to a Vikings victory on Sunday. I see it being in Minnesota’s favor by a score of 31-17.
