The New York Giants dropped their 2024 season opener to the Minnesota Vikings, 28-6, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday on a beautiful late summer afternoon.
That’s the tagline most sports shows are going to slap you with on Monday morning. The reality, though, is much less sanitized than that.
The Giants were terrible. Yes, the Vikings beat them, but they beat themselves just as much. Penalties, turnovers, misfires, and just plain unimaginative and uninspired play ruled the day.
The fans booed and they had every right to. The real telltale moment was in the late third quarter when they started to leave the stadium, knowing the game was decided.
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Quarterback Daniel Jones, who missed two-thirds of last season with injuries, including a torn ACL, played a typical Jonesian game. He was under constant pressure, taking a lot of hits (12 in all), and threw two interceptions that hurt. His rust was evident, but no one could be encouraged by what they saw.
“I think it’s our job to give them something to cheer about and to play well, to execute. We take that seriously. They expect us to play well, we expect to play well. We’ve got to do that,” Jones told reporters after the game.
But Giants fans are beyond frustrated and they took that to the extreme following Sunday’s game as they waited an hour after the game to heckle Jones as he headed to his car.
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It was an ugly moment for fans, who took their frustrations a bit too far.
“It’s just wrong, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see fans no longer allowed in that area because some people felt the need to wait around and taunt him going home,” veteran beat writer Art Stapleton posted on X. “He’s a big boy. He can handle it. Not the point, though.
“It won’t happen again this year because fans are circulating the video and the NFL will likely put security in that area, so no fans will be allowed there.
Unfortunately, that will be the reaction.”
Giants co-owner John Mara was seen after the game. He was not in a talkative mood as the team’s 100th season began with a resounding thud.
Mara has to be livid after watching Saquon Barkley light up the scoreboard for the Eagles on Friday night and then watching his team fall flat on its face after an inspiring 100th-anniversary celebration.
Then, of course, he watched the fans boo and leave early in Week 1 of the season and listen to Vikings fans chant “SKOL” in his half-empty stadium.
Let’s not forget that former Jets bust Sam Darnold torched his secondary, completing 19 of 24 passes while Jones looked like a confused rookie.
Many fear a long year may lie ahead. Mara may not be as patient as he’s been in years past.
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