The 2024 season got off to a winning start for the Minnesota Vikings, who came away from MetLife Stadium with a 28-6 win over the New York Giants. The game went just as well as the Vikings could have hoped, as fans enjoyed a stress-free fourth quarter for the first time in years as the Vikings saw out the game comfortably. The Vikings mostly won the key personnel battles I looked at before the game.
Vikings Mostly Won Key Personnel Battles vs. Giants
There were some other areas where the Vikings came out on top, like quarterback. Sam Darnold enjoyed his first start as a Viking, while Daniel Jones was the subject of questions about his position as the starter the morning after the game. Aaron Jones was the dominant force on the ground in this game, with 94 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Devin Singletary managed just 37 rushing yards for the Giants.
Garrett Bradbury/Ed Ingram vs. Dexter Lawrence
As expected, Dexter Lawrence was his usual dominant self in the middle of the Giants’ defensive line. However, Lawrence only had one sack, which came on the first Vikings pass play of the game, and one QB hit. He also had a deflected pass where he pushed Garrett Bradbury back into the lap of Darnold and caused the football to balloon up into the air where it was ultimately intercepted, despite Lawrence’s 92.9 grade from Pro Football Focus and Bradbury and Ed Ingram’s lowly 44.8 and 51.9. The Vikings’ offense was able to function perfectly well and score enough points to win the game comfortably.
Christian Darrisaw vs. Brian Burns
Brian Burns was a significant offseason acquisition via trade from the Carolina Panthers. On his Giants debut, it was a quiet day for the edge rusher where four tackles were about all he had to show for his efforts. Burns started on the right side, where he got no joy from Christian Darrisaw. The Giants moved him around but he didn’t get much joy anywhere.
This was a big win for Darrisaw and the Vikings’ offensive line. With Lawrence disruptive in the middle, there would have been big problems if the Giants had also been destructive on the edge, but that never materialized.
Justin Jefferson vs. Deonte Banks
If you had offered the Giants holding Justin Jefferson to four catches for 59 yards, they would have expected it to be a good day for their defense. It wasn’t. The Vikings showcased a balanced run-and-pass offense, with eight players making catches. When it mattered, Jefferson stepped up. Jefferson left Banks for dead on the first big pass play of the 99-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter. The 44-yard connection with Darnold made up the bulk of his receiving yards.
Banks was left chasing shadows again as Jefferson finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown catch. He also showed where his presence doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, used as a decoy to make the Giants’ defense bite on a screen pass, only for Darnold to throw the ball 21 yards downfield to Jalen Nailor for a touchdown. Jefferson will have bigger days this season, but in Week 1, he was efficient—a word that perfectly describes the performance of the Vikings’ offense as a unit.
Vikings Secondary vs. Malik Nabers
The fact that a rookie was the Giants’ best offensive player indicates their problems. Malik Nabers showed signs that he will prove to be worth the sixth overall pick the Giants used to draft him, but he will need a lot more help. There was a bad drop on a screen pass he will be disappointed with, but Nabers’ five catches for 66 yards comfortably led the Giants offense. The Vikings secondary shared the load — as they generally do — and kept Nabers largely quiet.
There should be brighter days ahead for Nabers as for the Vikings’ secondary, brilliantly led by veterans Harrison Smith and Stephon Gillmore. It was an excellent start to the season, and we saw a standard set that needs to be maintained.
Brian Flores vs. Brian Daboll
If it was a boxing match, someone would have thrown the towel in long before the end of the fourth quarter. Brian Flores’ defense pummeled Brian Daboll’s offense. It was a dream start to the season for Flores’s men, who were dominant all over the field. Only six points allowed with no touchdowns, five sacks, two interceptions including a pick-six, and only 240 yards total offense allowed, much of which came late in the game when the Vikings were easing off and making sure not to give any explosive plays and quick points away.
Daboll has to contemplate, as his offense looks turgid for the most part. On this evidence, I struggle to see where they will win games. They face the Washington Commanders on the road next and will look to turn things around. Meanwhile, the Vikings host the San Francisco 49ers, where Flores will be hoping he can put Brock Purdy under as much duress as Jones was this week.
