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NFL Week 1 Recap: Minnesota Vikings 28, New York Giants 6

2Y1YMBT Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates after a 21-yard touchdown catch by teammate wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Sam Darnold delivered two touchdown passes in a strong debut for the Minnesota Vikings, helping his team to a dominant 28-6 win over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.

A 22-yard completion to Josh Oliver set up a short Aaron Jones touchdown run to open the scoring. Darnold then connected with Justin Jefferson for a 3-yard touchdown and later hit Jalen Nailor on a 21-yard strike to extend the lead, giving the Vikings a solid platform as they aim to bounce back from last season’s 7-10 finish.

PFF's dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at 12 p.m. EST.

In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.

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PLAYER OF THE GAME

Darnold made a statement in his return to MetLife Stadium. The former No. 3 overall pick completed his first 11 passes in Sunday's season opener and finished 19-of-24 for 208 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. However, that interception was the result of him being hit mid-throw rather than a bad decision.

Darnold was clinical from a clean pocket, as he completed 14 of his 15 attempts for 151 yards (10.1 yards per attempt) when he was kept clean from pressure.

BOX SCORE

Vikings Giants
Total points 28 6
Total offensive plays 51 68
Average EPA per play 0.145 -0.384
Total net yards 327 230
Avg yards per play 6.4 3.4
Total first downs 17 14
Rushing first downs 7 4
Passing first downs 8 9
Penalty first downs 2 1
Third-down efficiency 50% 44%
Fourth-down efficiency 20% 9%
Possessions 10 11
Avg plays per drive 5.8 6.6
Avg yards per drive 29.7 19.2
Avg points per drive 2 0.5
Red-zone possessions 2 3
Red-zone plays 6 15
Red-zone TDs 2 0
Red-zone FGs 0 1
Red-zone scoring efficiency 100% 33%

SNAP COUNTS & PLAYER PARTICIPATION

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