by It would have been easy to shake the Detroit Lions’ two-game winning streak going into Week 11. Not only did they barely make ends meet in both games, but those wins also came against the modest Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
On Sunday, however, the Lions made a huge statement. Heading to New York to face the surprisingly 7-2 Giants, Detroit dominated every aspect of the game. On offense, the Lions grounded for 150 yards and found the end zone four times. On defense, they forced a normally healthy Giants offense into three turnovers.
In the end, the final score of 31-18 wasn’t very indicative of the actual competitiveness of the game. Detroit went into the fourth quarter 18 points ahead and it never really got any closer.
Detroit has now won three in a row and at 4-6 it’s almost socially acceptable to talk about being in the playoff race. You have a big chance against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, but for now enjoy the win.
Here’s how it all happened.
first quarter
The Lions won the toss and resigned, giving the ball first to the Giants. Detroit’s defense had a quick opportunity to leave the field in third and seventh, and Alim McNeill stormed through the middle of the line for the sack and quick three-and-out.
The Lions offense picked up a first down on the floor and then moved the sticks on a roughing the passer after failing to convert on the third down. A sneak by Jared Goff grabbed the ensuing third down, pushing Detroit into field goal territory. Detroit landed within the Giants’ 10-yard line, but on a fourth and two, Dan Campbell chose to kick a field goal. 3-0 Lions.
The Giants offense continued to move in no-huddle and found themselves in midfield in important fourth and first places. New York went into a jet sweep and hit a first down at Detroit’s 44-yard line.
On the next few downs, Campbell made an interesting decision to decline a holding penalty, giving the Giants a third and 8 instead of a second and 19. New York eventually converted and eventually moved it inside the Lions’ 10-yard line. A few games later, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones danced into the end zone on a scheduled run and entered New York 6-3 grand Lead after a missed extra point (deflected by John Cominsky).
Detroit’s offense looked like they would go fast three and out after their first fast screen blew up for a 3-yard loss. But Caliph Raymond caught a third-and-long screen, got up and ran to the first down. Lions right guard Evan Brown was injured in the game and Dan Skipper replaced him. Brown was officially ruled questionable about returning with an ankle injury. He was demoted to OUT in the second half.
After a miss by Jared Goff and a 1-yard run by Williams, Detroit faced a third and nine in the second quarter.
second quarter
Goff attempted a first down but was recalled after a holding penalty on Penei Sewell. A personal foul on Jonah Jackson pushed the Lions even further back and eventually resulted in a punt.
Detroit continued to corner Saquon Barkley – he had just 11 yards on his first eight carries – but Jones proved the bigger threat with both his legs and arm. Jones picked up 9 yards on a run and another 7 on a third-and-3. He also got the Giants out of a second and long one well with a close for Kenny Golladay. However, Detroit was eventually halted after reporting forced Jones to dump. The Giants jabbed with Raymond and made a fair catch at his own 8-yard line.
On that drive, Jeff Okudah left the game with an injury and was declared OUT for the remainder of the game shortly after his elimination when he entered the concussion protocol.
Detroit’s offense was answered a three-and-out due to some critical errors by D’Andre Swift. On the second down, he caught a pass and had enough yards for a first down, but he fumbled and lost another 2 yards despite recovering. They gave him the ball third and 1 on a sweep play, but Swift took too long to slice up and came up 2 yards short.
But rookie Aidan Hutchinson put the ball back on the Lions offense in a snap with this impressive fingertip interception:
A few games later, Jamaal Williams lashed out to give the Lions an A 10-6 lions to lead.
Although New York was able to get the ball into midfield on the next drive, Jerry Jacobs picked up nice third and fifth stops with close coverage. A shaft punt returned the ball to Detroit at the 32-yard line by just over two minutes.
A nice game action shot found Amon-Ra St. Brown wide open for a 32-yard gain, and after a 15-yard run from Williams, the Lions were in the red zone. A block in the back from Sewell pushed them back, but St. Brown quickly picked up 15 yards back and Brock Wright caught a third and second clutch pass that put Detroit at the 1-yard line. Williams slammed it in for his second of the game — and his 11th of the season to make it 17-6 lions.
Cornerback Jerry Jacobs went down on the ensuing kick, but walked away under his own power and returned in the second half.
With 44 seconds left and no time out left, the Giants were trying to get close to Detroit’s lead. A big 19-yard pass play in 3rd and 10th places gave them a chance, but they were eventually dismissed and finished halftime.
Third quarter
Justin Jackson gave the Lions a nice start to the second half with a kick return to the 44-yard line. Detroit missed a big game after fullback Jason Cabinda dropped a pass that would have gone at least 15 yards. But Goff converted a third and nine with a 13-yard pass to Tom Kennedy. Then the Lions’ running game began to take over. Jackson picked up 10 yards and Swift followed with 16 yards of his own. St. Brown took them down to the 1-yard line and it was time for Jamaal Williams for another big opening drive. 24-6 lions.
The Giants offense tried to respond after completing a 24-yard pass to Darius Slayton on an early third and fourth. But New York went all out with a later fourth and fifth, and Jones threw it straight to Lions rookie safety Kerby Joseph, who picked it up and returned it to the Giants’ 41-yard line.
Detroit couldn’t capitalize on the ensuing possession, but a nice punt from Jack Fox pinned the Giants to their own 7-yard line.
Jones dug out the Giants with an 18-yard pass to Slayton. But three straight incompletions in midfield forced another Giants punt, and the Lions would start the next drive at their own 9-yard line with three minutes remaining in the third quarter.
But Detroit went three-and-out again, handing the ball back to the Giants at their own 33-yard line with just over a minute left. The Lions had chances to get an early dagger in fourth and one, but Jones saved 15 yards on a QB keeper.
fourth quarter
Jones quickly drove the Giants inside the 10 with a few throws down the middle and another QB keeper. And Matt Breida potted it from the 3 yard line to make it 24-12 lions just two minutes into the quarter. The extra point bounced off the post.
Detroit avoided another three-and-out with a nice game-action pass to Kalif Raymond for 21 yards, putting the Lions in midfield. On the ensuing third and 7, Goff climbed and found St. Brown for an important 17-yard pickup. But Detroit’s offense faltered there, and instead of attempting a 52-yarder in the windy conditions, the Lions took a game penalty delay and punted. Fox sent it through the end zone for a touchback.
The Giants, 12 behind, had 8:45 to score two goals and stage another comeback. And although Jones made a clutch conversion in third and 15th, Will Harris put a big hit on Isaiah Hodgins and ripped the ball loose, resulting in a fumble that Hutchinson recovered on the Giants’ 33-yard line.
Jackson made sure the turnover wasn’t squandered when the Lions third-string back blew up an impressive 27-yard run to the Giants’ 2-yard line. Although Swift was initially stopped on a 2-yard loss, he hit it out from 4 yards on the next play to make it 31-12 lions with 6:10 left.
Jones quickly drove the Giants across the field while the Lions played cover. Richie James scored and New York went for two, but it wasn’t good after a wide-open drop. They left the score 31-18 lions with 4:20 left.
St. Brown recovered from the Giants’ onside kick attempt. A couple of first downs from the Lions offense ended the game for good.
