LIVE BLOG: Follow Lions' Preseason Opener at Giants
![Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker. Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2400,h_1350,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_lions/01j4sx7gsjfdg27qneej.jpg)
For the first time since the devastating loss in the NFC Championship, the Detroit Lions will take the field for a game.
Thursday marks the Lions' preseason opener against the New York Giants, closing four days of competition between the two teams. They squared off in practice on Monday and Tuesday and will now match up at MetLife Stadium.
Many starters on both sides are not expected to play significant roles in Thursday's game, which sets the stage for many intriguing depth players to make an impression on Dan Campbell and the coaching staff.
One such player is quarterback Hendon Hooker, who will get his first strong taste of NFL action. After spending his rookie season rehabbing an ACL injury, fans will get a look at the Tennessee product in preseason action for the first time.
As it stands, Hooker is competing to be the team's backup quarterback against Nate Sudfeld, a veteran entering his ninth NFL season. With starter Jared Goff unlikely to play, both players should get plenty of reps throughout Thursday's contest.
MCDC has arrived pic.twitter.com/rH88NG6IlA
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) August 8, 2024
Other intriguing players that will make there Lions debuts Thursday include the 2024 rookies, though no indication has been made about how much top picks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw will play.
Campbell explained Monday that the Lions remain focused on putting in the necessary effort to reach the lofty goals for the 2024 campaign.
"Yeah, I would say like we have every year. The most important thing is that they understand what it took to get to where we were at even last year," Campbell said. "Just because we got to that point, doesn't mean anything, so we start over. Now, we've got the core group. We've gotten a little bit better, Brad's done an unbelievable job adding the talent, but it starts over with the work. So there is no complacency, there is no entitlement and we go back to work, and that is the focus."
Follow along all throughout Thursday's Lions-Giants preseason opener for live updates.
10:10 p.m. -- FINAL: Giants 14, Lions 3. Detroit falls to 0-1 in the preseason.
10:00 p.m. -- The Lions turn the ball over on downs once again, as Nate Sudfeld's fourth-down pass falls incomplete. The Giants take over on their own 3-yard line with 4:06 remaining.
9:58 p.m. -- A deep pass intended for Jalon Calhoun draws a pass interference to put the Lions inside the Giants' 10-yard line.
9:57 p.m. -- Williams' reception is ruled a first down.
9:55 p.m. -- Nate Sudfeld hits Isaiah Williams on a crossing route that comes close to moving the chains. The play is being reviewed to see whether or not Williams made the line to gain.
9:48 p.m. -- Connor Galvin is down on the field being evaluated by Lions' trainers.
9:44 p.m. -- The Lions and Giants trade punts. Detroit has the ball on its own 13-yard line with 8:36 remaining.
9:34 p.m. -- Hendon Hooker was observed leaving the blue medical tent and heading toward the locker room. Nate Sudfeld has re-entered the game for the Lions.
9:32 p.m.. -- The Lions force another punt, which is downed at the 9-yard line. Detroit takes over with 12:01 remaining in the game.
9:26 p.m. -- END Q3: Giants 14, Lions 3.
9:22 p.m. -- The Lions come up empty on their first trip to the red zone, as Hendon Hooker's pass is deflected at the line of scrimmage and incomplete. The Giants take over at their own 3-yard line.
9:15 p.m. -- Hendon Hooker scrambles for a first down, leveling a defender by dropping his shoulder in the process.
9:12 p.m. -- Hendon Hooker connects with Isaiah Williams on back-to-back completions, the second of which went for a first down.
9:07 p.m. -- The Lions force another punt, which Isaiah Williams fair catches at the Lions' own 9-yard line. Detroit still trails the Giants, 14-3, with 6:29 remaining in the third quarter.
9:04 p.m. -- The Giants convert a fourth-and-1 from their own 38 with a quarterback sneak by Tommy DeVito.
9:02 p.m. -- Lions' defensive lineman David Bada is being helped off the field by trainers.
8:56 p.m. -- The offense tries to draw the Giants offsides on fourth-and-2, but to no avail. Detroit is forced to punt and New York takes over on its own 28-yard line.
8:55 p.m. -- Hendon Hooker's first pass is a 1-yard completion to Zonovan Knight.
8:52 p.m. -- The Lions take the second-half kickoff, and Hendon Hooker takes the field. Nate Sudfeld finishes his day 7-of-15 for 40 yards and one interception.
8:38 p.m. -- The Lions punt on the final play of the first half. New York leads Detroit, 14-3, after two quarters of play.
8:34 p.m. -- Nate Sudfeld is intercepted by Tre Herndon on fourth-and-2. After a long return, though, Tom Kennedy forces Herndon to fumble and Sione Vaki recovers. Detroit gets the ball back on New York's 46-yard line.
8:31 p.m. -- Antoine Green is down being looked at by trainers after a third-down run by Sione Vaki.
8:26 p.m. -- Sione Vaki with another nice run, gaining 15 yards to New York's 27-yard line as the two teams reach the two-minute warning.
8:25 p.m. -- Sione Vaki gets his first taste of NFL action. On his second carry, he runs for nine yards.
8:19 p.m. -- Eric Gray scores a 1-yard touchdown. The Giants lead the Lions, 14-3, with 4:49 remaining in the first half.
8:15 p.m. -- Nate Sudfeld is stopped short on a quarterback sneak, resulting in a turnover on downs. The Giants take over at Detroit's 37-yard line.
8:11 p.m. -- Nate Sudfeld hits Tom Kennedy on third-down to set up a fourth-and-1 from Detroit's own 37-yard line.
8:06 p.m. -- Eric Gray runs 48 yards for a touchdown, giving the Giants a 7-3 lead with 9:12 remaining in the first half.
8:05 p.m. -- The Giants hit on two big completions from Tommy DeVito, first to Eric Gray then to Tyree Jackson. The Giants have the ball on Detroit's 48-yard line.
7:59 p.m. -- The Lions are forced to punt. Isaiah McKenzie briefly muffs the punt but recovers it and the Giants take over.
7:56 p.m. -- Detroit has its first first-down on a completion from Nate Sudfeld to Shane Zylstra.
7:54 p.m. -- The Lions force another punt. Maurice Alexander fair catches the punt and the Lions take over at their own 16-yard line.
7:50 p.m. -- Brodric Martin and Nate Lynn team up for a sack on Tommy DeVito on the final play of the first quarter. The Lions lead the Giants, 3-0, after the opening period.
7:48 p.m. -- The Lions are forced to punt once again after a three-and-out. Steven Gilmore is penalized for running out of bounds on his own, giving the Giants the ball at their own 42-yard line. Tommy DeVito remains in the game for the Giants.
7:46 p.m. -- Drew Lock leaves the game with an apparent injury and is replaced by Tommy DeVito. The Giants are unsuccessful in trying to draw the Lions offsides and are forced to punt. The punt goes into the end zone and the Lions will take over on their 20-yard line.
7:42 p.m. -- Dan Campbell wins his first challenge attempt of the preseason. Initially ruled a fumble forward, Drew Lock's effort was overturned to an incomplete pass.
7:38 p.m. -- Jake Bates' kickoff lands short of the 20-yard line, resulting in a penalty that puts the Giants on their own 40-yard line.
7:34 p.m. -- Jake Bates hits a 53-yard field goal. The Lions take a 3-0 lead with 3:21 remaining in the first quarter.
7:32 p.m. -- Brandon Joseph intercepts Drew Lock's pass and returns it to the Giants' 35-yard line. The Lions take over with 3:43 remaining in the first quarter.
.@BrandonJoseph_1 picks it off!#DETvsNYG | 📺 Lions TV Network pic.twitter.com/UnKSpU2Ozx
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 8, 2024
7:29 p.m. -- The Giants have begun to move the ball, collecting the first two first downs of the game. They have the ball on their own 41-yard line.
7:25 p.m. -- The Lions go three-and-out after a run by Craig Reynolds is stuffed. The Giants take over at their own 20-yard line with 7:24 remaining in the first quarter.
7:19 p.m. -- The Lions force another punt after a third-down sack by Isaac Ukwu. Maurice Alexander takes a big hit on the punt return and lost the ball, but was ruled down by contact.
7:15 p.m. -- Sudfeld takes a sack on second-down, and a third down screen pass to Antoine Green comes up well short of the first down. A good punt by Jack Fox puts the Giants at their own 26-yard line with 11:14 remaining in the first quarter.
7:13 p.m. -- Nate Sudfeld is the starter under center for the Lions, with Daurice Fountain and Antoine Green starting at wide receiver.
7:12 p.m. -- The Lions' defense forces a three-and-out with help from a stop by Ennis Rakestraw. Maurice Alexander muffs the punt, but Steven Gilmore falls on the loose ball. Gilmore was flagged for holding on the return, pushing Detroit's starting position back.
7:07 p.m. -- The Lions have won the toss and deferred, so the defense will take the field first.
7:04 p.m. -- According to the Lions' radio broadcast, rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold is expected to play around 10 snaps in Thursday's game.
6:47 p.m. -- Nate Sudfeld will start at quarterback in the preseason opener, according to Dan Campbell's pregame interview with Dan Miller.
6:40 p.m. -- Among the Lions not dressed for tonight's game are Jared Goff, David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Kalif Raymond, Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow, Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, Kevin Zeitler, Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Rodriguez, Kerby Joseph, Derrick Barnes, Brock Wright, Alim McNeill, Jack Campbell, Josh Paschal, Kyle Peko, Brian Branch, Marcus Davenport and Levi Onwuzurike.
6:23 p.m. -- Rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw are officially dressed and active for Thursday's game.
5:35 p.m. -- The Lions have begun special teams warmups.
Jake Bates Alert
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) August 8, 2024
Warming Up on Very Overcast Evening at MetLife