The New York Giants opened their 100th season with a party atmosphere to celebrate their franchise that’s won four Super Bowl titles and is a staple of the league.
Fans eagerly anticipated kickoff, 100 former players were honored on the field at halftime, and all were ready to celebrate a century of New York Giants football.
But the mood was almost immediately sent crashing down to Earth thanks to an abysmal performance from Daniel Jones – who threw so many empty calorie passes he was the quarterbacking equivalent of celery.
Despite the gorgeous weather in the New Jersey Meadowlands, a sense of gloom set in early as Jones – who has an opt-out in his contract after this season – offered little of substance against a Minnesota Vikings team also expected to struggle this year, losing 28-6.
Jones’ passes were scattershot, his decision making was compromised, and he ran into sacks way too often (getting hit in the backfield five times). At the game’s end, the six-year veteran did not offer much inspiration to an ornery Giants crowd that booed the offense often and headed for the gates early.
Daniel Jones (8) tossed for only 181 yards on 21 completions in a dismal loss to the Vikings
Jones is in the second year of a contract that has an opt-out after this current season ends
Giants players and coaches were quick to take blame – admitting that the job was not good enough and that there’s plenty of work ahead.
‘This was obviously not the way we wanted to start, disappointing game, a lot to clean up, and that’s what we’ll do,’ coach Brian Daboll said in his opening statement to the media, repeatedly saying that he ‘had to do a better job’.
‘Yeah, obviously not good enough,’ Jones told reporters. ‘Didn’t get in the end zone, scored six points, didn’t create much rhythm and flow for ourselves. I gotta be better, play better, give ourselves more chances to make plays and execute more consistently.’
The Giants’ first drive of the season may have been the synthesized essence of what was to come: two yard run, complete pass behind the line leading to a six-yard loss, delay of game penalty, incomplete pass, punt. A nightmare start for Big Blue.
On their third drive, Jones targeted rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers three times in a row. His first pass was close to being intercepted, while the second was dropped.
Third time was the charm as he finally connected with the LSU standout for a 25 yard gain, the first of what will be many long completions in his career. Still, the drive finished with an incomplete pass and the Giants no closer to trying to get the lead back.
‘Thought he played well, Jones said to DailyMail.com of his new top target Nabers. ‘A couple big plays some nice catches, I gotta find a way to get him the ball more.’ Nabers would finish with five catches for 66 yards on the day.
Fans roared their approval when a tip drill on the ensuing punt landed at the 1-yard-line. The entire lower bowl stood up looking to power their team forward to try and stop Minnesota.
Jones praised the play of his new top target, Malik Nabers, who led the Giants in catches
But Jones’ passes were often off target and led to an avalanche of boos from the crowd
The Vikings ignored the noise, conjuring an 11 play, 99 yard drive for a touchdown. Even with backup quarterback Sam Darnold (rookie JJ McCarthy was projected to be the starter, but was injured in the preseason), Minnesota carved up the Giants secondary like a Sunday roast.
Long passes to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison ate up big chunks of yardage before Darnold – the former third overall pick – found Addison for a three-yard touchdown pass on fourth-down.
Stunned silence fell throughout MetLife. That silence was broken by boos when Jones’ first pass of the following drive was low, completely missing his receiver, just one of many low, wide, or off target passes from No. 8 on the day.
On the final Giants drive before the half, Jones was sacked and had two incompletions. Showered in animosity from the fans, he took off his helmet and sat on the bench alone, with his gaze down toward the turf.
Still, Giants fans were hopeful for a stronger second half. Minnesota scored on their opening drive, but the decibel meter hit as high as 104.5 when New York got a crucial third-down stop that forced the Vikings to punt.
Jordan Addison caught a touchdown pass off an 11 play, 99 yard drive for Minnesota
Jalen Nailor (83) celebrates a touchdown catch to open the second half against the Giants
Jones repaid that wave of momentum by immediately tossing a pick-six.
A dour Jones admitted that he was ‘just trying to get the ball to Wan’dale [Robinson] early on the screen, I’ll look at it and see if I can get it out quicker.’
Fans headed for the exits with over four minutes left in the third quarter. They left again early in the fourth quarter when, with the Giants eleven yards from the end zone, Jones forced a pass into double coverage and was picked off again.
Despite this, Daboll told the media that he never considered pulling Jones early from the contest.
With the clock winding down, Minnesota fans around the stadium started their ‘skol’ chant – with Vikings clapping all throughout the rapidly-emptying MetLife Stadium.
Jones ended his day completing 21 passes for a paltry 181 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions – averaging just 4.8 yards per completion.
After his performance, Jones admitted that his play was ‘not good enough’. Perhaps surprisingly, he revealed that Sunday did not ding his confidence.
Andrew Van Ginkel (43) caught a pick-six on a crucial play that seemed to ice the game
Jones would toss another interception to Harrison Smith in the end zone from 11 yards out
Giants coach Brian Daboll speaks to the media after a 28-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings
‘I think I gotta continue to get into a rhythm, get going, complete some balls, get things moving,’ Jones said in response to a question asked by DailyMail.com
‘I think we all gotta do that and that’ll help us build confidence and keep going.’
It may just be Week 1, but for a team that had plenty of negativity surrounding it from before the season began, it’s fair to say that this contest did not assuage any concerns.
The Giants could end this season as favorites for the first-overall pick. Sunday’s performance showed why that may be a better bet than the team may have hoped.
