- What: NFL opening weekend
- Who: New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings
- When: Sunday, September 8 at 1 p.m. ET
- Where: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
- How to watch: Fox and Fox Sports app
After a long wait, and plenty of practice time, NFL teams are all set to take the field for the first week of action. It's been an exciting summer and several teams will have a totally different look for their first game. So, who will be able to make a splash and start the campaign on the right foot? There are some epic games, with the Vikings and Dolphins among Week 1 favorites for opening NFL weekend. Will they both post wins?
For the sake of this piece, we're starting our focus with the Vikings, who are traveling to East Rutherford to take on the New York Giants. The Vikings have dealt with plenty of adversity this offseason, as first-round pick JJ McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus and he'll be out for the whole season. Because of that, veteran Sam Darnold will be getting the start Week 1 over in New Jersey. What can we expect out of Darnold?
| NFL Week 1 odds |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Giants to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
| Dolphins to win | -110 | -110 | -110 |
| Jaguars to win | +125 | +125 | +125 |
He's been a bit of a journeyman in the league, but he has proven to be quite reliable with the ball in his hands. Having said that, we think that the Giants defense is going to give him a bunch of issues at MetLife Stadium. Both Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns will be hungry to post multiple sacks in this one and they'll also be ready to give the Minnesota offensive line issues throughout the contest. It could be a long day for them.
According to the best sports betting sites, which includes the reliable Bovada sportsbook review, the Vikings hold -110 NFL betting odds for this one despite being the visiting team. The Giants are at +125. New York has failed to impress in the preseason, but we think Daniel Jones will rise to the occasion and get the season going the right way for the G-Men. With all of that said, we're going with the Giants as our pick to pull off a bit of an upset.
"I appreciate how hard he is on himself for a young player, but it's not gonna dissuade me or the quarterback from throwing to him"
Brian Daboll was asked about Malik Nabers' self-assessment that he dropped too many passes yesterday: pic.twitter.com/wN9xKHpJWA
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) August 22, 2024
The Dolphins should take care of business against the Jaguars
In another fun showdown on the way, the Dolphins should take care of business against the Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium. This is going to be a huge AFC tilt, as both teams are going to want to make a statement. For the Dolphins, there really are no excuses for them in this contest if they want to prove they can be Super Bowl contenders. However, the injuries on both sides of the ball have been piling up and it's a worry.
At wide receiver, who will be the No. 3 option for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa? Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are an incredible one-two punch, but behind them, there's some uncertainty. The Dolphins signed Odell Beckham Jr. to a new contract, but he is yet to practice this offseason. At this point, it feels like it will be a bit of a shock if he's able to play in the season-opener. River Cracraft is out too with an upper-body injury.
Tua Tagovailoa is A HUGE LIFE LESSON FOR ALL OF US on the power of the tongue. For 2 years, Brian Flores tore down Tua’s confidence and his play reflected it. Mike McDaniel met Tua where he was at, focused on what he did best & empowered him to improve everywhere. POWERFUL. pic.twitter.com/J2NEBIk8et
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 20, 2024
On the other side of the field, the Jaguars are led by former No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence, who landed a massive extension this offseason. Lawrence and Tagovailoa are now two of the top paid signal-callers in the league, which is going to make this matchup quite juicy. Will Lawrence be able to outperform Tagovailoa, or will the Miami quarterback put on a show in what could prove to be a big-time win?
Things are going to be pretty close here, but we're giving the Dolphins the advantage due to playing on their home field. Miami holds -110 odds to post a victory, while the Jaguars are at +125 per the best NFL betting sites. We don't think the Dolphins are going to run away with things here, but we do think they'll be able to find a way to pull it off. Jacksonville will be able to keep things tight, but it will be the Dolphins who will be celebrating after the final whistle.
The 49ers should handle the Jets during Monday Night Football
In the last contest of Week 1, the 49ers should handle the Jets during Monday Night Football. Both of these teams are powerhouses, with San Francisco still hoping to wipe away the tough memories from losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl this past February. Obviously, Brock Purty, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle will be ready to do their thing on offense, while the defense will hope to contain Aaron Rodgers.
This will be Rodgers' first game after suffering his torn Achilles in the season-opener in 2023. Will he be able to put on a show, or will he struggle against a talented SF side? This should be another great game, but with SF looking so sharp, we think they're going to start the season off the right way. We're going with the 49ers as our pick.
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