TODAY’S GAMES

Minnesota (9-7) at N.Y. Giants (10-5-1)

* The facts: 9:30 a.m., Giants Stadium, Channel 7.

* Head to head: Did not play this season.

* Storyline: At first glance, this would appear to be just another three hours of TV programming designed to attract bored or desperate viewers during the holidays.

After all, it doesn’t matter who wins this game in a cold, windy stadium between two mediocre teams, does it? The winner cannot defeat either the San Francisco 49ers or Green Bay Packers in a second-round game next week, can it?

Not so fast there, Mr. Cynic.

If the Giants win, their combination of powerful running (ranked seventh in the league) and a strong run defense (ranked third) could make things interesting, no matter where they play next week.

Their boss, Jim Fassel, newly named coach of the year, doesn’t make many mistakes. And the defense, led by end Michael Strahan, linebacker Jessie Armstead and former USC cornerback Jason Sehorn, causes plenty of mistakes, leading the league with 44 take-aways.

Quarterback Danny Kanell is no Phil Simms or Jeff Hostetler--the Giants ranked 27th in the league in offense--but he knows how to avoid big mistakes.

Despite throwing nine interceptions and only 11 touchdown passes, Kanell nonetheless led the Giants to an 8-2-1 record after taking over for Dave Brown earlier this year.

As for the Vikings, a win here would be amazing, and any after that would be nearly incomprehensible. They won one of their last six games, backing into the playoffs with a quarterback, Randall Cunningham, who couldn’t even get a job last year.

* Key matchups: Watch Cunningham try to outguess and outgun a Giant defensive backfield that ranked 26th in the league in passing yardage allowed despite a league-leading 27 interceptions.

The Giants will tell you they allowed so much passing yardage because nobody could run on them. Cunningham will try to prove that Sehorn and Phillippi Sparks, who hopes to return from a knee injury, can be beaten deep.

Cris Carter and Jake Reed, who each ranked in the top 10 in the league in catches and yards, should do their part. But will Cunningham?

He has won only one of five postseason games with three touchdown passes and six interceptions and a 66.1 rating.

Also watch Viking running back Robert Smith against an interior defensive line led by former Viking Robert Harris.

* Now you know: The Vikings have suffered six consecutive playoff losses dating to 1988, tying the record. Their coach, Dennis Green, has yet to win a playoff game in four tries.

* They said it: Kanell: “We’re going to try to do the same things we have been doing . . . but we definitely realize we might have to put some points up this week. You’ve got Randall Cunningham running around back there throwing to some great receivers, so anything can happen.”

* The line: Giants by 4.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

VIKING LOS (9-7)

At Buffalo: W 34-13

At Chicago: W 27-24

Tampa Bay: L 28-14

At Green Bay: L 38-32

Philadelphia: W 28-19

At Arizona: W 20-19

Carolina: W 21-14

At Tampa Bay: W 10-6

New England: W 23-18

Chicago: W 29-22

At Detroit: L 38-15

At N.Y. Jets: L 23-21

Green Bay: L 27-11

At San Francisco: L 28-17

Detroit: L 14-13

Indianapolis: W 39-28

GIANT LOG (10-5-1)

Philadelphia: W 31-17

Jacksonville: L 40-13

Baltimore: L 24-23

At St. Louis: L 13-3

New Orleans: W 14-9

Dallas: W 20-17

At Arizona: W 27-13

At Detroit: W 26-20 OT

Cincinnati: W 29-27

At Tennessee: L 10-6

19 Arizona: W 10

At Washington: T 7-7

Tampa Bay: L 20-8

At Philadelphia: W 31-21

Washington: W 30-10

At Dallas: W 20-7