Murray Makes Minnesota Debut as Vikings Edge Giants in Preseason Opener.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Minnesota Vikings opened their preseason with a 13-10 win over the New York Giants on Saturday, but the final score was only part of the story. The afternoon featured Kyler Murray’s first appearance in a Vikings uniform, a touchdown connection from Jaxson Dart, a strong performance from Minnesota receiver Myles Price and a concerning injury to veteran Jamal Adams. Murray entered the game with plenty of attention surrounding him after being named Minnesota’s starting quarterback. After spending the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals, the former No. 1 overall pick is adjusting to a completely different environment. Minnesota gave Murray only one series with the starting offense, which played without star receiver Justin Jefferson. Murray completed two of three passes for 10 yards and helped move the Vikings into position for a field goal. The statistics were limited, but the appearance gave Murray his first opportunity to experience game action with his new teammates before the regular season begins. “I had a blast,” Murray said. “Today was everything I thought it would be.”

Behind Murray, J.J. McCarthy received an opportunity to run the offense after moving into a backup role. McCarthy had a slow start but eventually settled down, completing four of seven passes for 34 yards. The Vikings found their biggest offensive spark later in the game from wide receiver Myles Price. After putting together a strong training camp, Price carried that momentum into the preseason by catching four passes for 51 yards. His biggest play came in the third quarter when he made an impressive one-handed touchdown reception on a pass from Carson Wentz.

While Minnesota evaluated its quarterback room, the Giants began a new chapter of their own with John Harbaugh making his preseason debut as the team’s head coach. Quarterback Jaxson Dart faced immediate pressure from Minnesota’s defense. He was sacked twice on six drop-backs, including a hard hit from Vikings safety Jay Ward that resulted in Dart being evaluated for a possible concussion. Dart was cleared to return and quickly responded. On his final play of the game, he connected with rookie receiver Malachi Fields for a 15-yard touchdown. Dart finished his brief appearance completing three of four passes for 26 yards and a score. One of the more memorable moments for New York came when Odell Beckham Jr. stepped onto the field in a Giants uniform again. Nearly a decade after his most productive seasons with the franchise, Beckham received a warm reaction from the crowd when he entered during the second quarter. Beckham caught a six-yard pass from Jameis Winston for his first reception since returning to New York. He finished with two catches, making his return another notable storyline in the Giants’ preseason opener.

The Vikings’ victory was overshadowed by a potentially serious injury to veteran defender Jamal Adams. Adams went down on a noncontact play early in the second quarter and immediately grabbed his right knee. He was eventually taken off the field on a cart.

Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that Adams suffered a right knee injury and indicated that the initial evaluation was concerning. Adams had been competing for a significant role after signing with Minnesota shortly before training camp.

The Vikings also saw fourth-string quarterback Max Brosmer leave the game with an injury to the thumb on his throwing hand. Additional testing was expected to determine the severity of the injury. For Minnesota, the 13-10 victory provided an early opportunity to evaluate a roster featuring several new faces. More importantly, Murray was finally able to take the field as the leader of the Vikings offense. The preseason opener did not require Murray to do much, but it marked the beginning of a new chapter for both the quarterback and Minnesota. With the regular season approaching, the Vikings will now look to build chemistry around their new starter while determining which players can earn larger roles before the final roster is set.