Giants Face Lions In Playoff Significant Week 15 Matchup
Sunday’s game between the New York Giants and Detroit Lions is the final regular season home game for the Giants. This matchup of teams with identical 9-4 records has significance for both sides.
The Giants will clinch their first playoff berth since winning Super Bowl XLVI with a win and a loss by the Washington Redskins and losses/ties by the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. The Lions will clinch their first division title in 23 years with a win and a Packers loss or a tie, a Packers loss and a Vikings tie/loss.
Big Blue enters this game as 4.5 point favorites. Last week, they defeated the 11-2 Dallas Cowboys for the second time this season in a game dominated by the defensive units. The Lions beat the struggling Chicago Bears in a matchup that was much more competitive than the Bears’ record would indicate.
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Detroit likes to air it out. 22 of their 27 touchdowns this season have come off the pass. The Giants rank 22nd in the NFL in pass defense, allowing 257 yards per game. At the same time, they are second in the league in pass percentage. Opponents only complete 58.2 percent of their passes.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford pretty much is the offense. He’s thrown for 3,447 yards, completing 66.7 percent of his passes. Stafford is not opposed to running either, gaining 193 yards on 34 carries.
His effectiveness depends entirely on the ligament damage in his wrist. Anquan Boldin leads the Lions with a team-high seven touchdowns while Golden Tate leads in receiving yards with 820. The Giants secondary is among the best in the NFL and will have their hands full on Sunday.
The Giants’ offense gets a boost with the returns of starting guard Justin Pugh and running back Shane Vereen. If the Giants want to walk away with a victory, it is imperative they establish the running the game. The Lions are ranked 12th in rushing yards allowed but 21st in rushing yards per attempt.
All eyes will be on Ereck Flowers as the Lions have two serviceable pass rushers in Ezekiel Ansah and Kerry Hyder. Ansah and Hyder are not sack machines but they are more than capable of getting to Eli Manning.
Speaking of Manning, he simply must play better. Even with the spectacular defense, the Giants need to put up points. Last season, they put up more than 26 a game without the services of Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard. This season, the offense is a shell of itself. With the weapons Manning has at his disposal, this is inexcusable.
The weather will also play a role in the game. The forecast is for wind and rain with temperatures in the 50s. Advantage Giants. Even though Eli Manning has struggled lately, the Giants always have a chance to win with No. 10 behind center. They guaranteed themselves a winning season with last week’s win. This week, they will get into the postseason with their 10th victory.
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