This Sunday, in Week 13, the Arizona Cardinals will play the Minnesota Vikings. The absence of a major defensive starter will affect Minnesota’s defense, which is fifth in the league in terms of points allowed (17.9 points per game) and first in terms of run defense (74.7 yards per game).
On Tuesday, linebacker Ivan Pace was placed on injured reserve after sustaining a hamstring injury during the first quarter of the Vikings’ 30-27 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears. He will miss at least three more games in addition to the one against the Cardinals.
Through nine games this season, Pace has recorded 59 tackles, three sacks, six tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits.
After Pace’s injury, the Vikings turned to Kamu Grugier-Hill to fill the other linebacker spot, while Blake Cashman shifted over to replace him.
On Tuesday, the team signed Jamin Davis, a former Washington Commanders linebacker, who could make his debut on Sunday.
The Vikings will face the Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET (11 a.m. Arizona time).
Daniel Jones provides another proof that the Giants should terminate Brian Daboll following the 2024 season.
Without the New York Giants, Daniel Jones is already demonstrating that he is better off. The former franchise quarterback signed with the Minnesota Vikings a few days after being released, giving him a new beginning with a postseason contender. Jones sees it as an opportunity to change the course of his career. However, his signing highlights the numerous issues the Giants have had under head coach Brian Daboll.
A season in total chaos was exemplified by the Giants’ decision to cut Jones. Jones, who was formerly regarded as the team’s pillar, was benched and eventually removed to make room for Tommy DeVito, an undrafted quarterback. Players, spectators, and the media all voiced their disapproval, creating an unpleasant backlash.
The Giants’ poor management is now more obvious than ever as Jones is leaving for Minnesota to join Kevin O’Connell’s quarterback-friendly scheme. Additionally, Daboll can lose his job as a result.
The Vikings’ acquisition of Danny Dimes may mark the end of New York’s Brian Daboll era.
Jones is said to have prioritized the Vikings’ coaching staff and scheme over a number of other offers. “There’s so much out in front of him… He chose to come here,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters, expressing his admiration for Jones without holding back. Jones sees it as a chance to start over with a squad that is renowned for producing the top quarterbacks.
It’s difficult to overlook the sharp discrepancy between the Giants’ treatment of Jones and the Vikings’ faith in him. Following a stellar 2022 season in which he guided the Giants to a postseason victory, Jones faltered under Daboll. He struggled in 2024 due to a combination of his own failings and the team’s incapacity to give him a reliable atmosphere or a capable offensive plan.
Although it was presented as a progressive move, benching Jones in favor of DeVito has had a disastrous outcome.
The locker room’s dissatisfaction with Daboll’s leadership is no longer a secret, and DeVito has suffered greatly. The team’s approach has been publicly challenged by players like Malik Nabers and Dexter Lawrence, and the head coach appears to be at a loss for ideas.
Any victory Jones achieves in Minnesota would be a scathing critique of Daboll’s leadership. Although the Giants’ problems go much beyond their quarterback, Jones’ poor management of him reveals a leadership gap at the core of the team.
Although Daboll was hired as a quarterback expert, there are significant questions over his future given his failure to maximize Jones’ potential or even sustain it. The Giants’ 2-9 record and lack of progress could drive ownership to make significant offseason adjustments.
Brian Daboll is under more pressure than ever to defend his choices in New York as Daniel Jones starts a new chapter in Minnesota. It might be the last straw for Daboll if Jones succeeds with the Vikings.
