Finding believers in the idea that the 2-9 New York Giants will defeat the home-standing 6-4 Detroit Lions this weekend seems like a hard sell. Let’s see if anyone on the Big Blue View staff will show
faith in the Giants in our Week 12 NFL picks and predictions.
Chris Pflum
Season record: 94-53-1 (64.0%)
I don’t think anyone in their right mind can pick the Giants to win this game.
Mike Kafka is getting just about everything out of the Giants’ offense that there is to give, and it’s been enough to hang with top teams. So there’s definitely a path to victory, however that also involves the defense actually playing up to its talent level. Mike Kafka seems to be stressing accountability as well as bringing energy to the practice and playing fields, so we’ll have to see if another week starts to pay dividends.
I’m most interested to see how Kafka adapts the Giants’ offense and game plan from what we saw last week with Jameis Winston to Jaxson Dart. I also want to see how Dart gels with Isaiah Hodgins.
This could (or perhaps should) be a winnable game for the Giants, but I’m not expecting it. I’ll simply want to see the team take a step forward and continue to be competitive under Mike Kafka.
Pick: Lions
Tony DelGenio
Season record: 102-61-1 (63.0%)
This is a bad matchup for the Giants. Jared Goff has 28 TDs with 0 INTs against man defense…which Shane Bowen is playing more than any other defensive coordinator in the NFL. If you think there’s a Giants defensive back and/or linebacker who can cover Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you. Jahmyr Gibbs is one of the best running backs in the NFL, going against a Giants’ D that can’t stop the run. When the Giants are on offense, they will be going from the frying pan (Micah Parsons) last week into the fire this week – Aidan Hutchinson, who has been a demon in the pass rush. The Lions’ run defense is also stout, especially at linebacker with Jack Campbell. The one thing the Giants may have going for them is that Jaxson Dart may be back, and his ability to avoid the pass rush and create could conceivably allow the Giants to neutralize the rush and make some plays. Still, there’s no other place on either side of the ball where the Giants have an advantage in this game, unless their own pass rush finally begins to get home against the immobile Goff.
Pick: Lions
Nick Falato
Season record: 78-38-1 (67.0%)
The Lion feels desperate after allowing the Eagle to snatch its prey. Watching from the third layer of the NFC North, the Lion grows hungry waiting for a meal — a GIANT meal. Not only is Detroit one of the best rushing offenses in the league with a dominant offensive line, but they’re play-action passing attack is deadly. The injury to Sam LaPorta will force Detroit to lean heavily on 11 personnel (92% rate in Week 10 against the Eagles); even with that inconvenience, the Giants are significantly outmatched in the Lions’ jungle. I don’t anticipate the Giants rolling over, but this one could get ugly.
Pick: Lions 38, Giants 17
James Hickey
Season record: 95-68-1 (58.0%)
What is a sign of a bad team? When the off the field stories take up more of your time then what is happening on the field. That is currently the case with the New York Giants and it all points to an organization that is severely lacking in leadership and accountability. What to be done about that is a conversation for another time.
On the field, the Giants are running into a two-week period of football that would challenge any team—at Detroit and at New England on Monday night. The good news is that Jaxson Dart is expected to return and the reps he will get the rest of the year are invaluable. And that same goes for the interim head coach as Mike Kafka make his case to keep this job or impress one of the other franchisees that will have an opening after the season. The problem is the underperforming defense going up a Detroit offense that will be looking to get back on track as they have gone 2-3 in the last five weeks. This feel like a game that will get away from the Giants early due to the Lions being able to score at will.
Pick: Lions 35 Giants 17
David Hartman
Season record: 79-51-1 (61.0%)
For the second straight week, the Giants will face off against a Super Bowl-hopeful from the NFC north that got shut down by the Eagles in prime time the week before. That’s a bit odd, huh? You might think that’s a good thing, since Philadelphia put a physical beating on both teams while holding them under ten points, but really it just means the Giants are catching good teams when they’re angry and in bad need of a get-right, rebound win against a weaker opponent. The Giants acquitted themselves decently against the Packers, but that was in MetLife, and with Green Bay losing key offensive weapons during the game.
The Lions had a rough outing on Sunday night but they’re a different animal in the home dome, and their dynamic offense should have its way with the Big Blue defense. It looks like Jaxson Dart will be back this week, and that’s certainly a positive, but this is a case of catching the wrong team at the wrong time. The Giants only have two wins but they haven’t been blown out much this season and that’s a major improvement over last year’s team. I’m worried that they won’t be able to stay close this time. They just don’t have the personnel to run with Detroit’s weapons. And Detroit’s defense – which did its job against the Eagles – is better than you think.
Pick: Lions by double digits
Valentine’s View
Season record: 106-57-1 (65.0%)
Before the Giants melted down in historic fashion in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos, I thought the Giants had become a team that, while not yet a real contender, was one that could win any game on any given Sunday.
Now, I just think they are broken. I think they have been since that inexcusable, inexplicable Debacle in Denver that destroyed all the good that had come out of dominating the Philadelphia Eagles on national television.
Maybe interim coach Mike Kafka can put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Or, at least fix enough of the wounds to win a couple of games over the final seven weeks.
I don’t see that happening this week. The Lions are scuffling, but they are better than the Giants, have an aggressive mindset I doubt the Giants will be interested in matching, and are fighting to get back into playoff position.
Pick: Lions
