Heading into Sunday's Week 1 game against the New York Giants, there were some doubts about whether or not Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison would be able to play because of an ankle injury.
Addison did end up playing against the Giants this weekend, but his day ended early after he left the matchup with an ankle injury midway through the third quarter.
Luckily, the Vikings didn't really need the second-year receiver out on the field on Sunday, as they cruised to a dominating 28-6 win over New York. But now, it's fair to wonder if Minnesota should have even played Addison against the Giants, considering his status for a big Week 2 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers is back to being unknown.
Minnesota Vikings make a statement with dominating win over New York Giants in Week 1
Following Sunday's contest, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed that the ankle Addison injured against New York is not the same ankle he hurt last month in a joint practice with the Cleveland Browns. O'Connell said the receiver will undergo tests on his latest ankle injury, and they'll know more in a few days.
Luckily, it sounds like Addison's injury isn't expected to keep him sidelined for an extended period of time if he has to sit out, as NFL Media's Ian Rapoport shared on Sunday that the Minnesota pass-catcher's injured ankle is not believed to be anything "major."
Aside from Addison having to leave the game early, Sunday's regular-season opener was full of positives for the Vikings, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
After the Giants took an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter, Minnesota went on a 21-0 scoring run and never looked back. Sunday's 28-6 win is the Vikings' first Week 1 victory on the road since 2016, when they defeated the Tennessee Titans to begin that season.
Minnesota got solid performances from several notable names on the offensive side of the ball on Sunday, including Aaron Jones, Justin Jefferson, and Sam Darnold. But the way the Vikings defense manhandled New York's offense was the biggest difference in the matchup.
Not only did Minnesota only allow six points and 3.5 yards per play in the Week 1 contest, but they also sacked Giants quarterback Daniel Jones five times and forced him to throw a pair of interceptions, including one that was turned into a pick-six by Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.
Overall, Minnesota has a lot to be happy about after its impressive performance in New York. The Vikings are now 1-0 to begin a season for the second time in the team's three years with Kevin O'Connell as their head coach.
Against the 49ers next week, O'Connell will attempt to lead Minnesota to a 2-0 start for the first time during his tenure as the the team's head coach.