One of the closest duels of the first week is the Vikings’ game in New Jersey against the New York Giants in an early Sunday game. The sportsbooks see the odds as very close.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll is not stopping there in his third season: He will call the offensive plays. His quarterback is once again Daniel Jones, who is an enigma. On the one hand, Jones has a record of 22-36 in five seasons. On the other hand, he has a playoff win in 2022 and led the NFL in the lowest INT percentage this season. He is cautious, but sometimes too conservative. Giants fans want more “Danny” from Jones than “Daniel.”
Minnesota’s starting quarterback Sam Darnold could be called “Suitcase Sammy” because he’s traveled so much in the NFL. The former No. 3 pick is on his third team in three seasons. He has never shown the ability to make precise passes downfield: Darnold has a touchdown-interception ratio of 63 to 56 in 66 games.
The Giants may have a favorable schedule in the first two weeks. After battling Darnold and the Vikings, they play the Commanders in Week 2, a game they are expected to win.
In both games, New York will face a backup or rookie quarterback. Nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II is a rarity in the modern NFL: an interior defender who can force his way to the quarterback despite double coverage or attempted blocks on both shoulders. Over the last two NFL seasons, Lawrence has faced a total of 81 pressures from the true nose tackle position, 65 more than the next best nose tackle. He’s a throwback, and if he targets Darnold, the Giants will force Minnesota into long plays.
The Vikings were hampered by a -12 turnover differential last season, and it doesn’t bode well that Darnold, with his penchant for floating, high-flying passes where “who knows where they’ll land,” will be asked to orchestrate this offense.
All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Find them here.
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Minnesota Vikings vs New York Giants odds
How to watch Vikings vs. Giants
- Venue: MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, NJ
- Time: 1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: Watch live on Fubo (Save $30)
Expert tips for Vikings vs. Giants
Read more about NFL Week 1
Odds, expert tips and previews for all 16 games of NFL Week 1
Week 1 Score Predictions: Model predictions for spread and total for each game
NFL Tips Week 1: Trust in Josh Allen and let the Bo Nix hype die down for now
(Photo by Daniel Jones: Tim Warner / Getty Images)
