FOR USE AS DESIRED

            NFL-76             11/16/01

 

TITLE GAME REMATCH – GIANTS & VIKINGS MEET AT METRODOME

 

Revenge and survival.

 

That’s what the Minnesota Vikings will be playing for when they meet the New York Giants at the Metrodome this week on ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football.

 

Revenge:  Just 10 months ago, on January 14, New York and Minnesota met at Giants Stadium in the NFC Championship Game to determine who would be the NFC representative in Tampa, Florida for Super Bowl XXXV.  The Giants were the better team that day and earned the Super Bowl berth with a commanding 41-0 win.

 

"I think they're going to have a burr in their saddle for us," says Giants quarterback KERRY COLLINS, who threw five touchdown passes in the title game.  "They're going to be fired up.  I'm sure they'd love to embarrass us."

 

Survival:  For the 3-5 Vikings, Monday night’s game is a must-win if they want to stay in contention for a playoff spot this season.  The club is coming off two consecutive defeats in which they have been outscored 89-31.  But their next two games (including Monday night) are at home, where they are 3-1 this year, and Vikings head coach DENNIS GREEN only sees the positive.

 

"We've got a chance to be 5-5," says Green.  "I'm not interested in berating our guys about a game that has already been played.   It's not going to change.   What I'm interested in doing is making sure the team understands that an opportunity to win is present on Monday night."

 

The Giants are 5-4 and have won two in a row against NFC East division-foes Dallas and Arizona.  They need a win to keep pace with or possibly surpass the first-place Philadelphia Eagles, who lead the division at 5-3.  After Monday night, the Giants host Oakland, followed by a bye week.

 

“I think these two weeks are critical,” says Giants head coach JIM FASSEL.  “We have to push hard these next two weeks against two good teams.  The circumstances in which we have to play Minnesota are going to be hard.  We are going into their yard for Monday Night Football after they got beat like they did last week (48-17 by Philadelphia).  We are going to have to be ready to play.”

 

The past 10 NFC Championship Game-opponents have met the following year.  The results (home team in CAPS):

 

PAST 10 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES & REMATCHES

 

 

REMATCH NOTES:  The winner of the championship game is 7-3 in rematches, although the title game runner-up has won the past two……The team hosting the rematch is 7-3, however visitors have won three of the past six……The last time the rematch visitor was the championship-game winner – as is the case this year with the Giants at the Vikings -- was last season when the defending champion Rams lost to the host Buccaneers, 38-35.