Conan McGlone's Roar Profile

The Detroit Lions beat the New York Giants, 24 – 10 and improve to 2-0 on the season. The Giants fall to their second loss and sit the bottom of the NFC East at 0-2.

It was a lacklustre affair at Metlife stadium as the Giants offence failed to get anything going for an eighth consecutive game.

Odell Beckham Jr. had a quiet night in his first game back from injury, even if his presence did open up some more options for Eli Manning.

The Giants were unable to get anything going as their offensive line failed them in both the running game and in pass protection. The Giants had just 55 yards rushing and allowed Eli Manning to be sacked five times.

The Giants now sit 0-2 at the bottom of their division but more worrying than their record is how they’ve played. They’ve scored just 13 points and have been completely outplayed in both games.

The Lions by comparison had a more balanced attack. Matthew Stafford threw for two touchdowns and was supported by a steady running game lead by Admeer Abdullah.

Ezekiel Ansah was a problem for the giants all evening as the defensive end racked up three sacks and will be living in the nightmares of Giants’ left tackle Ereck Flowers.

Things won’t get easier for Flowers and company as they travel to face the Eagles in week 3, a team with a fiercer pass rush than Detroit.

The Lions too will face a sturdier test as the reigning NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons come to town.

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Admeer Abdullah runs across midfield for 34 yards to the Giants 34. This one looks over.

The Giants bring the ball across midfield but their drive is stalled by a series of incompletions. They give the ball back to Lions after failing on 4th and 10.

The Lions will come out here and try to run the ball to see this one out. 4:28 left to play.

Score: Detroit – 24 – New York 10

The Giants get a big stop to force the punt. Which is caught at the 7 yard line with 7:48 left to play.

Score: Detroit – 24 – New York 10

The Giants are running out of time as their fans are running out of the stadium. There’s too many good things to do in New York and it’s too much of a mess getting out of that stadium to wait around to watch the rest of this crap.

One of the worst offences in recent memory.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS

The Giants go for it one forth and short but the pass to Shane Vereen comes up short of the 1st down marker.

At first it’s ruled a first down by the chain gang but the Lions challenge and win. Clearly short on the replay. Lions ball at the 50 with 10:08 to play in the game.

Score: Detroit – 24 – New York 10

10:20 to go in the game.

Looking back at that Giants drive you have to be angry at Brandon Marshall. He smoked past DJ Hayden and was in the clear as Eli found him in stride but he dropped the pass. There was safety help so it wasn’t going all the way but the big gain would have kept the drive alive with great field position. Instead they punt and get burned on the return.

TOUCHDOWN LIONS

Brad Wing punts to Agnew who receives it at the 12 yard line and brings back to the house for a 88 yard return. The legs on that man. Wow. He just turned on the jets and was away.

The Giants offence comes out after the punt to take over at their own 19 yard line.

Well they were explosive on the last drive but faltered at the end so let’s see what he can do now.

Score: Giants 10 – Lions 17.

Well that became ugly.

After a couple of good plays to start the drive the Lions were stalled by a series of penalties that forced them back to 1st and 30. The Lions acted conservatively and ran a draw on 1st, a dunk on 2nd, and then a bomb on 3rd that was defended by the Giants.

END OF THE THIRD

1st and 10 for Detroit from the 50 yard line.

Score: Giants 10 – Lions 17.

2:00 left in the 3rd.

Detroit need to gain some momentum on this drive to put some more distance between them and the Giants. The Giants aren’t great but it just takes one quick slant to OBJ to tie this one up. It’d be more than the Giants deserve but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

FIELD GOAL

A comedy of errors sees the giants fail to get anything from the their 1st and Goal situation as penalties and errors force them back. In the end a field goal brings the Lions within 7.

Score: Giants 10 – Lions 17.

BIG GAINS

Eli finds Adams and then Marshall on successive plays to bring them down to the 1 yard line. Seems my scorn was premature as Eli opens up for some big gains.

They’re at the goal line.

07:16 left.

FIRST DOWN GIANTS

Usually doesn’t deserve a bold font but tonight it does. Manning finds Beckham for a 16 yard gain. His 3rd reception of the night.

Giants at the 44 yard line.

8:43 left in the game.

Another 3 and Out – This time by the Lions sees another punt.

If you’re a fan of defence and punting then you’re getting a good dose of it tonight.

Giants get the ball back at the 25 yard line but will no doubt be out again to punt it away soon.

10:56 left in the 3rd

SCORE: GIANTS 7 – LIONS 17

Eli gets sacked again (that’s 5) on second down. The Lions then stop the Giants short on third and it’s ANOTHER punt by the Giants. They are just awful. Eli needs help and he’s just not getting it. Ansah with another sack.

Lions take over at the Detroit 26 yard line.

And we’re back. The Giants touchback the kick off and Eli and company come out to start their drive from the 25 yard line.

SCORE: GIANTS 7 – LIONS 17

HALFTIME

That wasn’t the prettiest half of football you’ll ever see. Detroit fell asleep to allow the Giants to score but beyond that one drive and touchdown the Giants have inept on offence. They can’t keep the pressure away from Eli which is creating all sorts of problems.

The Lions are playing the better football. They have 173 yards compared to the Giants 80 and they’ve looked far more balanced than the Giants.

It hasn’t been a classic by any stretch but it’s had its moments.

Prater hits a 56 yard bomb that hits the cross bar and spins dramatically through the uprights.

Abdullah breaks off a nice 24 yard run after Stafford calls an audible. Abdullah has the look of a throwback to Barry Sanders when he gets moving – the problem is there hasn’t been enough production out of him since he arrived a few seasons ago.

Though for that run if you were squinting you could have been fooled.

SCORE: GIANTS 7 – LIONS 14

2:00 left in the half.

The Giants punt it right back after going 3 and Out themselves. The hightlight of the drive was a sack by Ziggy Ansah on 3rd down. The Giants O-Line is a turnstile that offers only the most trivial resistance to the likes of Ansah. The big Ghanaian has two sacks tonight but I’m sure it will be a lot more by the end of the game.

The Lions fail to get anything going in that drive and are forced to punt after a 3 and out. The Giants receive the ball at the 27 yard line and run it back to the 37 for a gain of 10 yards.

Neither team looks like they have it in them to take over this game. Stafford and the Lions have had the better of it but that’s only because the Giants are inept on offence. Outside of one drive it’s been a poor game for Manning and company.

4:28 left in the half.

SACK FEST

Eli wastes time and is brought down for a big loss by rookie Jarrad Davis. That is followed up by a great sack by Ziggy Ansah – who just crushing left tackle Flower and gets to Eli Manning far too quickly. 3rd and very long from the 18.

Then a slant to Beckham gets not enough as the Giants are forced to punt. Ugly drive by the Giants.

Stafford finds Ebron in the corner of the endzone. After an ugly fumble the Lions get the ball right back and march down the field for the score.

SCORE: GIANTS 7 – LIONS 14

8:43 left in the half.

Crazy stuff in the 2nd quarter there. Just as I said it was shaping up to be a bit boring the Lions and Giants trade turnovers to make it a little more interesting – though still fairly ugly for the purist.

INETRCEPTION

ELI gives it right back with a puzzling throw intended for Ingram. Crazy scenes here in New Jersey.

10:55 left. Lions have the ball at the 11 yard line of the Giants.

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