By Michael Stewart @TheTruthNYG
The New York Giants host the Detroit Lions who have a 3-6 record fresh off a win against the Chicago Bears 31-30. The Giants sitting at 7-2 with a team effort win against the lonely Houston Texans 24-16 last Sunday. This is a game that the Giants could get blind-sided from an Detroit team that can put points on the board. Head Coach Brian Daboll has done a great job not letting the Giants look past their opponents and I expect the Giants to be ready to play. Here are my top 3 ways the Giants should walk away with a victory:
- Pound the Rock: Last week the Giants ran the ball 47 times for 191 yards (ranked 3rd) led by Saquan Barkley. Barkley carried the ball for 35 times for 152 yards and a touchdown. I expect HC Brian Daboll and OC Mike Kafka to implement the same offensive game plan against a Lions defense that has given up 160 yards per game on the ground (ranked 31st). I don’t expect to see Barkley carrying the rock again for 30+ times, but I do foresee a collective effort in the running game.
- Open up the Play Book: Although I do see Daniel Jones attempting his usual numbers in the passing game. I do see the Giants stretching the field a bit more against a Lions secondary that is ranked near the bottom of the league. Look for Daniel Jones to be more vertical early and more often to compliment the running game.
- Time of Possession: The Giants have been dominating the clock (ranked 4th) more frequently this season and I expect them to continue this trend against the Lions to limit their high-powered offense ample time on the field (ranked 28th T.O.P). The last thing the Giants want to do is to get into a shootout mentality with the Lions as they ranked 4th in the NFL with the most explosive plays of 20+ yards with 42 (behind only the Chiefs, Bills and Dolphins).
Final Thoughts: The Giants need to continue with the script with an offensive philosophy of ball control and an opportunistic defensive play. On paper this a game the Giants should win, but the game isn’t played on paper, but rather on the field. The Giants need to take care of business first against the Lions and not to look beyond this game. In typical New York Giants fashion, this game won’t be without high drama and some nail biting along the way. Final Score: Giants 27/Lions-23. Keep an eye out for my article on the Top 3 reasons between the Giants and the Lions.