The Detroit Lions are aiming for the team’s first three-game win streak. Dan Campbell’s 3-6 Lions head to New Jersey to play the Giants, where rookie head coach Brian Daboll has guided his team to a 7-2 start.
It won’t be an easy game for the Lions to win, but the statistical differences between the two teams aren’t as vast as their records might indicate. Here’s how the two teams stack up in the statistical tale of the tape.
Rushing offense
Both the Lions and Giants run the ball well and more often than most teams. New York wins here on volume stats, but the Lions are actually better on first down runs.
| Yards per game
(Rank) |
Yards per carry | Run percentage | YPC on 1st-and-10 | |
| Lions | 129.8 (10th) | 4.8 (t-8th) | 43.6 (12th) | 4.97 (11th) |
| Giants | 164.8 (3rd) | 4.8 (t-8th) | 53.6 (3rd) | 4.51 (16th) |
Passing offense
If you’re looking for an area where the Lions have a decided advantage, passing offense is it.
| Yards per game | Yards per attempt | Completion % | TDs | INTs | Sack % | QB Rating | |
| Lions | 241.4 (8th) | 7.2 (6th) | 63.9 (19th) | 15 (9th) | 7 (t-15th) | 4.7 (6th) | 93.7 (t-8th) |
| Giants | 161.0 (30th) | 6.0 (27th) | 65.4 (12th) | 8 (30th) | 3 (t-32nd) | 10.5 (31st) | 90.4 (13th) |
Run defense
This is another one where volume stats look worse for the Lions but the per-play averages are even worse for New York. Read as: Playing with a lead is strongly in the Giants favor here.
| Yards per game allowed | Yards per carry | Run percentage | YPC on 1st-and-10 | |
| Lions | 160.9 (31st) | 5.3 (30th) | 46.7 (28th) | 5.19 (25th) |
| Giants | 133.2 (24th) | 5.5 (32nd) | 40.7 (10th) | 6.14 (32nd) |
Pass defense
The Giants cover well and generate pressure nicely. The Lions have escaped the cellar in everything but yards per completion but still rank in the bottom third in most metrics.
| Yards per game allowed | Yards per attempt | Completion % | TDs | INTs | Sack % | QB Rating | |
| Lions | 255.3 (27th) | 7.8 (32nd) | 66.3 (22nd) | 15 (t-20th) | 6 (t-21st) | 4.9 (28th) | 99.8 (30th) |
| Giants | 217.0 (18th) | 6.5 (14th) | 58.1 (2nd) | 10 (t-7th) | 2 (t-32nd) | 6.2 (21st) | 87.5 (10th) |
Other key stats
Takeaways
Lions – 10
Giants – 12
Giveaways
Lions – 12
Giants – 8
Penalties
Lions – 64 enforced for 436 yards
Giants – 69 enforced for 451 yards
Red zone touchdown percentage
Lions – 69.7 (5th)
Giants – 53.9 (20th)
