In the 2022 playoffs, the Vikings couldn’t contain Daniel Jones, leading to a raise for the Giants’ quarterback and the firing of Minnesota’s defensive coordinator. So, what’s on tap for Sunday’s season opener?
Soon after their last clash, the Giants rewarded Jones with a $40 million per year contract, while the Vikings parted ways with their defensive coordinator.
These events were connected.
It was January 15, 2023, at U.S. Bank Stadium, during an NFC wild-card playoff.
Giants rookie coach Brian Daboll accelerated General Manager Joe Schoen’s rebuild, earning the NFC’s sixth seed and ultimately the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year.
At the same time, Vikings rookie coach Kevin O’Connell successfully led his team through a “competitive rebuild,” winning 13 games, including a thrilling 27-24 victory over the Giants on Christmas Eve with a record-setting 61-yard walk-off field goal by Greg Joseph at U.S. Bank Stadium.
But January 15, 2023, marked a turning point for the Vikings. Daniel Jones had a career-defining performance against the Vikings’ then-defensive coordinator, Ed Donatell, who employed a passive, predictable scheme.
Jones completed 24 of 35 passes (68.6%) for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and a 114.1 passer rating while adding 78 rushing yards on 17 carries (4.6 yards per carry) in a 31-24 upset, giving the Giants their first playoff win since 2011. Including the Christmas Eve game, Jones completed 54 of 77 passes (70.1%) for 635 yards, three touchdowns, and added 112 rushing yards on 21 carries.
Donatell’s inability to contain Jones led to his dismissal and the hiring of Brian Flores, whose aggressive and varied defensive schemes contrast sharply with the Vikings’ 2022 approach.
“I was watching some of our games from 2022 the other day,” said 13-year veteran safety Harrison Smith. “I hardly recognized us.”
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Jones, in the meantime, secured a massive payday with a four-year, $160 million contract, which shocked the league and influenced the Vikings’ decision to move on from Kirk Cousins’ contract demands this past offseason.
A lot has changed since then, as these teams gear up for their season opener at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Both teams had setbacks in 2023 due to injuries at the quarterback position. The Vikings finished 7-10, with Cousins playing in just eight games. The Giants ended the season 6-11, with Jones missing three games due to a neck injury. He struggled in six games — posting a 1-5 record with two touchdowns and six interceptions — before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in Week 9.
Now, instead of hearing “MVP!” chants as he did toward the end of 2022, Jones, entering his sixth year, and his third-year head coach are facing significant pressure. The Giants can exit Jones’ contract after this season and were even shown on “Hard Knocks” attempting to trade up in this year’s draft to select a quarterback.
No pressure, Daniel.
“He’s a very talented quarterback,” Flores said. “Smart. Commanding of the offense. Has won in this league. Athletic. His mobility stands out. He can run. He’s dealt with some injuries, but I’m sure that’s still part of his game.”
Since it’s Week 1, Flores has to review a lot more film than he’ll need once teams start revealing their new strategies as early as next week.
The Giants’ offense, like a Vikings defense with potentially six new starters, remains somewhat of an enigma. New York replaced star running back Saquon Barkley with former Bill Devin Singletary, revamped its struggling offensive line with new players at left guard (Jon Runyan) and right tackle (Jermaine Eluemunor), and drafted LSU receiver Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick.
When asked if he watched Donatell’s defense against Jones in 2022, Flores responded, “I think you look at everything.”
Flores is primarily relying on his knowledge of offensive-minded Daboll. The two were assistants together in New England from 2013-2016 and faced off as AFC East opponents from 2018-2021 when Daboll was Buffalo’s offensive coordinator and Flores was Miami’s head coach.
“[Daboll] is one of the best offensive minds, really football minds, out there,” Flores said. “Schematically, there are certain things they consistently do.
“We’ll prepare for that. But, in Week 1, everyone has new wrinkles. Everyone has a play they’re eager to run. I’ve got a couple myself.”
Vikings fans would welcome that since there were few, if any, wrinkles for Jones on January 15, 2023, the day he secured a huge deal and sent Donatell packing.
