The tradition continues in 2024!
We’re fast approaching the season opener for the 2024 Minnesota Vikings, and in accordance with that we’re going to continue a tradition that we’ve had since this site first came on to the scene.
Yes, it’s time for the return of Five Good Questions, where we sit down with the folks who run the SB Nation site for the Vikings’ opponents for a given week and try to gather a bit of intel heading into Sunday’s game. This week, we’re talking with Big Blue View, the home of New York Giants football on our network. Yours truly exchanged some questions with Ed Valentine, the lead writer over at BBV, and here are the questions I posed to him along with his answers. When he posts my answers to the questions he sent my way, I will put them up on our front page.
1) The Vikings and Giants both had regime changes at the same time, and both of those regimes have had similar trajectories over their first two seasons. In your opinion, how hot are the seats that Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll are sitting on heading into the 2024 season?
In my opinion, those seats should not be hot. My view is that it has taken a couple of years for Schoen and Daboll to dig out from the mess they were left, and that they are really just beginning to make the Giants into the team they want it to be. I think patience would serve the Giants well. Reality is, patience is a rare commodity in the NFL. Daboll is the first Giants coach since Tom Coughlin to last more than two years. If this becomes a three- or four-win season, all bets off.
2) The last time the Vikings saw Daniel Jones, he was leading the Giants to an upset of the Vikings in the 2022 playoffs. Since then, he’s gotten a big contract extension and torn an ACL. What are the expectations for Jones this season?
Well, if you watched ‘Hard Knocks’ you heard Joe Schoen say “this is the year for Daniel.” That doesn’t mean they expect him to become a star. That means it is the year where the Giants have to decide one way or the other whether to go forward with Jones or move on from him after 2024. This is the last year of guaranteed money in his contract.
With Malik Nabers and the other young wide receivers the Giants have, Jones should have the best group of receivers to throw to that he’s ever had. The Giants believe they have finally put together a competent offensive line. There’s no Saquon Barkley, but Devin Singletary is capable, and rookie running back Tyrone Tracy has fans excited.
The pressure is on Jones to be at least as good as he was in 2022, maybe better. If he can’t do that, he probably doesn’t finish the year as the starting quarterback and the Giants almost certainly have a new QB next season.
3) If you could take one player off of Minnesota’s roster and plug him into the Giants’ lineup, who would it be? (I liked your question.)
Oh … This is my signature question to ask. I hate it when guys throw it back at me. So, thanks Chris. I was actually having this discussion with a couple of the Big Blue View writers earlier in the week. Justin Jefferson is an obvious answer, but I’m going to take him off the table to make it a more entertaining topic.
I think the answer is either Christian Darrisaw or Jonathan Greenard. The Giants could use help in the trenches on both sides. In the end, it would require moving to right tackle but the Giants have had such a tough time for the last few years fielding a quality offensive line that I land on Darrisaw.
4) Give us one player on each side of the ball for the Giants that Vikings fans might not know about that you feel could be a difference-maker in Sunday’s game.
Offense — RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. Tracy was a fifth-round pick by the Giants, and his work throughout the spring and summer have people excited. There have been predictions by national writers that Tracy could end up with a big role, including one prediction that he will have the best season of any rookie running back.
Defense — S Tyler Nubin. Your readers should be familiar with the former Minnesota Golden Gopher. The Giants drafted him in the second round, and there is a good chance he is starting on Sunday.
5) How do you see Sunday’s game playing out? Will the Giants kick off their 100th season of existence with a victory or will Minnesota come in and get a road win to start the year?
Can a team be desperate or face a “must-win” in Week 1? I believe that is the position the Giants are in on Sunday. They’re home. They are celebrating that 100th season. They will be featuring the players voted the top 100 in franchise history, many of whom will be in the building. It should be an important, emotional day for the franchise.
There has to be some pressure not to ruin it. Not to mention that the Giants started 1-5 a year ago, which extended out to 2-8. They face a difficult first eight games, with Sunday being a game they should have a reasonable chance to win.
I am picking the Giants to win simply because I think they have been pointing toward these first two games (Minnesota/Washington) for a long time and know how important they are. I would not be shocked in the least, though, if they lay an egg.
Thanks to Ed for taking the time to sit down and answer our questions! We’ll have more on this week’s game as news comes in.
