Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants: Complete game guide and 3 things to watch in the Week 12 matchup
● What: Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants
● When: Sunday, Nov. 23, 1 p.m.
● Where: Ford Field, Detroit
● How to watch: FOX (Albert/Vilma/Olivi)
● How to listen: 97.1-FM The Ticket in Metro Detroit or any number of network affiliates around the state.
● Line: Lions -10.5
● Injury report: The Lions ruled out just two players on the active roster, safety Kerby Joseph and cornerback Terrion Arnold. Joseph will miss his fifth straight contest due to a nagging knee issue, while Arnold remains in concussion protocol for a second week.
On the plus side, Detroit activated cornerbacks DJ Reed and Khalil Dorsey off injured reserve on Saturday.
● Officiating assignment: Craig Wrolstad’s crew.
● Last meeting: The Lions haven’t faced the Giants since 2022, winning the Week 11 matchup, 31-18. The Giants outgained the Lions on the day, but were undone by three turnovers and three Jamaal Williams rushing touchdown runs.
Three things worth watching
● Seemingly, every week starts with Detroit’s offensive line being able to win the trench battle. The 2-9 Giants might be struggling coming into this contest, but their defensive front is a strength.
It starts with Brian Burns, a two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher who has already set a career-high with 13.0 sacks through 11 games. The starting complement on the edge, Kayvon Thibodeaux, is out this week with a shoulder injury. That would be a big loss for a lot of teams, but not the Giants, who won’t miss a beat by plugging in Abdul Carter, the No. 3 pick in last April’s draft.
Carter has undeniably had a strange rookie season. He’s generating as much pocket pressure as Burnes, with a better pass-rush win rate, but has only mustered a half-sack. It’s only a matter of time before he turns the corner, and the Lions are hoping it’s not this week.
Something the Giants do well is loop their ends inside on stunts. Already needing to worry about dominant defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, the potential of that extra strain from the ends working inside is of added concern, given Detroit’s season-long inconsistencies with maintaining the integrity of quarterback Jared Goff’s pocket.
● Giants rookie quarterbacking sensation, Jaxson Dart, will also be sidelined on Sunday. Like Arnold, Dart is in concussion protocol.
That means Detroit will contend with Jameis Winston under center. The No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft has morphed into a journeyman, serving as a backup for his third team in as many seasons.
That doesn’t mean he can be dismissed. Winston has impressive arm talent and a penchant for pushing the ball downfield. He’s not the run threat he was early in his career, but he can get outside the pocket and do off-schedule damage.
The other component of Winston’s scouting report is his knack for big mistakes. He remains the only quarterback in NFL history to throw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a season. And since that 2019 campaign, the last year he entered as a starter, he’s thrown 54 picks in 50 appearances.
Detroit, which started hot generating turnovers, has slid ot the middle of the pack with just three takeaways the past six games. The fumble recoveries have dried up as opponents emphasize protecting against Detroit’s punchouts, and interceptions have slowed with Joseph temporarily on the shelf.
Facing Winston and getting back Reed could help turn that faucet back on for the Lions.
● When Kalif Raymond signed with the Lions for close to the veteran minimum in 2021, he was an afterthought to outside observers. Who could have imagined he’d become such an essential piece to the rebuilding of Detroit’s culture these past five seasons?
And, hey, the contributions on the field haven’t been too bad, either. The receiving production has admittedly dipped since he hauled in 95 balls his first two years with the team, but Raymond has been a continuous threat in the return game, including a pair of All-Pro seasons in 2022 and 2024.
Now, he stands on the cusp of franchise history. With 37 more punt return yards, Raymond will pass Mel Gray for the most ever for the Lions.
It hasn’t always come easy for Raymond this season. A lot of that has to do with shaky blocking. However, he showed he still can break one, scoring for the third time in four seasons with a 65-yarder against the Browns in Week 4.
The Giants won’t make it easy for Raymond to get the mark on Sunday. They rank 30th in gross punting, with those shorter boots limiting return opportunities. Then, when opponents do get a chance to field it cleanly, they’re averaging just 7.8 yards, bottom-10 in the NFL.