MIN at NYG Game Prediction: NFL Week 1 Leads to a Vikings Victory
MIN at NYG Prediction: NFL Week 1
As long as Daniel Jones is the QB in New York, Minnesota should be confident.
A great athlete, yes, but not someone to be overly intimidated by. The Vikings’ task will be to overwhelm the QB with Brian Flores’ aggressive and (likely) increasingly unpredictable defense. If successful, Kevin O’Connell is going to get a lot of chances to score with Sam Darnold & Co.
MIN at NYG — Vikings Victory in Week 1
The game plan should begin with Dexter Lawrence.
Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 340 pounds, Lawrence is a massive man. Expecting Garrett Bradbury to corral the defensive tackle from start to finish would be foolish.
In 2023, Mr. Lawrence finished off the season as the top-rated defensive tackle on PFF with a blistering 92.9 grade, coming in a spot ahead of Aaron Donald in the process. The placement arrives a year off of finishing as the 2nd-best defensive tackle with a 91.6 grade, so offering elite play isn’t exactly new for the 26-year-old defender.
Kevin O’Connell can help his side by getting the ball to the outside early and often. Let Sam Darnold play decisively as he gets rid of the football with rhythm and consistency. Simply sitting back in the pocket waiting to get walloped is a recipe for disaster. Sweeps, bubble screens, slants, etc. Death by a thousand paper cuts.
Furthermore, a good run/pass balance would help. Part of the goal is to be unpredictable, forcing Lawrence to think when he’s on the field. 3rd & 9 is almost certainly a pass, so the Giants’ DT would simply pin his ears back to create havoc. Facing 3rd & 2 is quite a different scenario and one that can ideally prompt Lawrence to play a touch slower.
Add it all together and Aaron Jones + Ty Chandler have a role to play.
Defensively, load up on Malik Nabers, the rookie receiver who seems to have so much promise.
Stephon Gilmore has seen it all and is a former Defensive Player of the Year. He won’t be intimidated. The question rests in whether the elder statesman has the wheels to keep up with the young fella. Look for Gilmore to get some help over the top, especially on critical downs.
In five NFL seasons, Daniel Jones has thrown 40 interceptions. He has fumbled the ball 46 times. Folks, that’s a ton. In fairness, recent seasons have featured some major improvement in this area, but coaxing Mr. Jones into a turnover or two ought to be high on Brian Flores’ list of priorities.
During the offseason, I predicted a Minnesota victory. The score? The Vikings sitting at 27 and the Giants sitting at 17. Allow me to adjust things slightly.
Official Prediction: Vikings 27 – Giants 13
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and PFF helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.
