The Minnesota Vikings will be facing the New York Giants in their season opener on Sunday, and Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. is already providing the Giants with bulletin-board material.
When asked about the matchup, Pace didn’t hold back his thoughts.
“We about to go crazy, man,” Pace said, via Talkin’ Giants. “Ain’t even gonna be no matchup. We gonna have to go crazy on them. It’s gonna be cool.”
Essentially, Pace is saying that this isn’t even going to be much of a contest.
As for how Minnesota’s defense will handle New York’s offense?
“Yeah, they look good, they look good,” Pace said. “But I know our defense. I know what we got in this locker room.”
Pace, who played his collegiate football at the University of Cincinnati, went undrafted but landed with the Vikings as a free agent last year.
He played in every game during his rookie campaign and was impressive, racking up 102 tackles, 2.5 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Now, he is writing checks that his entire defense has to cash.
Will the Minnesota Vikings be able to contend in 2024?
The Vikings lost some very crucial pieces this offseason, as they watched quarterback Kirk Cousins and superstar edge rusher Danielle Hunter both depart via free agency.
Minnesota did make a couple of additions itself, and it selected J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick of the NFL Draft. However, McCarthy will be out for the year with a knee injury, and the Vikings definitely have less proven talent than 2023.
To be fair, Minnesota does have some interesting pieces. It still has a lethal receiving duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson is on his way back from injury.
However, the Vikings play in a very difficult NFC North division, and the general consensus is that they will finish in last place.
The Giants are certainly a very beatable opponent for Minnesota in Week 1, and Pace seems to think the Vikings will be just fine at MetLife Stadium.
We’ll see if the Minnesota Vikings are able to back up Pace’s trash talk with a resounding victory.
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