Little Giants: Jones Gets Vikings' Sympathy After Loss

The New York Giants had the opportunity to start their season at home, on the kickoff of the franchise’s 100th season, against a backup quarterback in Sam Darnold and a Minnesota Vikings team that isn’t expected to make the playoffs.

The Vikings’ two-possession halftime lead would feel insurmountable. They would double before the final whistle, escaping MetLife Stadium with a 28-6 win and, seemingly, the soul of a team that looked lifeless in Week 1.

Quarterback Daniel Jones struggled mightily, dropping back 42 times, finding only 186 yards, and throwing two interceptions. The Giants will have to wait until the middle of September to score their first touchdown.

The performance was pitiful. All the preparation, the offseason upgrades, the optimism that a new season and improved roster promises. All of it went to waste in a few hours on Sunday afternoon.

Even the victors felt bad about their conquest.

On KFAN’s Power Trip Morning Show , Minnesota edge rusher Jonathan Greenard recapped the season-opening contest.

“When we heard the boos raining in, we’re like ‘OK, now we’re good on our side.’ But when it got really loud to where it was as loud as it would be on a third down when they’re on defense, it was kind of bad,” Greenard said. “We kind of started to feel a little bit bad for him as we’re still just completely taking away everything he wants to do. It’s good to be on the other side of it.”

Greenard logged five pressures in the win, but was largely held out of the box score. The rest of his teammates had a bit more fun.

Jones was sacked five times. One came from edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel, who would also return a predictable receiver screen into an interception and a Vikings touchdown.

The offense had itself a day, too. Darnold completed his first dozen passes on his way to 208 yards and two scores. Running back Aaron Jones, in his Minnesota debut, logged 94 yards and a score.

New York was, at best , the second-worst team of the league’s opening weekend.

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“I’ve been a part of those boos when (you’re) walking on the field and your offense doesn’t make anything happen and there’s just, you would think it’s an away game at this point,” Greenard said. “But at that time, how we were attacking him and understanding where he’s at in his career based on the scheme that he has, whatever the contract things going on.

“So we understand he’s dealing with a lot, and if we can add another aspect of pressure onto the guy to make him speed up his reads a little bit more, make sure that he’s not gonna get confident and comfortable back in the pocket. Man, it was a great feeling to see it on the first couple of drives.”

In the days since, adjectives have run sparse to describe how thoroughly the Giants were defeated, and how inexcusable of a performance Sunday showcased. Falling short of fan expectations is one thing. Internal discord is another. But getting publicly made fun of by the rest of the league is the type of embarrassment that incites change, regardless of whether it’s necessary so early in the season.