Lions Offense Can Fix Rushing Woes Against Giants Defense

Previewing Lions Week 12 home contest with Giants OnSI beat writer.

Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) gets tackled for a loss | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions are returning home for a bounce-back opportunity against the New York Giants. After a crushing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Lions are looking to avoid a second-consecutive loss and remain in the mix for the NFC North crown and the postseason.

Patricia Traina is a beat reporter covering the Giants for Giants OnSI. She recently answered five questions from Lions OnSI to preview Sunday's game.

1.) How has interim coach Mike Kafka performed so far running the team?

Traina: I thought he had a positive head coaching debut. Kafka seemed very organized throughout the week; he took control, and I think his demeanor was well-received by the players in the locker room. 

Some of the players said he energized the team with the tweaks he made, and I think they appreciated his calmer demeanor. They didn’t get the results they wanted, but there wasn’t all that much not to like about what Kafka did in his first week. 

And kudos to him, by the way, for holding Abdul Carter accountable. Regardless of whether Carter made an honest mistake, Kafka's benching the rookie for a series was a good move that sent a message to the team that “honest mistakes” aren’t going to be tolerated, given the stakes. 

2.) Why have the Giants struggled to hold on to leads this season?

Traina: I think it’s a combination of a lack of execution, stemming from defensive players being asked to do too much during crunch time. I’ve spoken about this on my podcast numerous times. 

When your defense is struggling, simplify things. Have three or four basic coverages and maybe a couple of concepts, rather than throwing everything against the wall and hoping it sticks.  

They’ve had some injuries as well. I think losing linebacker Micah McFadden in Week 1 was huge and something we’re not discussing enough. 

The defensive secondary, meanwhile, is a position group I had concerns about dating back to training camp. I felt that while they had quantity at cornerback, I questioned the quality. Sure enough, that unit has turned into a problem.

3.) Jaxson Dart seemed to have generated a lot of buzz since he was inserted as a starter. What do you like about his game, and who does he remind you of?

Traina: Dart reminds me a lot of a young Phil Simms in terms of his confidence and fearlessness. Simms wasn’t nearly as mobile as Dart, but in terms of the attitude and how he takes control, that’s who comes to mind. 

Eli Manning? He was more of a silent assassin than Phil was. Both tremendous quarterbacks, obviously, but with very different personalities.

The thing I like most about Dart is his maturity. He plays a mostly smart, advanced game out there that sometimes makes you forget he’s a rookie. He has a good command of the huddle, and he just has that moxie that I think has been missing on offense for the longest time. You can smack him in the mouth, and he’ll oftentimes just pop up as if to say, “Is that the best ya got?”

4.) What are 1-2 key matchups you think determine the outcome of the game?

Traina: I think you start with the Giants’ pass rush against the Lions' offensive line, which, if I’m not mistaken, has injuries at both tackle spots. OLB Brian Burns has been on a tear this season, winning his one-on-one matchups. He has the fastest time-to-sack (4.41) on the team (minimum 30 pass-rush attempts) and the best time-to-pressure rate (3.24). I look for him to wreak some havoc.

The other one is obviously running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery against a Giants run defense that has been atrocious this season. 

The Giants are giving up 5.5 yards per rushing attempt to opponents, and an average of 149.9 rushing yards per game. Opposing rushers are also averaging 2.12 yards before contact (worst in the league) and 3.46 yards after contact (fourth-worst in the league). 

If the Lions' running game is struggling, it’s reasonable to expect this will be a get-right game for them.

5.) What is your final score prediction? 

Traina: I am probably the last person to ask about a score prediction, as I’ve yet to get it right or even come close to being in the ballpark. 

The Giants have lost five of their 10 losing efforts this season by two or more scores, so I’m honestly not sure if the score of this week’s game will be by two or more scores or a close one. 

Seeing that the Lions have shown a potential to light up the scoreboard, let’s go with Lions 30 - Giants 19.