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The Giants open the 2024 NFL season on Sunday afternoon against the Minnesota Vikings. And with three of their next four games on the road, Big Blue really needs to get its season off to a winning start.
Here are the biggest stories to watch…
Malik Nabers‘ NFL debut
The biggest bright spot for the Giants in the offseason has been Nabers. The sixth overall pick in April’s draft has looked uncoverable throughout training camp, as well as in joint practices and his limited preseason action.
Nabers is a big play threat and can extend drives by being someone who can go up and over a defensive back to catch contested passes. It gives Daniel Jones exactly the kind of weapon he lacked last season, and the Giants look set to build their offense around Nabers from day one as they move on from the Saquon Barkley era.
Veteran Stephon Gilmore signed with Minnesota just a few weeks ago — his fifth team in five seasons. However, he looks set to start along with Byron Murphy at cornerback on Sunday. If Nabers is matched up with Gilmore, he will be facing a wily veteran with plenty of experience, but who is perhaps past his prime athletically at 33.
Can the Giants pile on the pressure against Sam Darnold?
When rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason, it ensured that Darnold would begin the season as the Vikings’ starter at the venue where he once helmed the Jets’ offense.
With Shane Bowen now their defensive coordinator, the Giants will operate a system with less blitzing, instead relying on their defensive linemen to win matchups and generate pressure. They’ve equipped themselves well for this, by making a blockbuster offseason trade for Brian Burns. Burns adds another dimension to a line that already features Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence and youngster Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is coming off an 11.5-sack season.
Darnold has traditionally struggled when under pressure, so the Giants’ defense will be aiming to get off the field on third…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/5-things-watch-giants-face-131902930.html
Author : SNY
Publish date : 2024-09-08 13:51:12
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