The NFL is back. The 2024 season officially began last night when the Chiefs held off the Ravens to win the opener. But we'll have to wait until Sunday as the Vikings open up on the road against the New York Giants.
The last time the two teams met was in 2022, when Minnesota defeated New York in the regular season, then lost to them in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell says he can use those games as a reference and his appreciation of Giant's head coach Brian Daboll.
"I have a ton of respect for, for Dab's as a head coach in this league and he's, you know, he's not just an offensive guy, he's had a great ownership of that whole team," O'Connell says. "So I think his impact on how they've played previously against us, you know, could show up a little bit."
Although the Giants had a disappointing season in 2023, finishing 6-11, O'Connell says his offense will have their work cut out for them against the Giant defense, now under the guidance of Shane Bowen.
"When you talk about Dexter Lawrence, you talk about Thibodeaux, you talk about Adoree' Jackson and some of these guys that we've played against in that uniform, albeit a different scheme," O'Connell explains. "But, you know, X's and O's aside, personnel still matters and we've got to be prepared to play a bunch of really good players on Sunday."
On the offensive side for Minnesota, for the first time since 2017, the Vikings will have a new man under center to start the season. Journeyman Sam Darnold takes over at quarterback, replacing the departed Kirk Cousins. Although preseason stats are pretty meaningless, O'Connell is confident with what he's seen from his new signal caller.
"What I want to see, and expect to see, is what he's done just on a daily basis for our team, how he's prepared from really when he first got here all the way through a full training camp," says O'Connell. "I think he's really confident. I think his teammates are really confident in him. You know, his ability to be accurate, his ability to push the ball down the field, make great decisions."
Darnold was named one of four captains on offense along with Justin Jefferson, CJ Ham and Brian O'Neil.
PREVIEW
Minnesota (7-10) at New York Giants (6-11)
Sunday, 12:00 p.m., FOX
BetMGM NFL Odds: Vikings by 1 1/2.
Series record: Minnesota leads 18-13.
Last meeting: Giants beat Vikings 31-24 on Jan. 15, 2023, in a wild-card game in Minneapolis.
Vikings offense: overall (10), rush (29), pass (4), scoring (22)
Vikings defense: overall (16), rush (8), pass (24), scoring (12)
Giants offense: overall (29), rush (16), pass (31), scoring (30)
Giants defense: overall (27), rush (29), pass (19), scoring (26)
Turnover differential: Vikings minus-12; Giants plus-12.
Vikings player to watch
WR Justin Jefferson. Despite missing seven games last season to an injury, Jefferson hit the 1,000-yard mark and set an NFL record with the most receiving yards (5,899) over a player’s first four seasons. He had 12 catches for 133 yards and a TD in the most recent regular-season meeting with the Giants on Dec. 24, 2022. With the richest non-QB contract in league history, Jefferson must now quickly forge a connection with new QB Sam Darnold to help the Vikings get off to a solid start this season.
Giants player to watch
Daniel Jones. The 27-year-old is starting his sixth season and he is coming off ACL surgery after a poor season that had him limited to six games. The No. 6 overall pick in 2019 needs to regain the level of play he showed in 2022 when he threw 15 touchdowns and five interceptions and led New York to its first playoff berth since 2016.
Key matchup
Vikings OL vs. Giants DL. The Vikings have one of the best tackle tandems in the league with Christian Darrisaw on the left and Brian O’Neill on the right, but the interior remains a question with Blake Brandel a new starter at LG and Ed Ingram returning for a third season at RG despite some rough stretches over the past two years. Giants DT Dexter Lawrence was a major disruptor against the Vikings two seasons ago, and now they’ve added two-time Pro Bowl pick Brian Burns as an edge rusher opposite 2022 No. 5 overall draft pick Kayvon Thibodeaux, who a career-high 11 1/2 sacks in 2023.
Key injuries
Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson started the season on the PUP list, in the final stage of recovery from a torn ACL in Week 16. He had 13 catches in the 2022 regular-season win over New York. ... The Vikings lost rookie QB J.J. McCarthy and CB Mekhi Blackmon, who was slated for a spot in the nickel defense, to season-ending knee injuries in training camp. ... The Giants have four injuries with starting ILB Micah McFadden and return specialist Gunner Olszewski dealing with goin injuries, while starting safety Dane Belton (back) and backup quarterback Drew Lock (abdomen). All four were limited at practice Wednesday. Their status for Sunday is uncertain.
Series notes
The Vikings have won 8 of 11 games since 2005. The Giants’ most recent win in the 2022 wild-card game gave them a 3-1 advantage in postseason games, highlighted by the 41-0 triumph in the NFC title game in 2000. ... The Vikings and Giants haven’t met in a season opener since 1969.
Stats and stuff
The Vikings have their season opener on the road for just the second time in the past eight years. They lost at Cincinnati in 2021. ... Darnold, the third overall pick in the 2018 draft by the New York Jets, returns to MetLife Stadium with his fourth team. The backup for the NFC champion 49ers last season, Darnold has 63 TDs and 56 interceptions in 66 games with a 21-35 career record in 56 starts. ... New Vikings RB Aaron Jones had 584 rushing yards over his last five games last season with the Packers, including two playoff games. ... Vikings safety Harrison Smith begins his 13th season, at age 35 the oldest DB in the league who’s on an active roster. Smith has 34 interceptions since entering the NFL in 2012, tied with Patrick Peterson for the most over that span. ... The Vikings will debut new kicker Will Reichard, a sixth-round draft pick from Alabama, after letting Greg Joseph go in free agency. ... Daniel Jones enters his sixth season having thrown for 12,512 yards and run for another 1,914. He had thrown 62 TDs and run for 13. ... New RB Devin Singletary steps in for Saquon Barkley. He had a career-high 898 yards rushing with Houston last season. ... WR Wan’Dale Robinson led the Giants with 60 catches last season. ... Burns has had 46 sacks and 59 tackles for losses since entering the NFL in 2019. ... Lawrence is one of six DL with 50-plus tackles in each of past four seasons. ILB Bobby Okereke played every defensive down last season tied his career high with 149 tackles. ... CB Deonte Banks tied for fifth among rookies with 11 passes defended. ... S Jason Pinnock had a career-high 85 tackles in ‘23. ... The Giants have not scored in the first half of their season opener in Daboll’s first two seasons.
Fantasy tip
Giants WR Malik Nabers. The LSU rookie was the No. 6 overall pick in the draft and he has shown the ability to go deep and turn short passes into big gains. With the Vikings playing a pressure defense, he’ll get his chance to go one on one. The 21-year-old averaged a nation-high 120.7 yards receiving, finishing with 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.