AT A GLANCE

The New York Giants opened their 100^th season with a 28-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

UP NEXT

The Giants hit the road for the next two weeks, beginning with a trip to Washington. The Giants swept the season series with the Commanders in 2023 for the 36th time. The Giants have faced Washington 182 times in the regular season since their first meeting in 1932, making this their most frequently contested rivalry. After that, the Giants face the Browns in Cleveland.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE

From left to right, the Giants' starting offensive line for Week 1 was Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan, John Michael Schmitz, Greg Van Roten, and Jermaine Eluemunor. Runyan, Van Roten, and Eluemunor had 264 games of NFL experience combined entering Sunday, but none in a Giants uniform – Century Red or otherwise – to that point.

The first catch of Malik Nabers' career went down as a 25-yard gain on third-and-10. The stadium responded by chanting "Leeeeeeeeeek" after the catch. The sixth overall pick became the first Giants player to wear jersey No. 1 since 1935. The number was taken out of circulation by the Giants after Ray Flaherty retired following that season. It was the first retired jersey number in professional football.

Nabers had another 25-yard catch, also to convert a third down, in the third quarter after the Vikings had extended their lead to 21-3 coming out of the break. He finished with a game-high 66 receiving yards on five receptions.

The Giants managed just five first downs and 87 yards in the first half as they fell behind 14-3. The Giants ranked 30^th in first half point differential last season.

Daniel Jones completed 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards and two interceptions, the first of which outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel snatched at the line of scrimmage and returned 10 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter. It gave the Vikings an 18-point lead at the time. Safety Harrison Smith notched the second interception in the end zone with the Giants driving in the red zone early in the fourth quarter.

Jones, who was sacked five times, also had six rushing attempts as the Giants gained just 74 yards on 21 carries.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE

The Shane Bowen era started with a takeaway. It helps when a defensive coordinator has two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence, who sacked Sam Darnold on the Vikings' opening drive. It set up a third-and-16 at the Minnesota 9, where a rookie took over. Starting nickel cornerback Dru Phillips, a third-round pick from Kentucky, stripped the ball from fullback C.J. Ham, and linebacker Bobby Okereke recovered the fumble at the Vikings 20. The Giants, who were tied for the NFL lead in takeaways a year ago, kicked a field goal on the ensuing possession for the first points of the 100^th season.

Despite the hot start from the Giants' defense, Darnold still completed his first 12 passes for 145 yards, including a short touchdown to Justin Jefferson to put the Vikings ahead 14-3 midway through the second quarter. The All-Pro receiver also had a 44-yard catch on the drive, which spanned 99 yards on 11 plays and nearly seven minutes.

Phillips wasn't the only rookie to have his hand in a takeaway. Linebacker Darius Muasau, a sixth-rounder from UCLA who started on Sunday, intercepted a pass that was tipped high in the air by a charging Lawrence near the end of the third quarter.

Tyler Nubin, another rookie, started at safety alongside Jason Pinnock. Nubin and Muasau tied for the team lead with seven tackles (five solo).

Eight days after he made his return to the team, veteran cornerback Adoree' Jackson was called for passing interference that resulted in a 36-yard penalty in the first half, setting up a first down at the Giants 27 in the first quarter. Three plays later, Aaron Jones got the edge on a three-yard touchdown run for Minnesota.

On Saturday, the Giants activated linebackers Carter Coughlin and Ty Summers (standard elevation) from the practice squad for Sunday's game. Curtis Bolton, another linebacker, was released.

Coughlin initially left the game in the first half with a shoulder injury. It was later updated to a pectoral issue and he was downgraded to out.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS

Return specialist Gunner Olszewski suffered a groin injury in warmups and was ruled out before the game started. The veteran was limited this week in practice. Veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton handled punt return duties. He muffed the first attempt, but Dane Belton recovered the ball for the Giants.

Jamie Gillan downed an early punt at the 1-yard line thanks to a game of hot potato initiated by Ty Summers, who flipped it to Dane Belton, who tossed it to Nick McCloud, who tipped it to Bryce Ford-Wheaton before the ball bounced into the end zone. Overall, Gillan had four punts downed inside the 20.

Right-footed kicker Graham Gano played in his first game since Week 8 of last season after he underwent surgery on his left knee. The 15-year veteran was perfect on both of his field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder. Gano has now made 24 field goals of 50 yards or more for the Giants. The next closest kicker in franchise history is Joe Danelo, with nine.

IN-GAME INJURY REPORT

NYG: WR Gunner Olszewski (groin), LB Carter Coughlin (pectoral), CB Nick McCloud (knee)

MIN: WR Jordan Addison (ankle)

CAPTAINS

Lawrence Taylor, who was voted No. 1 on the Top 100 Players in Giants history, accompanied team captains QB Daniel Jones, LB Bobby Okereke, DL Dexter Lawrence, OT Andrew Thomas, and LS Casey Kreiter for the opening coin toss.

INACTIVES

NYG: S Anthony Johnson, CB Tre Hawkins, OLB Boogie Basham, OL Jake Kubas, QB Tommy DeVito (3^rd)

MIN: CB Fabian Moreau, DB Dwight McGlothern, WR Trishton Jackson, DT Levi Drake Rodriguez, DT Jalen Redmond, OT Walter Rouse, QB Brett Rypien (3rd)