The New York Giants may be heading into their first playoff game since 2017 when the travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings at 4:30 PM ET Sunday, but this is a team with some practice when it comes to facing that moment.

After all, New York made this same trip to U.S. Bank Stadium back on December 24, battling the Vikings to a virtual draw, before falling to Minnesota, 27-24 on Greg Joseph’s 61-yard field goal as time expired.

New York even has recent practice playing an opponent, then playing them again in a short span with playoff implications on the line from the result. On December 4, the Giants tied Washington, 20-20 at MetLife Stadium, before hitting the road two weeks later and edging the Commanders on December 18, 20-12, a win that largely cemented their playoff spot and sent Washington reeling toward what became a season missing the playoffs altogether.

For Wink Martindale, the team’s defensive coordinator, this is nothing less than a playbook for how to handle Minnesota, the sequel, on Sunday.

“Everything is punch and counterpunch,” Martindale told assembled media on Thursday. “Just like we did when we played Washington, from the first time into the second time. Same thing we did with Philly and looking back on it, I think we did the same thing in Dallas. We had a lot of injuries in that game, but we still held them lower than what they were averaging scoring, I know that. Every time I saw it, I felt shitty walking out of there but then after I saw some of these scores, “hey, I don’t feel that bad”. I think that’s the way professional football is and that’s the way being a coordinator is. You’ve got to have counter punches to everything you do.”

Foremost among those efforts must come from slowing down the receiving duo of Justin Jefferson (12 receptions, 109 yards, 1 TD) and T.J. Hockenson (13 receptions, 109 yards, 2 TDs) in the rematch. And New York will have some additional help in doing so, with Xavier McKinney back playing at safety, and the increasing likelihood that Adoree’ Jackson, the team’s best cover corner, will be healthy enough to play Sunday as well.

“He did good,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said of Jackson on Friday. “We’ll give him another day out here and hopefully it’s moving in the right direction... I’d say we have another day here with some of those guys, but I’m optimistic with the guys that we have.”

The real-world experience combines for the Giants with the efforts they take in practice. They’ve prepared indoors, all week, the sound turned way up. Even Skol, the trademark chant of the Vikings fans, is included in what they’re hearing as they prep.

And yet, for all the background Daboll and company have been working on to turn the first Giants’ playoff game in six years, he isn’t particularly hung up on playoff experience itself as a determining factor.

“I’ve been in so many different situations. The first year that I was part of a Super Bowl, the quarterback didn’t have any playoff experience there at New England. Some of the guys did. Some didn’t. We had some experience at Buffalo; we lost. I think really what you make out of it is the experience is probably overrated to be honest with you. It’s how you prepare, how you practice and ultimately how you play the game and coach the game on whatever day it is. I’ve been around a lot of different teams that have had varying levels of experience – some a lot, some a little, some not much. I know someone mentioned Malcolm Butler. I think really what matters is taking advantage of your opportunities when they come and playing a good football game and coaching a good football game. So, I don’t know if that answers your question. But I really think it’s an overrated thing.”

To a large extent, though, Daboll is depending on the experience of his team — specifically, the 2022 season. He met with the captains Friday, provided some final instructions. He’ll do a last bit of work on Saturday, but there’s seldom any fiery speeches that night, or pregame Sunday. He knows that a hungry fan base back home will be hanging on every snap.

And then? Let the chips fall.

“Our foundation is built on our consistency, our approach, our work ethic, how we do things on and off the field, all those types of things,” Daboll said. “Again, like I say every week, I can live with the results. I don’t like them; I can live with them if we’re doing the right stuff. I think we have a bunch of people in our building that try to do the right things on and off the field in every department. So, I think the focus has to be where it’s always at; it’s this particular week. We’re guaranteed one more week. That’s it. So, everything you’ve got to do the right thing off the field, everything you’ve got to do the right thing in the building, everything you’ve got for practice, everything you’ve got for meetings, prepare as hard as you can prepare and feel confident going into a game. And then go play and coach. That’s what it is to me.”