Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold didn’t see a single absence in his return to MetLife Stadium, but the former Jets first-round pick did find plenty of open receivers.

Darnold was 19-of-24 for 208 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings rolled to a 28-6 victory over the Giants to open the 2024 season. It was the first time Darnold has started a winning game for his team since he was with the Panthers during the 2022 season.

Darnold’s first touchdown came on a three-yard throw to wide receiver Justin Jefferson to cap a 99-yard drive in the second quarter. His second was a 21-yard strike to Jalen Nailor in the third quarter that extended the Vikings’ lead to 18 points.

The Vikings also got a strong debut from running back Aaron Jones. He was a longtime opponent as a Packer, but Jones ran for 94 yards and a score to help his new club.

The Vikings’ final score came from their defense when linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel caught a pass from Daniel Jones at the line of scrimmage and ran 10 yards for a score. Jones would throw another interception in the fourth quarter when safety Harrison Smith intercepted him in the end zone and there wasn’t much to like about the offense’s overall performance in the quarterback’s return from a torn ACL.

Their only points of the first half came on a field goal after they crossed the Vikings’ 20-yard line following a fumble, and they punted five times in the game’s first three quarters. Jones added to the final stat line in the fourth quarter, finding first-round pick Malik Nabers five times, but the Giants struggled to move the ball for the most part, committing nine penalties for 95 yards to make things even harder on themselves.

The Giants now head to road games in Washington and Cleveland, and the memories of last season’s 2-8 start will linger with the team for a long time until they can show something more than they did in the season opener. The Vikings host Darnold’s former 49ers teammates next weekend, and they’re hoping to get wide receiver Jordan Addison back from an ankle injury.