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Notes & Stats: Giants vs. Vikings Week 1 Recap

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Notes & Stats: Giants vs. Vikings Week 1 Recap

*Graham Gano scored the Giants’ only points on field goals of 23 and 50 yards. The latter was his 24th three-pointer of 50 or more yards in five seasons with the Giants, extending his franchise record. Joe Danelo is second with nine.

*Dexter Lawrence had the Giants’ only sack, a seven-yarder of Sam Darnold on the Vikings’ second play.

*Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, signed last Monday, had two solo tackles and was flagged for a questionable pass interference penalty.

*In his Giants debut, Devin Singletary led the Giants with 37 rushing yards on 10 carries. Daniel Jones was second with 15 yards on six attempts.

*Jones completed 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards and two interceptions. He was sacked five times and hit 12 times.

*Wan’Dale Robinson had a team-high six receptions, for 44 yards, and his 14-yard run on his only rushing attempt was the Giants’ longest of the game.

*The Vikings capped a 99-yard drive in the second quarter with a three-yard Darnold pass to Justin Jefferson. (Including a false start penalty, Minnesota gained 104 yards in the series.) The Vikings needed 11 plays to travel the length of the field, the longest a 44-yard Jefferson reception. It was the first 99-yard possession by a Giants opponent since Oct. 28, 2002, when the Eagles had one in Philadelphia. That series ended with a 40-yard touchdown run by quarterback Donovan McNabb.

*Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel scored the game’s final points when he intercepted a Jones pass and returned it 10 yards for a touchdown with 4:22 remaining in the third quarter. Two Giants opponents scored on interception returns in 2023, both in MetLife Stadium: Dallas’ DaRon Bland on a 22-yard runback in the season opener, and Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon with a 97-yard return on Oct. 2.

*The Giants fell to 51-44-5 on opening day, 51-46-3 in home openers, and 17-17 in season-opening home games, including 4-11 in MetLife Stadium. They have lost six consecutive season-opening home games, last winning on Sept. 12, 2010, vs. Carolina in the first regular-season game played in MetLife Stadium.

*Veterans who made their Giants debut: Singletary, guards Jon Runyan and Greg Van Roten, tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, reserve lineman Aaron Stinnie, tight end Chris Manhertz, and linebackers Brian Burns and Ty Summers.

*Wide receiver/return specialist Gunner Olszewski aggravated his groin injury during warmups and was unable to play. Eric Gray, who was lined up deep with Tracy, returned one kickoff for 22 yards. Darius Slayton had one punt return for zero yards.

*Linebacker/special teamer Carter Coughlin left the game with a pectoral injury.

Cornerback Nick McCloud was removed with a knee injury.

*This was the kickoff to the 100th season of Giants football. Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, voted the greatest player in Giants history, accompanied the Giants’ five captains to midfield for the coin toss. The team captains were Jones, Andrew Thomas, Okereke, Lawrence and Casey Kreiter.

*The Giants’ inactive players were quarterback Tommy DeVito (third quarterback), cornerback Tre Hawkins, safety Anthony Johnson, linebacker Boogie Basham and offensive lineman Jake Kubas.

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