Surprisingly enough, the NY Giants are listed as underdogs going into their Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Not only are the Giants at home this week, but this Vikings squad is not the same as it was just a season ago. Despite this, Vegas is still low on New York's chances to walk out of MetLife with a victory.
The Giants have made a lot of moves in the offseason to better the team, so it's only fitting that in Week 1 we see them come out with a win to help prove that these moves will pan out. Even with their underdog status, there are four ways in which New York can come out on top:
4. Establish domination in the trenches early on
One of the biggest parts of the Giants' offseason was all of the moves they made on their offensive line. Guys like Jon Runyan Jr., Jermaine Eluemunor, and Greg Van Roten were all brought in to revamp this once decrepit unit and they have to show that they were worthy investments. Lucky for them, they get to start the season against an insanely weak Vikings defensive front.
This unit is highlighted by names like Jonathan Greenard, Harrison Phillips, and Jerry Tillery: all solid players, but nothing to write home about. Given the talent this new and improved Giants offensive line has over them, this should be a walk in the park.
The Giants have been without a stable and consistent offensive line for nearly a decade now. If these moves pan out, 2024 could be the year to break the curse. At least, we hope it is, as another season with a poor offensive line could spell disaster for not just the players, but the front office and coaching staff as well.
Regardless, there really couldn't be a better team to kick off the season against in terms of trench matchups. An interesting X-factor in this game will be John Michael Schmitz. An injury has made it difficult to evaluate him this offseason, but improved play from him could lead to a dominating game on the interior, setting up the offense for a versatile attack on the ground and through the air.