Game Recap: Giants drop opener to Vikings

Asked what he’s looking forward to in that game, quarterback Daniel Jones said, “Clean it up and playing better.”

There is certainly ample opportunity for that. A quick rundown of their performance includes a 3.5-yard rushing average, no running back gaining more than seven yards on a single run, Jones throwing two interceptions – one returned for a touchdown, the other on a fourth down in the end zone – and 20 incompletions and getting punished with five sacks and 12 hits. His receivers dropped at least three passes.

The defense gave up a 99-yard touchdown drive, enabled Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold to complete his first 12 passes, 13 of 14 in the first half, 19 of 24 overall, and post a 113.2 passer rating that was his highest in almost five years. Vikings running back Aaron Jones ran for 94 yards and 6.7 yards a carry.

Darius Slayton, a last-minute replacement as the punt returner when Gunner Olszewski was injured in pregame warmups, muffed a punt.

The Giants’ only points came via two Graham Gano field goals. They scored three points on three trips inside the red zone. The Giants committed nine penalties (though a pass interference call on Adoree’ Jackson probably should have been called on the Vikings).

“You’re going to get calls. You’re not going to get calls,” Daboll said. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to do a better job, and it starts with me.”

The locker room bore no hint of panic, but instead disappointment about their performance and determination to quickly and significantly improve.

“It’s frustrating,” Slayton said. “I think because a lot goes into a season and season opener, and I think we all wanted to come out here and play well. Especially kicking off the Giants 100th season, we all wanted to come out and have a better showing than that. And we obviously didn’t do that. We know we got to get it fixed and we got to get it fixed fast.”

“Obviously, we lost the game today, but there’s still positives and losses where you can learn from it and come back and be better because of it the next week,” tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said. “We’ve got 16 more (games), hopefully more than that. So, you learn from this game. It’s only week one. You don’t need to throw in the towel. We’ll learn from today. Obviously, we’ll be hard on ourselves. Come in to work next week and go to Washington.”

The Giants scored the first points in the game, on Gano’s 23-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. They gained possession when rookie cornerback Dru Phillips forced a fumble by fullback C.J. Ham that was recovered by Bobby Okereke at the Vikings’ 20-yard line. But Jones was sacked by Andrew Van Ginkel on third down from the 5-yard line, and the Giants had to settle for Gano’s 3-pointer.

On Minnesota’s ensuing possession, Jackson’s 36-yard penalty gave Minnesota a first down at the Giants’ 22. Three plays later, Jones zipped around left end for a 3-yard touchdown and 7-3 lead.

In the second quarter, Justin Jefferson’s 44-yard reception in front of the Vikings’ bench was the biggest play in the first 99-yard drive the Giants have allowed in 22 years. The catch set up his 3-yard touchdown from Darnold.

The game got out of hand in the third quarter when Jalen Nalor caught a 21-yard touchdown pass. Gano kicked a 50-yard field goal, and the Vikings went three-and-out, giving the Giants some hope. But on first down from the 17-yard line, Jones’ pass for Wan’Dale Robinson was intercepted by Van Ginkel, who strolled into the end zone for a 10-yard score. Suddenly, it was 28-6.

“(It was a) screen out to Wan’Dale,” Jones said. “Trying to get the ball out quick. Get it in his hands, let him run.”

“He (Van Ginkel) made a good play,” Daboll said. “He jumped up and we were throwing a look pass out to Wan’Dale and he came off the edge, jumped up and made a nice play.”

In the fourth quarter, the Giants had two fourth down plays, from Minnesota’s 11 and 8-yard lines, respectively. On the first, Jones’ pass for Slayton was intercepted in the end zone by safety Harrison Smith. The second throw, to Robinson, fell incomplete.

Jones was blunt in his self-assessment.

“Obviously, not good enough,” Jones said. “Didn’t get in the end zone, scored six points. Didn’t create much rhythm and flow for ourselves. I’ve got to be better, certainly got to play better, give ourselves more chances to make plays and execute more consistently.”

Daboll and Jones will be the Giants’ most important figures if they are to execute a rapid turnaround. And they agree

“I’d say that we’ll go back, watch the tape and see what we can do better,” Daboll said. “Obviously, there’s a lot. So, that’s what we’ll do. It starts with me.”

“I think we’ll get in, watch the film and see what we can do better,” Jones said. “See how I need to play better and go from there. We’re focused on that.

“It’s about seeing where we need to be better and addressing those areas and then executing. It comes down to making the play, executing and getting going. I know we’ve got the guys to do that. Confident in myself, confident in the group and we’ll go from there.”