This NFL Team Is The Perfect Week 1 Underdog

Football season is back! It’s a new season for 32 teams, and a new chance at the coveted Lombardi Trophy. Week 1 is the perfect chance for teams to make a statement. So who will start the year off strong? There are plenty of obvious picks this weekend, but one that’s flying under the radar is the New York Giants. This is why fans should believe in the Giants in the season opener.

Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants

The new-look Vikings are going into MetLife against the Giants for the first time in nearly 5 years. The last time the two met was January 2023 in Minnesota, where the Giants eliminated the Vikings from the playoffs. Both teams have seen a tremendous amount of change since that wild card matchup.

The Giants are now without Saquon Barkley and the Vikings are without Kirk Cousins. Despite the loss of Barkley, New York has made some major improvements to its roster. The Vikings on the other hand, are walking into ’24 in rough shape. So what’s in store for the 31st encounter of these franchises?

The Giants’ Defense Will Be A Highlight

The New York Giants defense is quietly one of the scariest in the NFL. Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence have proven to be a problem for offenses. Thibodeaux has 15.5 sacks and 59 solo tackles in his 2-year career. Lawrence has 12 sacks and 67 solo tackles in that same span.

The team’s offensive struggles have masked this duo’s dominance. They’re joined by star pass rusher Brian Burns in a trade from the Carolina Panthers. Burns has amassed 46 sacks and 151 solo tackles in his 5-year career. His talents will complement the defensive line in a major way.

Iron Man linebacker Bobby Okereke returns this year as well. Okereke played every defensive snap last year and had 92 solo tackles. The secondary includes Deonte Banks, a returning Adoree Jackson, and Jason Pinnock. This defense is loaded with talent, and they should have a field day with the struggling Vikings offense.

Minnesota’s Offense Problem

The Vikings took quarterback JJ McCarthy in the 2024 draft. While it wasn’t clear if he would start this year, a torn meniscus decided for him. The unfortunate injury of McCarthy led to the job being given to veteran Sam Darnold. This is Darnold’s first year in this system, and he’s spent the last few years serving as a backup.

The Minnesota offense is never down as long as they have wideout Justin Jefferson. He has proven himself as a top 3 receiver in the league, and he’s shown he can ball out with anyone at QB. His teammate Jordan Addison Is battling some injury troubles at the moment, and he’s questionable to play as well. "Jets" is a generational player, but carrying this offense at the start of a rebuild will be challenging.

Final Thoughts

Minnesota is in a tough spot, with plenty of questions going into the year. They’ll need time to build chemistry and reach some level of contention, and if this game was in week 8, the prediction could go the other way. With too many unknowns and a tough defensive matchup, the Vikings will struggle.

The Giants’ offensive woes do not go unnoticed here. Fans are still not bought in on Daniel Jones, and the loss of Saquon Barkley will hurt their production. They did revamp the offensive line though, and rookie receiver Malik Nabers looked great in the preseason.

This will likely be a low-scoring affair, but the Giants will pull away with it. Their defense has built chemistry and has been their strong point for the last 2 seasons. The Minnesota defense is not forgotten, but their efforts will fall on an offense that won't be able to score very much.

Final Score: Giants 17 Vikings 13