Bodog Beat

You live by the Tarvaris, you die by the Tarvaris. (AP Images)

The Minnesota Vikings have pinned their playoff hopes on the shoulders of QB Tarvaris Jackson, who fumbled three times (losing two of them) in last week’s 24-17 loss to the Falcons (+3.5). If Jackson can’t lead the Vikings to victory Sunday over the New York Giants, and if Chicago beats Houston, the Bears win the NFC North and Minnesota gets bubkes. Both games start at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

The good news for the Vikings is that they’re 7-point favorites (-105) at home. The Giants have already clinched the top seed in the NFC, but coach Tom Coughlin isn’t necessarily going to take it easy, as we saw last year when the Giants nearly beat the unbeaten Patriots in Week 17. Big Blue does have a number of hobbling players, though, including RB Brandon Jacobs (knee) and WR Domenik Hixon (foot).