Giants vs. Vikings Week 1 opening odds: The Giants open as favorites at home

The New York Giants will open the 2024 season as 1-point favorites at home against the Minnesota Vikings, per Draftkings Sportsbook.

Vegas is expecting this to be something of a low-scoring affair, with an over/under of 41.5 on the game — the lowest total of the weekend.

The last time the Giants saw the Vikings, they beat them on the road in the wildcard round of the 2023 playoffs. That, of course, was a very different Vikings team. They were quarterbacked by veteran Kirk Cousins and fielded the worst defense in the NFL.

Last year, the Vikings had a significantly improved defense that rated 14th in points allowed and 15th in yards allowed. They also had an incredibly aggressive scheme that lead the NFL by blitzing on 51.5 percent of downs — more than 6 points more than the Giants’ own blitz-happy defense.

The biggest difference, of course, is that now Cousins is in Atlanta and the Vikings will be lead by either bust-turned-journeyman Sam Darnold or rookie J.J. McCarthy.

The NFL’s schedule makers are obviously hoping that McCarthy will win the starting job in camp. That would setting up a match with storylines galore, as the Giants were heavily connected to McCarthy throughout the draft process. It seems more reasonable, at least as of now, to expect Darnold to be the Vikings starter and for Minnesota to ease the rookie in later in the season.

The Giants revamped defense under Shane Bowen could have their work cut out for them if the Vikings are able to find competency at quarterback. Their offense boasts weapons galore with wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, tight end T.J. Hockenson, and running back Aaron Jones.

Of course, the Vikings’ own defense could have its have its own hands full with Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, and Darius Slayton.

It’s little wonder that Vegas considers this a potentially close game — at least in May.