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Giants vs. Vikings: Week 1 staff picks and predictions

dan benton
·3 min read
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The New York Giants (0-0) will take on the Minnesota Vikings (0-0) this Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in their first game of the 2024 regular season.

Opening the week, the Giants were 1-point home underdogs and that spread has worsened slightly with Minnesota -1.5 as of this writing.

How does the Giants Wire staff see this Week 1 battle shaking out? Here's a look at our picks and score predictions:

Dan Benton: Giants, 24, Vikings 20

Oct 4, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; A general view of a New York Giants helmet during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; A general view of a New York Giants helmet during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

I don't think any Giants game is going to be a walkway this year (in either direction), but I do believe they will start the year strong with their legends in attendance as they celebrate their 100th season. This is a good opening matchup for the Giants and they should be able to take advantage of it, walking out of Week 1 with a victory at MetLife. The star of the show will undoubtedly be rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers.

John Fennelly: Giants 24, Vikings 17

Nov 24, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; A detailed view of the New York Giants helmet during the second half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; A detailed view of the New York Giants helmet during the second half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants get off to a fast start in this game against a sloppy Vikings team that was 31st in the NFL in turnover ratio (-12) last season. The Giants' two stud additions -- wide receiver Malik Nabers on offense and edge rusher Brian Burns on defense -- raise the level of play. The offensive line shows marked improvement and the Giants' running game puts to bed the question of whether or not it was a mistake to let Saquon Barkley walk.

Tyler Henry: Giants 21, Vikings 16

Sep 22, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; General view of New York Giants helmets on the bench prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 22, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; General view of New York Giants helmets on the bench prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

There has been a ton of change for the Giants in the offseason. With a new weapon on offense in Malik Nabers and a new star pass rusher in Brian Burns, I expect the players making their Giants debuts to come out strong in the season opener. It will be interesting to see how aggressive the offense is with Brian Daboll now taking over play-calling responsibilities.

I think the biggest concern for the Giants is slowing down Justin Jefferson. Deonte Banks had a strong rookie year and seems up to the task.

There will be a little extra motivation for Big Blue, playing in their "century red"Century Red" uniforms in front of the home crowd trying to start the season off with a W.

In the end, I think the Giants will find a way to get pressure on Sam Darnold and be able to edge out the Vikings in the season opener.

Serena Burks: Giants 21, Vikings 17

Nov 8, 2020; Landover, Maryland, USA; A view of the helmets of New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) and Giants inside linebacker Blake Martinez (54) resting on equipment case on the sidelines against the Washington Football Team at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2020; Landover, Maryland, USA; A view of the helmets of New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) and Giants inside linebacker Blake Martinez (54) resting on equipment case on the sidelines against the Washington Football Team at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants open the season at home and the Vikings are probably the least exciting team in football this year. With the loss of J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings season will not be what anyone expected. The Giants have a lot more to prove this year than most teams, and they finally have Daniel Jones back in the starting lineup. The offensive line adjustments should prove helpful, and Malik Nabers is proving to be everything they hoped. Momentum is on the Giants' side on Sunday, and I think they eke out a win to start the season.

Jeevan Kirkland: Giants 23, Vikings 20

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - MAY 30: A general view of a New York Giants helmet during OTA Offseason Workouts at NY Giants Quest Diagnostics Training Center on May 30, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - MAY 30: A general view of a New York Giants helmet during OTA Offseason Workouts at NY Giants Quest Diagnostics Training Center on May 30, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

The coaching staff and the defense were able to keep the Giants competitive last season with second- and third-string quarterbacks. With Daniel Jones back and healthy, they should now be able to win a few games, especially the home opener. Jones finally has a receiver that can really separate and make big plays in Malik Nabers and it should pay dividends. On the defensive side of the ball, New York has beefed up their pass rush with Brian Burns and it should be one of the most feared front sevens in the NFL. Minnesota has a lot of talent at receiver but by pressuring Sam Darnold the Giants should be able to keep the Justin Jefferson-Jordan Addison duo semi-in-check.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants vs. Vikings: Week 1 staff picks and predictions