What to know when the Vikings travel to play the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon:

Vikings at N.Y. Giants
When: 12 p.m. Sunday
Where: MetLife Stadium
TV: FOX
Radio: KFAN
Line: Vikings -1.5
Over/Under: 41.5

Keys for the Vikings

— The most important thing will be how consistent veteran quarterback Sam Darnold can be. This is his first time running the offense and it will be telling how everything functions with him at the helm. If the Vikings get solid play out of Darnold this season, they likely will be flirting with the playoffs. This will serve as a pretty big indicator of how things are going to go. The result itself might come down to which teams makes fewer mistakes.

— On the flip side, the Vikings must make life miserable for Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. He has proven to be a walking turnover at different points in his career, and if that trend continues this weekend, the Vikings should be in pretty good shape. Look for defensive coordinator Brian Flores to dial up some exotic blitzes in an attempt to throw Jones off his game.

Keys for the Giants

— It’s not hard to envision Giants dominating in the trenches with star nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II serving as a wrecking ball up front. His defensive presence on the interior should also open up things for edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. If that combination can rush the passer with regularity, it might be hard for the Vikings to function on offense.

— There might be some opportunities for rookie receiver Malik Nabers to make an immediate impact for the Giants. He is extremely talented and the Vikings will need to contain him as he goes to battle with veteran cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore, Shaq Griffin and Byron Murphy Jr.

Related Articles

Vikings at Giants picks: It comes down to Sam Darnold vs. Daniel Jones

The winding road that made coach Kevin O’Connell a perfect fit for the Vikings

The Loop NFL Picks: Week 1

Why star receiver Justin Jefferson handled his business with Vikings in silence

Vikings receiver Jordan Addison vows to play in season opener