The New York Giants will commence their 100th NFL season on Sunday when they take on the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium. Including the playoffs, this will be the 32nd meeting between these two franchises with the Vikings holding an 18-13 edge. The Giants won the last matchup 31-24 in the 2022 Wild Card Round.
After finishing 6-11 last season, head coach Brian Daboll, who will also be the team’s play-caller this season, is under pressure to turn the team’s fortunes around. There’s a ton of intrigue surrounding this matchup as Malik Nabers will make his NFL debut, and Sam Darnold will make his first in place of the 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy, who’s on IR.
Here are five bold predictions for Sunday’s game between the Vikings and Giants.
Related: 5 New York Giants burning questions ahead of the 2024 season
First NFL reception for Malik Nabers will be a touchdown
One of the reasons there’s excitement coming into this game is because of the sixth overall pick Malik Nabers. The rookie receiver has shined throughout training camp but now we’ll see how he performs when it matters most.
New York’s offense is going to run through Nabers as he will be one of the most targeted receivers in the league. There’s a good chance he’ll see double-digit targets on Sunday, where his first NFL catch will be good for a touchdown.
Related: 2024 NFL offense rankings: Evaluating all 32 teams and top 20 fantasy football players in Week 1
Justin Jefferson will have over 125 yards receiving
Nabers won’t be the only former LSU Tiger who will make an impact on Sunday, as Justin Jefferson has established himself as arguably the best receiver in the NFL.
Some question whether or not Jefferson will still put up the same prolific numbers with Darnold at quarterback. But the 25-year-old receiver showed last season playing with multiple quarterbacks that he can thrive no matter who is behind center. The secondary is the weak spot in the Giants defense and look for Minnesota to try and take advantage of this with Jefferson as he will have over 125 receiving yards.
Check MinnesotaSportsFan for All Vikings News and Updates
Devin Singletary has 100 rushing yards in New York Giants debut
With Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia, all eyes will be on Devin Singletary to see how he performs in his debut with Big Blue. Singletary is not as explosive of a runner as Barkley is, but he runs hard and has good balance.
Last season, Minnesota was solid against the run, giving up just 98.7 yards per game on the ground which was eighth-best in the NFL. But they will struggle to slow down the 27-year-old running back on Sunday, as Singletary will have over 100 rushing yards in his Giants debut.
Related: Week 1 fantasy RB rankings: Identifying 20 best fantasy football running backs in Week 1
Stephon Gilmore will intercept Daniel Jones twice
The Vikings signed Gilmore as the team was in dire need of help in their secondary. Even though he’ll turn 34 later this month, the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year can still play at a high level as he was credited with 13 pass deflections and two interceptions with the Cowboys last season.
The biggest issue that has plagued Daniel Jones during his career is his tendency to turn the ball over. Those tendencies will rear their ugly head once again on Sunday, as Gilmore will pick off Jones twice.
Related: 4 Vikings Bold Predictions vs Giants
The Giants defense will sack Sam Darnold five times
The Giants’ front seven is the unquestioned strength of the team led by Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns, and Bobby Okereke. With the addition of Burns, the Giants should improve on the 34 sacks they registered a season ago.
At times throughout his career, Darnold has shown that he can be indecisive which doesn’t bode well when you’re facing a front seven as talented as the Giants. The Vikings offense line surrendered 47 sacks last season, and they’ll get off to a poor start in 2024 as the Giants will sack Darnold five times.
Vikings vs Giants prediction: In a matchup between two evenly-matched teams, New York’s defense will be able to make a stop when it matters most and come away with a hard-fought win. Giants 20, Vikings 17.
Related: NFL Week 1 predictions: Projecting every game, including Ravens vs Chiefs