Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. made plenty of noise as a rookie. He made some more noise this week.
Pace was asked about the Sunday matchup between the Giants offense and the Vikings defense. He opted to go the bulletin-board route.
“We about to go crazy, man,” Pace said. “Ain’t even gonna be no matchup. We gonna have to go crazy on them. It’s gonna be cool.”
The reporter tried to talk Pace into taking the New York offense more seriously, given the presence of guys like Malik Nabers, Daniel Jones (at times), and Devin Singletary.
“Yeah, they look good, they look good,” Pace said. “But I know our defense. I know what we got in this locker room.”
The Minnesota defense was much improved in 2023. Then again, the bar was low from 2022.
Regardless, it’s never a good idea to speak so candidly. It gives the Giants one last blast of authentic, organic motivation heading into the first home game of their 100th season.
From time to time, some players will claim comments like that don’t matter. They’re lying. Of course they do. Many will make up slights and disrespect in order to get themselves going. Pace gave the Giants something very real into which they can sink their teeth.
And if it works — if the Giants perform well against Minnesota’s defense — Giants players surely will be mocking Pace and the Vikings, Morris Day-style, with cries of Let’s Go Crazy.