Can underdog Giants open their season with a victory?
The 2024 regular season is finally here, and the New York Giants 100th season kicks off at home against the Minnesota Vikings.
The last time these two teams met, it was in January of 2023 and saw the Giants emerge victorious with their first playoff win since 2011. But a lot has happened since then and these are two very different teams. The Giants have had a relatively drama-filled offseason that resulted in a renovated offense and defense. The Vikings, meanwhile, have begun their rebuilding process while J.J. McCarthy recovers from a knee injury.
So what does the Big Blue View staff think will happen?
Tony DelGenio
We’ll get to see right away whether the Giants’ offensive line is really improved going up against an aggressive defensive coordinator (Brian Flores revenge game) who has Andrew Van Ginkel (who gave Daniel Jones his most recent neck injury), Jonathan Greenard, and Dallas Turner rushing the passer. If the line holds up, we’ll see if Jones can lead an explosive passing attack against a secondary that wasn’t impressive but added Stephon Gilmore, who intercepted Jones as a Cowboy in Game 1 last year and also as a Patriot in his rookie year.
On defense, expect Dexter Lawrence to wreak havoc against a mediocre Vikings interior offensive line. The edge will be a different story, since Minnesota has two good tackles. Whether Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux can get outside pressure may determine whether Sam Darnold sees ghosts or haunts the Giants’ suspect secondary with passes to Justin Jefferson (Jordan Addison will play but is coming off an ankle injury). It will be interesting to see how Shane Bowen tries to contain Jefferson; he never faced him as Titans’ defensive coordinator.
Pick: Giants in a close, high-scoring one like their games two years ago.
Chris Pflum
I’ll be honest, I don’t really know know what’s going to happen.
In broad strokes, I’m not sure past is prologue to this game. The Giants have (yet another) new-look offensive line, a new offensive play caller, they want to operate on a pass-first basis after being able to hand the ball to Saquon Barkley when the going got tough. They have a new defensive scheme that has a very different philosophy than the one used the last two years. The Vikings, meanwhile are molding their offense around Sam Darnold so we can’t exactly use the last couple years under Kirk Cousins to predict how their offense will perform.
I do think both teams will come out and be aggressive. I think Brian Daboll will want to feed Malik Nabers early and call shots downfield every time Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt even look like they might get a 1-on-1 matchup. On the flip side, I think Kevin O’Connell will try to get Darnold in rhythm before trying to attack the Giants’ young secondary with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
The Giants’ offense will need to avoid mistakes against an aggressive, and opportunistic, Brian Flores defense. The Giants’ defense, meanwhile, will need the secondary to hold up long enough to pressure Darnold into making his own mistakes.
All in all, I think I’m expecting this game to devolve into an ugly slog, but that the Giants have enough of an element of surprise on their side to come out with a close win.
Pick: Giants
Nick Falato
Winning is an elusive goal for the recent New York Giants, but Brian Daboll and his team can realistically start this season off the right way with a win, similar to the 2022 season. The Giants are currently +1.5 home dogs against a Minnesota Vikings team led by Sam Darnold. Although Darnold is synonymous with Halloween and is viewed as unfavorable by many, he’s a competent enough quarterback and should be in a much better environment than previously experienced with Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson.
The injury to J.J. McCarthy poses a massive opportunity for Darnold, who is quite familiar with MetLife Stadium. The Giants and their young defense will struggle to contain Jefferson, but a banged-up Jordan Addison (who will likely play) and the absence of T.J. Hockenson will hurt the Minnesota offense.
Both defenses are young. Brian Flores and his unit have many new faces, which will pose a problem for Daniel Jones if the protection struggles. However, Brian Daboll’s return to play-calling—he is familiar with Flores from their time in the AFC East—can give the Giants an upper hand in a friendly environment. It’s no layup, but Daboll and the Giants can sink a three-pointer and start the season on the right track.
Pick: Giants
David Hartman
How are the Vikings, with Sam Darnold under center, T.J. Hockenson on IR, and Jordan Addison banged up, favored on the road (-1.5) at the Giants? I know expectations are fairly low for the Giants this season, and that their offensive line is a big question mark, but come on. They should be favored at home against this team, who they beat in the playoffs two seasons ago.
Darnold is no stranger to MetLife Stadium, and the key to rattling him (and making him “see ghosts”) is to torment him with consistent pressure. I like the Giants’ chances to do just that and I’m expecting a nice game from Brian Burns in his Big Blue debut. The Giants’ front-four is going to be a bigger headache than people think, and they’ll show that this week. Justin Jefferson is a big problem, but I don’t think Darnold is going to have enough time and clean pockets to have JJ tilt the game too much.
When the Giants have the ball, look for Malik Nabers to announce his arrival pretty quickly. Brian Daboll is calling the plays and I think he’ll want to get Nabers involved early and often, and will figure out ways to get him the ball in space. It may not last, but I think the Big Blue offense will look pretty good this week, with Daniel Jones playing competently against a young defense, and limiting his mistakes (always a key for him).
I’ll be watching from Section 133 and I’m a lot more excited for this year’s home opener than I was last season. But I’m not being a homer here — I think the Giants should be favored by a couple of points against this team at home, and I’m picking them to win.
Pick: Giants
James Hickey
The Giants have something in common with one of their former roommates, the New York Yankees: they seem to always beat the team from Minnesota in the big game. Make no mistake about it, the first home game of the team’s 100th season counts as such.
I am bullish on the Giants this year—not playoff bullish but don’t believe they will be close to being one of the worst teams this year. Brian Daboll does not get the credit he deserves for the coaching job he did last year, more impressive in my eyes then when he won the Coach of the Year in 2022. And Daniel Jones will be playing with a chip on his shoulder to prove all the naysayers wrong.
The biggest mismatch on the field is the Giants secondary vs. the Vikings wideouts, a statement that will be continually made all year wrong. But a revamped offensive line opening holes for the running game and the three headed quarterback rush attack will lessen that advantage. Big Blue starts the season 1-0
Pick: Giants
Valentine’s View
This is a toss-up game, with the Vikings favored by 1.5 points, per FanDuel. I am going to take the Giants, though it is a soft pick where I’m not entirely sold on it, because it is a game the Giants have to win if Daniel Jones’ playoff dreams are going to come true.
To be relevant, and to lessen the possibility that co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, will look to make changes at the end of the year, the Giants cannot afford another 1-5 start.
At home in a game where the organization is celebrating its 100th season of NFL competition and will have be honoring the top 100 players in franchise history, there should be an electric atmosphere in MetLife Stadium.
The Giants need to feed off that, and play an inspired game. I want to believe that they will.
Pick: Giants
