Which team should Giants choose to play in the NFL playoffs against?

Based on all that rivalry heat – Joe Montana, Phil Simms, Jerry Rice, Jim Burt and company, plus eight previous playoff matchups – it’s hard to imagine a Giants San Francisco 49ers fan rooting for them.

Go Niners! Ecch.

But based on playoff positioning this season, you couldn’t be blamed for sporting a Deebo Samuel Sunday’s game will see the Niners wearing a jersey that is blue underneath. The Minnesota Vikings would be the third seed in NFC playoffs if they beat the Arizona Cardinals. Six Giants will be playing in Minneapolis in Wild Card Round.

And let’s face it, that’s a much better matchup for Big Blue. It’s not right for any team to have to deal with the 49ers at this time. Despite only having their third starting quarterback for the season, the Niners have won nine straight thanks to an infuriating defense led possibly by Defensive Players of the Year Nick Bosa. We’ll get to that in a moment.

Here’s a look at why the Giants should want to play the Vikings and why they should be happy if the 49ers are someone else’s problem:

Giants or Vikings? Skol! Skol! The victory was secured at US Bank Stadium with a 61-yard field goals in the final seconds. The Vikings are 12-4 at the start of Week 18. They seem unbeatable. The Giants should feel that they failed to win the Week 16 clash, and should be confident that they could defeat Minnesota in a playoff match.

The Vikings have an insane minus-19 point differential. This is crazy considering they are a 12-win team. The 49ers (12-4), for example, have a point differential in excess of 148.

Blame the Vikings defense. This is porous enough, points wise, to give you a real opportunity. Daniel JonesThe Giants’ offense is led by, who is enjoying his best season. The Vikes rank 31st in total defense as well as scoring defense and passing defense. Only the Bears have allowed more points than the Vikings surrendered at 25.9 per game. The Bears are 3-13.

Of course, Minnesota didn’t win all those games by giving up scads of points. They scored plenty, too, and that’s what makes them challenging. They average 24.7 points, eighth in the NFL, and boast the finest receiver in football – Justin Jefferson. He leads the league with 124 catches and 1,771 receiving yards. Calvin Johnson’s single-season yardage record with a big day in Week 18. Jefferson would need 194 yards against the Bears Sunday, but who knows if he’ll be in the game long enough to get there.

Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins He has thrown 28 touchdown pass. Dalvin Cook He is currently enjoying his fourth consecutive season of more than 1,100 yards rushing. He faces a Giants defense which has allowed 5.3 yards per run (31st in NFL) and 144.8 yards per game (28th).

The Vikings have struggled with their offensive line, giving up 47 sacks. This is tied for fifth in the NFL. Kayvon ThibodeauxThis seems to be a new talent.

A San Francisco treat? Uh, no: Trey Lance So, I was hurt. So did Jimmy Garoppolo. Mr. Irrelevant – the last pick in the draft – is now quarterbacking the 49ers. Yet Brock Purdy They have kept going. His four starts have earned him a passer rating of 112.7, which would be easily the best in the NFL extrapolated over a full-season. Including a relief appearance, he’s thrown two TD passes in five straight games. He sure doesn’t look like a guy who just turned 23 and was not a coveted pick coming out of Iowa State.

He’s got uber-talent around him on offense, too, including 10-time Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams, who anchors a line that has helped limit sacks – opponents have 27 this year, tied for fifth-best in football. Tight end George Kittle (nine TD catches) & do-it all back Christian McCaffrey (1,801 Scrimmage yards) are skill position terrors. Samuel, who was hurt, should be back this week is yet another matchup nightmare. It’s no surprise that San Francisco averages 25.8 points per games overall, and almost 30 during their winning streak.

But the defense is the Niners’ strength. They allow only 16.5 points per game, and they have held their opponents to just 78.8 yards of rush per contest. This could be a challenge Saquon Barkley Jones and you are ready to go.

Throwing against San Francisco may be a better choice, as the Niners are 19th against the pass overall and have some inexperience with their secondary. Bosa, the pocket-destroyer Jones will be running after Jones. Bosa is the NFL’s leading tackler with 17.5 sacks, and second with 18 for loss. He’s got at least one sack in 13-of-16 games so far and is a constant disruption threat.

Surprisingly, last week’s Niners win was against the Las Vegas Raiders. They won, 37 to 34, but QB Jarrett StidhamHe made his debut in Las Vegas, leading the way to 34 points and 500 yard offense.

Is this a one-Sunday letdown, or the start of a trend in fashion?