Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images.
Each week, we offer a “snap reactions” piece detailing thoughts and analysis after the latest Minnesota Vikings game.
This will be off-the-cuff, a wee bit random, and hopefully insightful.
The Vikings won on the road Sunday afternoon over the New York Giants 28-6, getting off to a hot start after an offseason full of change.
1 — The Vikings registered their first win by 17+ points in five years on Sunday; the last time was in December 2019. Watching a stress-free game with a lead in the 4th Quarter felt a bit weird but long overdue. The trend may not continue next week or the week after, but a convincing win out of the gate turned some heads. Minnesota earned respect.
2 — All the Vikings fans who said Darnold could formulate a “Baker Mayfield season” sure look wise right about now. Darnold looked comfortable all day, his one interception wasn’t totally boneheaded, and he played wonderfully from cover to cover.
3 — Aaron Jones was a ticky-tack 1st-Quarter holding penalty away from 100 rushing yards, a tremendous weclome-to-Minnesota adventure. The guy performed noticeably better than Alexander Mattison last year, and Kevin O’Connell’s offense could cook because Jones kept the Giants’ defense honest. Jones also didn’t look like an age-related decline would surface any time this year.
4 — Danielle Hunter left Minnesota this offseason, joining the Houston Texans, his hometown squad. For a day, Brian Flores’ defense didn’t miss Hunter one iota. The offseason plan with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner immediately netted dividends.
5 — The Giants’ offense only really got going when C.J. Ham fumbled on the first drive. That was the main source of offense for Daniel Jones and Co. The next step is for the Vikings to eliminate the first-drive turnovers, as that was last season’s undoing. Thankfully, it didn’t matter this go-round.
6 — Jalen Nailor only logged one reception, but it was for a touchdown, a score that began to solidify the Vikings’ stranglehold on the game. All offseason, fans wondered if the team might sign Hunter Renfrow or Michael Thomas. yet when Nailor came to play today, he scored. Not bad. Now, with Jordan Addison’s status up in the air for next weekend, Nailor could be called on even more versus the San Francisco 49ers.
7 — Andrew Van Ginkel flew all over the place, culminating in the pick-six that put the noose around New York’s neck. An outstanding offseason addition, the man who grew up a Vikings fan had the special sauce on Sunday. His buddy, Dallas Turner, also tallied a sack. The defense was just fantastic.
8 — The Giants looked utterly pitiful, so one has to wonder if Minnesota merely beat a really bad team. The schedule bends markedly more difficult, meaning a verdict is on the way.
9 — The “other” pass rushers — Patrick Jones II and Jihad Ward — stood off the page, as well. The two had a couple of QB Hits apiece, and if that can continue, the secondary’s load will be lessened.
10 — Under Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota is now 18-0 when it wins the turnover battle or breaks even. A remarkable stat. On the other hand, the purple team is 3-14 when losing the turnover battle since 2022.
11 — Justin Jefferson had a “quiet” game by his standards — 4 catches, 59 yards, and a touchdown — and it didn’t matter. The Vikings still won. That’s refreshing.
12 — Depending on Jordan Love’s injury status and how well the Chicago Bears play henceforth, this Minnesota team may not be that bad after all.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.