Giants Shut Out in Week 1, Booed Off Field After Drubbing

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The frustration among New York Giants fans boiled over during the team’s season opener, just two plays into the game.

The discontent was palpable as boos began to echo throughout MetLife Stadium after a disastrous start. The day ended with the Giants enduring a painful 28-6 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, led by quarterback Sam Darnold.

The Giants struggled on both sides of the ball, and their quarterback, Daniel Jones, took the brunt of the crowd’s anger. At halftime, as the team left the field, Jones had thrown two interceptions, one of which was returned 10 yards for a touchdown, leading to jeers from the fans.

As the game wound down, the Vikings’ “Skol” chant filled the air, drowning out any hope the Giants had of rallying.

It’s only Week 1, yet the reaction from the crowd has raised eyebrows. Defensive captain Dexter Lawrence voiced his disappointment regarding the boos, stating, “I don’t respect it honestly. I get it. They want to see their team win. It’s a rough patch. It just is what it is.”

The Giants’ current struggles seem to extend beyond this single game, echoing the frustrations fans have endured over the last 12 years. During that span, the team has recorded just two winning seasons, and the pressure is mounting.

Fans have increasingly turned their ire towards Jones, now in his sixth season as the Giants’ starting quarterback. Unfortunately for him, nothing that transpired against the Vikings did anything to alleviate their concerns.

Jones’ performance was harried and disorganized, contributing significantly to the early waves of disapproval. The game’s second play saw running back Devin Singletary take a pass only to lose six yards, and as the Giants faced a third-and-14 situation, a delay of game penalty deepened the woes.

This initial setback opened the floodgates for criticism, setting a grim tone for the rest of the game as the Giants struggled to score against the Vikings’ defense.

“It’s our job to give them something to cheer about and to play well to execute. And we take that serious,” Jones remarked after the game. “They expect us to play well. We expect to play well. We have to do that.”

Despite the disappointing result, the day was marked by the Giants celebrating their 100th season, honoring many of their all-time greats, including Lawrence Taylor, Eli Manning, and Phil Simms, during a halftime ceremony. Sadly, these festivities provided one of the very few moments of joy for fans.

Shortly after these legends returned to their suite, cornerback Kayvon Thibodeaux committed a facemask penalty which allowed the Vikings to cover 70 yards in a swift drive that ended in yet another touchdown, extending the score to 21-3. The Giants’ hopes for a comeback vanished into thin air.

Unfortunately, such disheartening experiences have become all too familiar for Giants supporters, especially in season openers. The Giants have now dropped seven of their last eight openers, while only the Indianapolis Colts hold a worse record during this stretch.

Head coach Brian Daboll acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, stating, “We can do everything better, but it all starts with me.” This was Daboll’s first time calling plays as the Giants’ head coach since taking over in 2022, but the results failed to inspire confidence.

The performance on the field offered little improvement from the previous season, where the Giants suffered a 40-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in their own season opener.

“We lost by a lot and didn’t score [a touchdown],” Daboll admitted. “So it wasn’t good enough.”

Amidst the heavy criticism, there are calls among some fans for a quarterback change, yet it remains unlikely that such a move will happen soon. Jones was the starter throughout the summer, receiving every first-team snap and finishing the game despite the overwhelming score.

In total, Jones completed 22 of 42 passes for a mere 186 yards, failing to secure any touchdowns while being sacked five times. His self-assessment mirrored his coach’s sentiments, saying, “Obviously not good enough. Didn’t get in the end zone, scored 6 points. Didn’t create much rhythm and flow for ourselves.”

It appears the team is not ready to shift gears at quarterback just yet. backup Drew Lock suited up for the game, while Tommy DeVito served as the emergency third-string option.

“We’re going to watch everything,” said Daboll about potential changes. “[Considering a quarterback change] that’s not in my mind.”