Coming off a sloppy third straight loss in a 27-21 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals, the New York Giants head to Detroit on Sunday with a 2-5 record.
Despite the Giants being 7-point underdogs in this matchup, the Lions are also on a three-game losing streak, as well.
With both teams having a lot to play for and looking to get out of October turmoil, check out the five reasons why the Giants could get back in the win-column this week.
Daniel Jones
This has been an obvious choice week-after-week. The success of the Giants lies heavily on the shoulders of their rookie quarterback Daniel Jones, whose had some turnover issues this season with 13 in six games (five starts).
The Giants offense has not scored more than 17 points since Jones first start in Tampa Bay Week 3 (32 points). If they want to get back to winning games, it starts and stops with Jones and his ability to take care of the football, which is something he hasn’t done much of lately.
However, these growing pains are to be expected from a rookie quarterback, but the fumbles are a problem (five), and were a major issue in his college career at Duke, where he fumbled 54 times. Jones also has eight interceptions in his last four starts. Part of the issue is that he is trying to force the ball into far too may tight windows. Jones must do a better job of taking care of the football this week and properly judge when to get rid of the football. If the rookie progresses this week, then the Giants will have a pretty good chance at snapping their losing streak.
Pass protection
This has been a glaring issue over the last few weeks and needs to be cleaned up in the film room. In the loss against Arizona, the Giants’ offensive line surrendered an abysmal 22 pressures, 16 hits, and eight sacks. That is an ugly stat line that has gotten progressively worse in recent weeks.
Four-year, $62 million left tackle Nate Solder has certainly not lived up to his contract surrendering five sacks and 26 pressures on the season. He often opens his hips and gets beaten out of his stance pretty much standing zero chance against elite rushers such as Chandler Jones, who cashed in for four sacks and a forced fumble last week.
Mike Remmers surrendered two sacks and several pressures last week, as well. One thing that seemed to work was when the Giants switched up the snap count on certain passing situations. This disallowed the rushers to get as good of a jump off the ball, which has been a recurring issue this year.
Past Will Hernandez and Kevin Zeitler, center Jon Halapio has struggled mightily in pass protection, as well. Halapio is second in the league among centers with two sacks allowed. While this number initially looks small, centers often get help with interior rushers from their guards. On a specific sack play last week, Zeitler moved to the next rusher and Halapio immediately got beat by his man surrendering a pressure.
The problem isn’t just ability or technique, but knowledge of assignment. The offensive line has shown they are not always on the same page, which leads to missed assignments and rushers running free in the backfield. Saquon Barkley is guilty of this, as well missing Chandler Jones on a blitz pickup, which almost got his rookie quarterback killed. The pass protection needs to be cleaned up and so does the communication. The hope is that they spent extra time in the film room this week and will show they are on the same page against the Lions front seven.
Saquon Barkley
Although Barkley did not necessarily look fully healthy in his first game back from a high ankle sprain, he still rushed for 73 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. He also would have been over 100 yards on the ground if a Will Hernandez holding penalty didn’t negate a 37-yard run.
Barkley was limited at times in practice this week with the idea to rest him week-to-week so that he is fresh for the game. The ankle will continue to nag him for the remainder of the season and the goal is to get him healthy, so limiting his work load during the week is the right plan.
Barkley was still a difference maker last week and looked explosive at times bursting through holes for big gains (long of 21, 37 yard run negated). The Lions have the 28th-ranked rushing defense in the league giving up 139.2 yards per game.
Here is a week-by-week stat line of what opposing running backs have done to them this season:
- Cardinals: 19 carries 87 yards
- Chargers: 24 carries 125 yards
- Eagles: 26 carries 94 yards
- Chiefs: 19 carries 69 yards
- Packers: 25 carries 151 yards
- Vikings: 33 carries 169 yards
- Total: 4.8 yards per carry,116 yards per game, and six touchdowns, per Bobby Skinner of Talkin Giants.
The goal for Pat Shurmur and the Giants offense should be to get Barkley involved early. Center the gameplan around him and make sure you spell him at times with Wayne Gallman to keep him fresh. According to Detroit’s rush defense stats, it is hard to imagine they will be able to stop both Barkley or Gallman in this game.
Receiving game
Golden Tate stepped up against the Cardinals last week with a six catch, 80-yard performance. He also had some impressive catches over the middle in heavy traffic, including a 14-yard reception on third and 12 during the Giants first touchdown drive of the game.
Rhett Ellison also had a nice haul in on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Jones, who dropped a dime right in the bucket. Unfortunately, Ellison was only targeted one more time for a five-yard catch. This needs to change this week, as the rookie Jones has struggled in the past few games. Tight ends are typically favorite targets of young quarterbacks and Jones should continue to utilize both Ellison and Evan Engram as regular contributors in the passing game.
As for Engram, he came back from a sprained MCL last week to have a very underwhelming performance with one catch for six yards. He also dropped what would have been a 22-yard reception to set Big Blue up in field goal range. Prior to his injury that kept him out one game, Engram was having a big year with 33 catches, 373 yards and two touchdowns. The hope is, he will be healthier this week, as he clearly did not look ready to return against the Cardinals. Arizona came in with a league worst 600 receiving yards allowed to tight ends. For whatever reason, Engram was only targeted five times and Ellison twice. That needs to change in Week 8.
Impressive rookie receiver Darius Slayton only had two catches on 28 yards and two targets, as well. Slayton and Jones have had a solid connection since they both were inserted in the lineup. Slayton needs to be utilized more each week, especially in wide receiver one Sterling Shepard’s absence (concussion).
The Lions have the 30th overall ranked defense and just traded starting safety Quandre Diggs. They also could be down top corner Darius Slay (hamstring). Look for the receiving group to get open on a consistent basis this week.
Run defense
In what has been one of the Giants’ strong suits, this area was completely exposed against the Cardinals. Despite star running back David Johnson being a non-factor (one carry, two yards), former Fordham school rushing leader Chase Edmonds went off for 127 yards on the ground and three touchdowns.
The Giants run defense dropped to 26th after that pitiful performance averaging 131.4 yards rushing allowed per contest. Look for them to load the box more this week with Jabrill Peppers, Grant Haley, Alec Ogletree, and David Mayo. The Lions have the 18th ranked rushing offense led by second year back Kerryon Johnson. Fortunately, Johnson is only averaging 3.3 yards per carry, which provides a glimmer of hope for this Giants defensive unit.
As The Giant Insider pointed out, the Giants have 57 missed tackles on the season, led by Jabrill Pepper’s 11. This is another area that must be cleaned up if the Giants are going to be victorious against the Lions in Week 8.
