Early look at the Detroit Lions 2017 opponents: New York Giants
By Ash Thompson
Quarterback
Eli Manning returns to the Big Apple for another year. Manning is coming off his third straight season over 62% completions. He had a down year in other ways though, with 400 fewer yards and 9 fewer touchdowns than in 2015. He was half a yard lower than the previous season per attempt as well. Manning is 36 years old, making the question of whether such stats point to a downturn in play legitimate.
The Giants returned last year’s third-stringer Josh Johnson, but also picked up former Jets second-round pick Geno Smith, and drafted Davis Webb in the third round this season. Barring injury, none of these players are likely to impact the week two game with the Lions. Manning has proven that he is a quality starter in the NFL. Even if his physical gifts are diminishing as he ages, he will have the Giants offense in position to succeed more often than not in the Lions week two matchup.
Wide Receivers
The Giants receiver group has greatly improved in 2016. Odell Beckham jr. is one of the NFL’s most impressive talents despite being only 5’11”. His three seasons in the league have each produced more than 90 patches and 1300 yards with double digit touchdowns. Last season the Giants had little behind Beckham at the position, with the 5’10” Sterling Sheppard’s 65 catch and 683-yard performance as the second highest in both statistics.
The Giants added Brandon Marshall to the group in 2017. Both the team and player are hoping the 33-year-old receiver was a victim of terrible quarterback play last year. He posted his lowest reception and second lowest yardage totals since his rookie season.
The 6’4″ Marshall is likely to give the Lions some grief in the red zone. The Lions do not move Darius Slay around the field typically, leaving the possibility of the 5’9″ Nevin Lawson or 5’11” DJ Hayden drawing Marshall in coverage. That is not a match up in the Lions favor. The Giants will likely do their best to exploit it. Rookie Teez Tabor may come on to the field for goal line package regardless of whether he has vaulted the two veteran corners in the starting lineup this early in the year.
Tight Ends
The Giants drafted Evan Engram has almost no experience as a traditional tight end. The Giants have committed themselves to the same development path that the Lions did with Eric Ebron. They will force this square peg into a round hole for the foreseeable future. At 6’3″ and 234 lbs, this will likely result in Engram being banged up as the season progresses, but the Lions will likely not see the benefit of that this early.
Engram adds an athletic element to the Giants passing game that the Lions may have difficulty matching up without Miles Killebrew on the field. Being physical with Engram could be key in the Lions week two matchup.
The Lions rookie linebackers, Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Jarrad Davis, may see heavy action with Engram in the game, as veterans Tahir Whitehead and Paul Worrilow have both struggled at times in their careers against athletic tight ends.The rest of the Giants tight end corp are they types of players that a defensive coordinator is more than happy to let a quarterback throw to.