Having safety Xavier McKinney available for Sunday afternoon’s playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings will make a difference in how New York coordinator Wink Martindale calls the Giants defense.

McKinney returned to the lineup on Jan. 1 after a seven-game absence. Broken fingers sustained in an ATV accident during New York’s bye week had sent the former Alabama standout to the sidelines.

MORE NFL:

· JAGUARS COME ALL THE WAY BACK ON CHARGERS

· SAN FRANCISCO ROLLS TO 11TH WIN IN A ROW

· CAN DOLPHINS DUO DELIVER PLAYOFF UPSET WITHOUT TUA TAGOVAILOA?

During that time, McKinney missed the Giants’ 27-24 loss to the Vikings on Dec. 24, but with the safety back for the Super Wild-Card Weekend matchup, Martindale said New York’s defense would be different.

Asked to explain how, Martindale said: “I’ll tell you after the game after (Minnesota coach) Kevin (O’Connell) sees it first, but it definitely will change the way you can call some plays.”

In the Christmas Eve meeting, tight end T.J. Hockenson had 13 receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns against the Giants.

“He’s a really good tight end, so we’ve just got to be prepared,” McKinney said. “I’ve got to be prepared to be able to have that matchup against him. I’m excited for it. It’s going to be fun.”

McKinney played 48 defensive snaps, made seven tackles and broke up a pass in his return to the field during New York’s 38-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on New Year’s Day. With their playoff position locked in, the Giants held McKinney out of the regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles last week.

This time around, New York also expects to have cornerback Adoree Jackson back in the lineup after he missed the final seven regular-season games because of a knee injury. He’ll be a welcome addition against NFL receiving leader Justin Jefferson. The Vikings wide receiver had 12 receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown against the Giants three weeks ago.

“They’re going to make plays,” McKinney said. “Like I said, they’re really good players, some of the best we have in this league, so they’re going to make plays. Even when me and Adoree are out there, they’re going to make plays on Sunday. It is what it is. When you face another great player, you have to limit them. You can’t really stop them all the way.

“They’re going to make some catches that might be crazy. They’re going to do some things that’s like, ‘Oh.’ It’s a part of the game. We know that as DBs, as a DB. That’s a life of a DB. People are going to make catches. They’re going to make some plays. But you’ve got to be able to bounce back and keep going, so that’s what we’re looking to do. And like I said, we’re going to do what we can to limit them. But that’s a part of it, that’s a part of the game.”

The Giants posted a 9-7-1 record in the regular season for their first winning mark since 2016, which also is the last time they went to the postseason before the current campaign.

Considering that accomplishment, McKinney was asked if New York was playing with house money against Minnesota.

“When you get in the playoffs, it’s a new season,” McKinney said. “Anything can happen when you get in, and we’re in, so we don’t look at it as that. We see it as another game that we have to go in there and be 1-0. You’ve got to be 1-0 to get to the next round, and if you don’t, then you’re eliminated.

“We don’t care about house money, I don’t even know what that really is, but we’re just going out there playing and trying to get a win.”

The Giants’ most recent postseason victory came on Feb. 5, 2012, when New York defeated the New England Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI.

McKinney will be making his NFL postseason debut. He was a member of two Alabama teams that played for CFP national championships, including the 2017 squad that won.

“We’ve got some guys on this team that have been in the playoffs before, so they know kind of how it goes,” McKinney said. “A lot of us, we’ve played in big games, so we know kind of how it goes, so we just try not to get too high, try not to be too low, but stay even-keeled and just be ready for Sunday. …

“I’m just trying to play my best game. We all are. Like I said, we know what’s at stake, so I don’t really get too high or get too low. I just know what’s at stake. If you lose, you’re gone, and if you win, you move on. I know that, and that’s pretty much all you need to know for this type of game.”

The Giants and Vikings square off at 3:30 p.m. CST Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. FOX will televise the game.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.