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![\"Kyler](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/STP-Z-2290617563_265669235.jpg\")
<\/a>EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 15: Kyler Murray #1 of the Minnesota Vikings passes the ball against the New York Giants during a pre-season game at MetLife Stadium on August 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe\/Getty Images)<\/p>\nThere wasn\u2019t much to write home about in Murray\u2019s first start for Minnesota, as the Vikings did lean so heavily into the run game on quarterback\u2019s lone drive.<\/p>\n
But Murray was in control of the offense, hitting a play-action pass for a short gain and making his highlight of the day by connecting with Jordan Addison on an eight-yard out route to move the chains on third down.<\/p>\n
Murray went 2 for 3. His lone incompletion was a third-down pass to Jones that was outside the numbers but bounced off the running back\u2019s hands, forcing the Vikings to send out the field goal unit.<\/p>\n
McCarthy can\u2019t move offense<\/p>\n
J.J. McCarthy quarterbacked the final three series of the half for Minnesota, and failed to manufacture any points.<\/p>\n
There was inconsistency with decision making and ball movement, but a lack of protection up front, a dropped pass and penalties did McCarthy no favors.<\/p>\n
Offensive standouts<\/p>\n
Carson Wentz relieved McCarthy to open the second half and led a 57-yard march that resulted in three points on Minnesota\u2019s first drive of the third quarter, and capitalized on a Giants\u2019 turnover for a touchdown pass to Myles Price on the following possession.<\/p>\n
Price hauled in the one-yard fade route with one hand. The second-year wideout hauled in all four targets for 51 yards and a score Saturday.<\/p>\n
Wentz also threw a third-down strike into a tight window on a rollout to Marshall Lang to help put the game on ice in the final two minutes. The veteran signal caller finished 9 for 14 for 81 yards and a score.<\/p>\n
Defense surrenders six<\/p>\n
Minnesota\u2019s starting defense played well in totality Saturday, limiting the Giants\u2019 run game while sacking Jaxson Dart twice.<\/p>\n
But a key breakdown \u2013 a 3rd and 23 screen the Vikings allowed to go for 40 yards \u2013 keyed New York\u2019s lone first-half touchdown drive, which ended with Dart getting outside the pocket and lofting a pass up to Malachi Fields, who beat Ivan Pace Jr. on a contested ball for the 15-yard scoring strike.<\/p>\n
Other notes<\/p>\n
Second-year quarterback Max Brosmer played just one series before exiting with an apparent hand or wrist injury, which forced Wentz back into the game.<\/p>\n
Will Reichard went 2 for 2 on field goal attempts, hitting a long of 54 yards.<\/p>\n
Jacob Roberts and Jacob Thomas each recorded second-half interceptions off Giants\u2019 third-string quarterback Brandon Allen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Vikings coach Kevin O\u2019Connell gave Minnesota fans a brief look at the 2026 team in Saturday\u2019s exhibition opener,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":974115,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2067],"tags":[7,519,259,1917,56,2321,2469,6,9],"class_list":["post-974114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york-giants","tag-football","tag-giants","tag-minnesota-vikings","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-giants","tag-newyork","tag-newyorkgiants","tag-nfl","tag-sports"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/117101329417079010","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=974114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/974115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=974114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=974114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=974114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}