Giants Maven Writers Roundtable: Giants at Lions | Week 8 Predictions & Picks
Can the Giants get their season back on track? Here is what The Giants Maven writers had to say.
Rob Lep
The Giants and Lions both have struggling defenses, ranked 28th and 31st in the NFL, respectively. That means this game will need to be won on the other side of the ball, and all season long, that has been something of a challenge for the Giants.
The Daniel Jones developmental project should look better this week than it did in Arizona (four total turnovers for Jones). Regardless, I’m rolling with Matthew Stafford, the better quarterback, the more experienced quarterback, and the one who scares me with his passing ability down the field, especially at home in his weather-controlled dome.
Stafford has 13 touchdown passes and three interceptions on the year, compared to Jones, who has thrown more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (six).
Running back Saquon Barkley had a touchdown last week, and I think he has another this week, helping the Giants offense take a step forward, but Stafford at home in his building could be too much for the Giants to overcome.
Lions 34, Giants 17
Ahmed Shifa
The Giants have lost three in a row after two wins to start the Daniel Jones era, while the Lions began 2-0-1 before losing three straight close games.
Both the Lions and Giants defenses are near the bottom in every defensive category.
The Lions would seem to have the edge; they’re in the top ten in yards on offense (380.3 yards per game) and have the league’s sixth-best passing attack (277.2 yards per game) thanks to their vertical passing attack.
The Lions are also at home, and since their offense could create some headaches for a struggling Giants defense, I believe this week the Lions right the ship in their house.
Lions 36, Giants 30
Emily Iannaconi
The Giants head into Sunday’s game against the Lions as 7-point underdogs even though both teams have only two wins this season.
Daniel Jones and the Giants have hit a slump that I don’t think they will be able to dig themselves out of this week. The Lions are leading New York in almost every offensive category, including points scored (24.8), total yards (380.3) and passing yards (277.2).
As far as rushing, the Giants have 105.6 yards, and the Lions are close behind at 103.2. The Lions’ total yards and passing yards are ranked in the top 10 in the league overall. The game will be close, but I think that ultimately, the Lions, at home, will overpower the Giants.
Lions 21, Giants 17
Patricia Traina
Besides a win, I wanted to see one crucial thing last week: Progress.
Instead, I saw a Giants team that went backward in just about every critical facet, which is why I can’t sit here and say with any confidence that I think this team can pull out a win.
I don’t like the matchup between the Lions offense and the Giants defense, and I’m not so sure that adding DEone Bucannon is going to be the magic fix this team needs.
I continue to be frustrated by some of the in-game management decisions that defy logic--I get it that analytics might warrant one thing, but at some point, common sense has to prevail.
Then there’s the rookie quarterback. I get it that he needs to cut his teeth, but to expect him to turn it around in week might be asking for too much.
I don’t think this is going to be a high scoring game by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m not feeling a Giants win this week.
Pat Ragazzo
Both the Giants and Lions are on three-game losing streaks and are hungry to get back in the win column.
The Lions come into this week with the league's 31st-ranked defense, a potential cure for a Giants offense that has failed to reach the 300-yard mark in each of the last three weeks. Saquon Barkley also has a chance to have a big day against the Lions 26th-ranked rushing defense that has allowed an average of 139 yards on the ground per week.
The Giants offensive by itself has not scored more than 14 points since Daniel Jones debut. If Jones can protect the football and win the turnover battle, the Giants might be able to snap their losing streak.
The pass protection has been an issue as the team allowed 22 pressures, eight sacks, and 16 hits last week. If the offensive line and running backs can fix their lack of communication in blitz pickup, the offense has the chance to break out against a depleted secondary and bottom of the barrel defense.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Giants' 23rd-ranked pass defense faces a tough task against veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. The Lions passing offense averages 277.2 yards in the air per game, which good for sixth-best in the league.
As for the Detroit ground game, Kerryon Johnson was placed on injured reserve earlier this week with a knee injury. Even before that, the Lions averaged 103 yards on the ground, good enough for 18th in the league.
Lions 24, Giants 17
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