Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants prediction: Odds, expert picks, player news, injuries, stats for Week 1

By
NBC Sports Bet Staff,

By
NBC Sports Bet Staff

Published September 7, 2024 08:34 AM

The 100^th season of New York Giants’ football kicks off Sunday at 1P Eastern as Big Blue welcomes Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings to the Big Apple.

QB Daniel Jones returns to the field following a full rehab of his surgically repaired knee. Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen believe they have surrounded him with more talent on offense. Malik Nabers was drafted 6^th overall and immediately becomes WR1. The offensive line has new bodies but experienced bodies to help better protect Jones. It is the 1^st time, however, since 2017 that the Giants will take the field without Saquon Barkley holding a roster spot. Devin Singletary takes over the RB1 slot.

The defense has added star LB Brian Burns from Carolina to help create a more consistent pass rush alongside Kayvon Thibodeaux. All that said, the ability of Daniel Jones to make sound decisions will determine if the Giants can improve on their 6-11 record from a season ago.

The Vikings selected their quarterback of the future in J.J. McCarthy this past April but he was injured in the preseason (knee). Sam Darnold is QB1 looking to lead an offense littered with talent led by arguably the best wide receiver in the game, Justin Jefferson. The former LSU standout is joined in the starting lineup by WR Jordan Addison and TE TJ Hockenson. Aaron Jones joins Darnold in the Minnesota backfield after sustained success in Green Bay. Points are expected from this offense if Darnold steps up.

Defensively, the Vikings are counting on Jonathan Greenard to apply pressure to opposing QBs and veteran CB Stephon Gilmore to lock down opposing threats on the outside and lead the secondary as they look to improve on their 7-10 record from 2023.

NBC Sports has all the latest info and analysis you need, including how to tune in for kickoff, live odds from BetMGM, player news and updates, and of course our predictions and best bets for the game from our staff of experts.

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How to watch Vikings vs. Giants live Sunday afternoon:

Date: Sunday, September 8, 2024
Time: 1 PM EST
Site: Met Life Stadium
City: East Rutherford, NJ
TV/Streaming: FOX

Want to check out the other games on the NFL schedule this week? We’ve got you covered right here on NBC Sports with all the matchup, venue, game-time and TV/streaming info so you won’t miss any of the action!

Latest Game odds for Minnesota vs. New York - Week 1

The latest odds as of Saturday morning via DraftKings:

Moneyline: Minnesota (-125), New York (+105)
Spread: Vikings -2
Total: 41.5

This game actually opened with the Giants as a 1pt. favorite with a Total of 43.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NFL schedule!

NBC Sports Bet Best Bets

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Vikings in this one.

“I want to take the road favorite here in this game. It is a rematch of the 2022 Wild Card game which New York won. Oh, how things have changed for both these teams since that meeting. If Minnesota gets Jordan Addison back, I expect this line to climb, and I’ll take Sam Darnold over Daniel Jones any day of the week.”

Vikings vs. Giants team stats, betting trends

· The Vikings have the 2^nd oldest roster in the NFL. The Giants have the 4^th youngest.

· Minnesota is 4-1 in their last 5 games against the Giants outscoring them 152-92.

· Since 2005, the Vikings have won 8 of 11 games against the Giants.

· It is Year 3 of the Daboll/Schoen tandem in New York. It is the 1^st time since the days of Tom Coughlin that a Head Coach/GM tandem have remained intact for 3 or more seasons.

· The Giants are predicted to have the 6^th most difficult schedule in the NFL this season.

Quarterback matchup for Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants

Vikings: Sam Darnold – more than likely would have started the season as QB1 in Minnesota but the knee injury to J.J. McCarthy in the reseason solidified his hold…for now…on the starting role. Comes to Minnesota via the 49ers. Played sparingly completing 60.9% of his passes for 297 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT in 2023
Giants: Daniel Jones – returns to the field after missing much of last season due to injury (knee). Completed 69.7% of his passes for 909 yards including just 2 TDs and 6 INTs