Where Do Vikings Have an Advantage over Giants?
The Minnesota Vikings head into a Week 1 matchup against the New York Giants, and expectations for the season could not be lower. Kevin O’Connell is expected to head a team with his worst record as the man in charge, yet they enter as road favorites.
Where Do Vikings Have an Advantage over Giants?
That belief comes from somewhere, but what groups give the Vikings an advantage?
Offense – Minnesota
Although Daniel Jones will be seen as a better quarterback than Sam Darnold out of the gate, that’s not a high bar to clear. The Giants signal caller leaves plenty to be desired, and there’s no reason Darnold can’t surpass that output. Even if he isn’t the better player in Week 1, Darnold has a better skill position group.
The running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends (yes, even without T.J. Hockenson) all favor Minnesota. The Vikings line is probably close, if not better, as well. Brian Daboll is a mastermind on offense, but O’Connell has also built his reputation there.
Defense – New York
This may end up being incredibly incorrect as the season goes on, but the Vikings are in full-on prove-it mode defensively. Stephon Gilmore helps a ton, but the pass rush has been turned over. Brian Flores will still bring the pressure as he always does, but can the group make that work?
Against Darnold, the Giants should feel confident in their unit competing out of the gate. They’ll have a tough task with all of Minnesota’s weapons, but there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be favored as the better unit to start the year.
Special Teams – Even
Graham Gano is a veteran kicker, as is Jamie Gillan for punting duties. Ryan Wright is still on thin ice going into the season, but Will Reichard has looked impressive to start his professional career.
These two teams are close enough on paper that it should come down to which of the best players can show up just a bit better. Those offensive skill position players for the Vikings wind up making the difference, and the defensive advantage for New York isn’t enough.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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