The NFL season is officially upon us and the Minnesota Vikings take home the victory against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. And game one went better for Vikings fans than expected. Before Week 2, lets go over what went right for the Vikings in Week 1, what went wrong, and even what could be improved going forward. This Vikings team has a lot of work still to do, but things are looking bright in Minnesota with Sam Darnold at the helm.
Minnesota Vikings May Have A Real Deal Quarterback In Sam Darnold
Samuel Richard Darnold produced one of his best NFL games of his career, he completed 19 of 24 passes for a total of 208 yards and threw two touchdowns. Darnold, before throwing the fourth-quarter interception when his arm was hit, had a passer rating of 142 which would have been a career-high for Darnold.
Everyone shouldn’t get too high on Darnold, and no one should draw any conclusions after just the first week, but Samuel Richard Darnold did everything and even more than the Vikings or Vikings fans could have hoped for. He kept his cool against a very active New York Giants pass rush. This game should serve as a reminder that Sam Darnold was the number-three pick of the 2018 draft.
Another New Face For Minnesota Shined In His Vikings Debut
Another player who had a notable performance in his Vikings debut was none other than running back Aaron Jones. Jones put together an incredible performance in his Vikings debut, which included a three-yard rushing touchdown early in the first quarter to get this offense rolling. In total, Jones rushed 14 times for 94 yards and a touchdown and also brought in both of his targets for 15 yards in the Vikings win. Ty Chandler was still able to get some carries in, which shows the coaching staff’s plan to manage the former’s workload over the course of the season.
How The Defense Doing And What Can Be Improved Going Into Week 2
The Vikings defense continues to shine under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. They absolutely devoured this New York Giants defense. The Vikings D started off strong, forcing a punt on a three and out on the Giants, and that was starting off the game. They forced a field goal after the offense gave the ball away on the 20-yard line. The defense kept going all game long, not giving up a single touchdown to the Giants offense.
They kept rolling as the Hitman Harrison Smith intercepted the ball on fourth down, and Andrew Van Ginkel recorded a sack and a pick-six against Daniel Jones. This defense flourished in Week 1, but will have an extremely tough time in Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers. This win is the largest win since coach O’Connell was hired in 2022, a new and hopeful beginning to the 2024-25 season.
The Minnesota Vikings are off and rolling with a huge 28-6 victory over the New York Giants, the offense is looking better than expected, and the defense is looking sharp. The only question remaining is, can this continue throughout the season? consistency is key, and next week the consistency will be put to the test, as the Vikings look to take this momentum back home for the home opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
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