NFL

Winless Giants face lowly Vikings

It is not the conundrum “If a tree falls in the forest …’’ presents or the brain-teaser “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?’’ but it is fair to wonder this about what takes place Monday night at MetLife Stadium:

If the Giants cannot beat the Vikings, who can they beat?

At some point, the madness has to stop and the losing must end, right? The Giants this season have been equal-opportunity losers, getting beat by the great, the good, the mediocre. But not yet by the truly bad. The Vikings are 1-4, have gone through starting quarterbacks as if it’s Three For A Dollar day and do not own a victory this season on American soil.

Of course, the Vikings no doubt look at the 0-6 Giants and think: “If not now, when?’’ but that’s for the good folks of Minneapolis and St. Paul to ponder.

“I think we’ve got to get this done,’’ receiver Victor Cruz said. “I think we just all know what’s at stake. We all know we have to get our first win under our belts. We need it, and I think this is going to be a good start for us.’’

It seems as if the Giants have been sitting at 0-6 since Labor Day, as they haven’t played in 11 days since losing in Chicago 27-21. That’s a long time to rest, think, commiserate and do whatever else winless teams do to while away the hours. There is no honest way to predict how the Giants come out, how they play or how motivated they are, given the way this season has devolved.

A look inside the game:

BEST BATTLE: Vikings DE Jared Allen vs. Giants LT Will Beatty: Last game, Beatty knew his adversary, Julius Peppers of the Bears, was not going to bring it on every play. That’s not the case with Allen, a relentless pass-rusher who plays every snap as it if it is his last. He’s got 3¹/₂ sacks this season and his 120 ¹/₂ career sacks are second among all active players to John Abraham (122).

MARATHON MAN: After six games last season, Adrian Peterson had 499 yards, which certainly isn’t bad but what followed was truly sensational, as he amassed 1,598 yards in the last 10 games to finish with 2,097 and run away with the league MVP award. This season, Peterson is at 483 yards through five games, but hasn’t really erupted since his 78-yard touchdown run on his first rushing attempt of the season. He’s never dominated the Giants in his three previous games against them but he’s always a huge threat.

“That’s how you define yourself,’’ linebacker Jon Beason said. “It’s all about what you do against ‘the man.’ If he’s the standard, then you want to see where you measure up.’’

AIR SHOW? Is this finally the week? Does Eli Manning get cranking what was supposed to be a potent passing game? Is this the game Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Rueben Randle get on the same page as their quarterback, stay on the same page as their quarterback and look like the best receiver trio in the NFL?

It sure looks like this is a hand-picked opponent for Manning. The Vikings are 29th in the league in pass defense and will be without starting free safety Harrison Smith, the 2012 first-round pick out of Notre Dame, who is on short-term injured reserve with a turf toe. Josh Robinson has allowed more yards in coverage this season than any other NFL cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus, and strong safety Jamarca Sanford has already allowed three touchdown passes in coverage.

THIRD TIME A CHARM: This is the sixth game of the season for the Vikings, and Josh Freeman will be their third starting quarterback, which is not the way anyone draws up an offensive approach. Before he was sent packing by the Buccaneers, Freeman was dreadful, the only quarterback in the league to complete less than half his passes (he was at 45.7 percent). Freeman was signed by the Vikings 14 days ago and there is no possible way he can have command of the entire playbook.

“They’re bringing in a new quarterback. They’re probably going to be vanilla,’’ Justin Tuck said. “He probably doesn’t have the entire package of their offense. If you’re a betting man, you probably think they’re going to give two-eight [Adrian Peterson] the ball a lot.’’

PICKY, PICKY: Manning, with a ghastly 15 interceptions in six games, is on pace for 40 interceptions, which would challenge the NFL single-season record of 42, set, ignominiously, by George Blanda in 1962 with the Houston Oilers. Manning already owns a piece of the Giants single-season record of 25; Eli did it in 2010, Charlie Conerly in 1953.

Given his turnover-crazed ways, perhaps the Giants should dial things back in the passing game, almost treating Manning as if he’s a young quarterback.

“I understand what you’re saying and in an attempt to tighten things up and not get into the tip ball stuff and that business, the reads and the misreads, that’s what you attempt to do,’’ Tom Coughlin said. “But you’re not going to take the ball, the opportunities, away if they’re there.’’

BALANCING ACT: At long last, the Giants displayed a running game their last time out, getting a throwback 106-yard, two-touchdown performance from Brandon Jacobs. He paid a price for the 22 rushing attempts, though, as he’s been gimpy ever since with a hamstring issue. If he can’t carry the load, the Giants need newly signed Peyton Hillis to think it’s 2010 all over again or else they’ll have to gamble rookie Michael Cox is ready for this.