Giants Country

Mistakes Doom Giants in 31-18 Loss to Lions

Nothing went right for the Giants on Sunday as they fell to 7-3 on the season after losing to the Detroit Lions.

Joe Najarian

Mistakes Doom Giants in 31-18 Loss to Lions
Mistakes Doom Giants in 31-18 Loss to Lions /
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East Rutherford, N.J. - Penalties, injuries, and sloppy play plagued te New York Giants, who fell 31-18 to the Detroit Lions Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 27 of 44 passes for a season-high 341 yards and a touchdown and ran for 50 yards and an additional score. The Giants, racked up 413 total yards of offense, but Jones was intercepted twice after not throwing an interception for six straight games. 

His top target was rookie receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who caught nine passes for 100 yards, becoming the first 100-yard receiver for the Giants in a game this season. However, he would leave the game with an injury; he was one of several other Giants ruled out during the game, the others being cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson (knee) and Fabian Moreau (rib), center Jon Feliciano (neck), right tackle Tyree Phillips (neck) and defensive back Jason Pinnock (jaw).

Running back Saquon Barkley was a non-factor in the game. The Lions shut down the Giants’ superstar, who had only 22 rushing yards on 15 carries.

The Giants went three-and-out to begin the game, and the Lions would move the ball 64 yards in 10 plays. The Giants’ defense almost ended the drive early, but a roughing of the passer penalty on Oshane Ximines gave Detroit new life. From there, they moved the ball to New York’s 6-yard line but ultimately settled for Michael Badgley’s 24-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.

The Giants’ offense responded with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Jones started the drive with a 17-yard pass to Darius Slayton, and backup running back Matt Breida converted on a 4th-and-1 near midfield. Breida would strike again with a 16-yard reception on 3rd-and-7, and Jones followed that up with an 18-yard pass to Wan’Dale Robinson to move the ball inside the 10. 

Two plays later, Jones scored on a 3-yard touchdown run, making it 6-3 Giants after the normally reliable kicker Graham Gano missed the extra point, kicking into the swirling wind in the south end zone. (The PAT was eventually ruled a block.)

After the next three drives ended in punts, the Lions got an instant red zone opportunity when Jones was intercepted by rookie defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. A few plays later, Detroit took the lead back on a 4-yard touchdown run by Jamaal Williams.

The Giants were forced to punt on their next drive after a highly questionable non-PI call, and Jamie Gillan shanked the ensuing punt for just 25 yards. The Lions then moved the ball 68 yards in just seven plays, the big play being a 32-yard reception by Amon-Ra St. Brown. Williams then scored a 1-yard touchdown run to put Detroit up 17-6 entering halftime.

The second half started just as poorly for the Giants, as the Lions scored again on a 9-play, 56-yard touchdown drive. The biggest play came on 3rd-and-9 near midfield when Goff connected with Tom Kennedy for 13 yards. Later, Williams scored his third touchdown of the game, once again from one yard out, giving the Lions a commanding 24-6 lead.

Things would get even worse when the Giants faced 4th-and-5 at the Detroit 40. The offense elected to go for it, but Jones was intercepted by Kerby Joseph, who returned it to the Giants 41. 

The next three drives ended in punts, and the Giants’ offense finally got in sync, moving the ball 67 yards in nine plays. Facing 4th-and-1 at his own 42, Jones took off for a 15-yard run. 

A 19-yard pass to Richie James moved the ball into the red zone, and three plays later, Breida scored on a 3-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 24-12 after Gano’s PAT hit the right upright.

The Giants’ defense forced a huge punt on the Lions’ next drive, but the offense gave the ball right back when Isaiah Hodgins fumbled, and Hutchinson recovered for Detroit. The Lions then moved 33 yards in four plays, capped off with a D’Andre Swift 4-yard touchdown run, increasing Detroit’s lead to 31-12.

The Giants’ offense mustered a 6-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped off by a 9-yard touchdown catch by Richie James, but it was too little, too late. After the two-point conversion failed, the Lions recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

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Joe Najarian
JOE NAJARIAN

Joe Najarian, a Rutgers University graduate, covered Rutgers Football and Rutgers Baseball during an eight-month stint with Jersey Sporting News (JSN).

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