Vikings Rout Giants 49-17 to Clinch Playoff Spot

And with 40 percent of their offensive firepower missing, the Giants never really had a chance against the Vikings tough defense.

The Vikings could also confirm their postseason spot with a win tonight, and can also clinch their first NFC North title if they can win today and then claim a victory against the Green Bay Packers in next week’s regular season finale.

While the Vikings offense got off to a slow start, their defense kept the Giants, who were without star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.as he served a one-game National Football League suspension, under wraps and continued to put the offense in favorable starting field position.

The Vikings got into the end zone for the first time in the second quarter, with Teddy Bridgewater hitting Kyle Rudolph on a ideal pass down the seams.

Smith’s big play was the fourth pick-six of his career, and he is now the Vikings’ all-time franchise leader in interceptions returned for touchdowns, so congratulations to him on that feat. But it was those hard yards early that opened things up for more yards later (in the third quarter, as it turned out) when the Giants had basically lost interest in tackling him head on. Rashad Jennings led in rushing with 107 yards and one touchdown in 16 carries.

It’s an impressive progression after their house of cards playoff run of 2012 fell apart (Christian Ponder was not a playoff quarterback, and isn’t even an National Football League quarterback at the moment). After running back Adrian Peterson rumbled for another first down, the drive stalled and Blair Walsh booted a 32-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. But they can make life easier if they win against the Giants and just let themselves decide their own fate. Jerick McKinnon added yet another exclamation point with a 7-yard touchdown of his own.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that tonight’s game is meaningless for the Giants. Key backups are often times core special teams players. While left tackle Matt Kalil gets a lot of stick because he’s the left tackle and the fourth overall pick in the 2012 draft and perhaps hasn’t played to the level anticipated when you’re picked that high, he also hadn’t missed a snap in his career until a late injury.

It must not have been a good night for punting in the cold weather. Vikings punter had a 29-yard punt and another one that landed just a hair father but a fortuitous bounce turned it into 52 yards.

All of the injured Vikings were listed as probable on Friday’s final injury report, but Zimmer admitted earlier in the week he would consider making players that were “iffy” inactive, depending on the landscape of Sunday’s afternoon games.