Two squads with major question marks at quarterback will clash Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings visit MetLife Stadium to battle the New York Giants. The G-Men are 1.5 home favorites in a projected low-scoring matchup with an over/under of 41 points, according to trusted NFL sportsbooks.
The Daniel Jones era continues in East Rutherford with the $40 million quarterback looking to improve on last year's injury-riddled campaign. The 27-year-old posted a 1-5 card in six games while throwing for 909 yards and two touchdowns. Jones added 206 yards and one score on the ground but also tossed six interceptions.
"We've got high expectations," Jones said recently. "High expectations of what we can be as a group on offense. Based on the work we've put in and progress we've made, we expect to be a good unit, score a lot of points, and attack a defense a lot of different ways."
Sam Darnold will be under center for the Vikings after rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending meniscus injury. The former USC standout threw for 297 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in limited duty with the San Francisco 49ers last season. However, Darnold has won just 21 of the 56 NFL games he has started.
Head Coach Brian Daboll has taken over play-calling duties for the New York Giants this season and has a talented stable of young receivers. This year's top pick, Malik Nabers, will be the top option in a re-tooled passing game that includes Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, and rookie tight end Theo Johnson. But the former LSU standout would rather let his actions - and not his words - define him.
"I don't really like talking about myself a lot
Slayton had a team-high 770 receiving yards on 50 catches in 2023, while Robinson led the Giants with 60 receptions for 525 yards. Hyatt finished his rookie season with 23 catches for 373 yards.
Veteran Devin Singletary and second-year back Eric Gray will co-headline New York's rushing attack. Singletary tallied 898 yards and four scores for the Houston Texans a year ago, while Gray netted 134 total yards during his maiden NFL campaign. Rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. rushed for 716 yards and eight touchdowns during his final season at Purdue.
Jones struggled mightily last season and missed a combined 11 while suffering another season-ending injury. The sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones has compiled an ugly 22−36−1 record and has more career turnovers (64) than touchdown passes (62).
Minnesota boasts a trio of elite pass-catchers -- Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. However, the Vikings' tight end will miss the season opener while he recovers from a torn ACL.
Jefferson inked a four-year, $140 million contract extension that made the 25-year-old the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Despite missing seven games due to injury, Jefferson still finished the 2023 season with 68 receptions for 1,074 yards. Addison reeled in 70 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns during an impressive rookie campaign.
Former Green Bay Packer Aaron Jones is the featured back while former fifth-rounder Ty Chandler will be the second-string running back. Jones ran for 656 yards and caught 30 balls for 233 yards last season with the Packers.
The eight-year veteran needs 78 rushing yards on Sunday to pass the late Cedric Benson (6,017) for 100th all-time in league history. Fullback C.J. Ham returns for his ninth season with the franchise.
Darnold was 4-2 in six starts with Carolina in 2022 but has 70 career turnovers and just 63 touchdown strikes. The third pick in 2018, the 27-year-old has been sacked 149 times in six NFL seasons.
The Giants have a game-wrecking defensive tackle in Dexter Lawrence and a pair of stud edge rushers in Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Lawrence earned second-team All-Pro last year and collected 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 25 pressures. Burns tallied eight sacks on a woeful Carolina squad last season, while Thibodeaux had a breakout campaign with a career-high 11.5 sacks.
Lawrence, who is entering his sixth season, can hardly wait until the season opener when he can start hitting quarterbacks, again.
"I think that's where you got to train your body to finish even though you can't hit them," Lawrence said. "Like finish your rush or finish whatever, even if you can't really tackle the running back, but finish to the back and things like that so you don't build bad habits. I think that's the biggest thing that we've been focusing on this whole camp is not building bad habits even though we can't touch the guys in the red or tackle them."
New Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen will need 2023 first-round pick Deonte Banks to emerge as a true lockdown cornerback this season. Banks will be tabbed to cover Jefferson this weekend. Adoree Jackson, Cor’Dale Flott, and Nick McCloud are in the mix for the No. 2 corner spot.
"I love the fact it's right into it. Just take it head on," Banks said Tuesday about facing Jefferson. "This is what they drafted me for, this is what I came here to do. This is what I want. I wouldn't want it
Linebackers Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden are the top returning tacklers from a year ago. Okereke tallied a team-high 149 tackles while adding 2.5 sacks and two interceptions. McFadden posted 97 tackles, one sack, and an interception.
Minnesota drafted Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner and added free agents Jonathan Greenard, Jihad Ward, and Andrew Van Ginkel. Turner recorded 36 tackles, 13 sacks, and 25 tackles for loss in his final collegiate season, while Greenard had a career-high 12.5 sacks last year with the Houston Texans.
The Vikings' new-look secondary will have free-agent cornerbacks Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore on the outside, while Byron Murphy Jr. holds down the slot. Griffin posted 39 tackles and one interception with Houston and Carolina last season. Gilmore picked off two passes in 17 games with the Dallas Cowboys a year ago. The 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year also defended 13 passes while tallying 68 tackles.
As the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants gear up for their Week 1 clash, fans can expect a thrilling start to the NFL season. Both teams have plenty to prove, especially at quarterback, and this game will set the tone for what’s to come. Whether you’re backing Daniel Jones to shine or betting on Sam Darnold to lead the Vikings to victory, there’s plenty of excitement on the horizon.
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