Giants.com's Dan Salomone highlights 10 storylines to follow as the Giants face the Lions:
1. FINAL HOME GAME
Before they finish the season on the road against Philadelphia and Washington, the New York Giants (9-4) wrap up their 2016 home schedule with the Detroit Lions (9-4) on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
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With last week's victory over first-place Dallas, Big Blue improved to 6-1 at MetLife Stadium, tying the highest victory total since the venue opened in 2010. They were 6-2 in 2012, meaning one more would break the record. The Giants have won three of the previous four meetings against the Lions, including a 28-20 victory at home in 2010. However, Detroit won the most recent matchup, 35-14, at Ford Field in the 2014 season opener.
2. PLAYOFF SCENARIOS
The Giants still trail the Cowboys (11-2) by two games in the NFC East race, but they hold the first Wild Card spot heading into Week 15 with Tampa Bay (8-5), Washington (7-5-1), Minnesota (7-6) and Green Bay (7-6) on their heels. All of the following needs to happen for the Giants to clinch this week: a victory over Detroit, a Washington loss (vs. Panthers), a Minnesota loss or tie (vs. Indianapolis), and a Green Bay loss or tie (at Chicago). Detroit needs a win and a Green Bay loss or tie to clinch the NFC North.
3. PUGH RETURNS; GIANTS INJURY REPORT
Out: DE Jason Pierre-Paul (core muscle) Questionable: S Nat Berhe (concussion), LB Keenan Robinson (shoulder), RB Shane Vereen (concussion)
*The Giants have started four different players at left guard this season stemming from Justin Pugh's knee injury in Week 9. But after missing the last five games, the fourth-year starter appears ready to return to game action.
4. RIDDICK DOUBTFUL; LIONS INJURY REPORT
Out: C Travis Swanson (concussion)
Doubtful: RB Theo Riddick (wrist)
Questionable: DE Ezekiel Ansah (shoulder), TE Eric Ebron (knee), LB DeAndre Levy (knee), CB Darius Slay (hamstring), RB Zach Zenner (concussion)
5. MONITORING STAFFORD
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford will play Sunday at MetLife Stadium despite suffering a middle finger injury on his throwing hand against the Bears last week. Stafford, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2009, played through the injury and scored the game-winning touchdown on a seven-yard run with 3:17 left in a 20-17 victory. Stafford is completing 66.7 percent of his passes this season for 3,447 yards with 22 touchdowns to seven interceptions. "I will have some of the guys upstairs looking," defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. "If he is functioning differently, then maybe we will change things."
6. DOMINANT D
Despite playing in their first game without Pierre-Paul, the Giants turned in their best defensive performance in recent memory by holding the Cowboys to seven points. Undrafted rookie Romeo Okwara stepped up in his place and recorded eight tackles, three quarterback hits, a sack, and a pass defensed. There are still three games to go, but compared to last year, the Giants have gone from last to 14th in total yards and from 30th to seventh in points allowed.
7. BALL SECURITY
Opposite of their defense, the Giants' offense has dropped from eighth in total yards per game (372.3) to 27th (322.2), and sixth in points (26.3) to 25th (19.6). The No. 1 culprit is ball security. Eli Manning lost two fumbles and threw an interception last week, bringing the Giants' total number of giveaways to 24. Only the Chargers (30), Jets (26) and Jaguars (25) have turned the ball over more frequently in 2016.
8. THE RULE OF 53
In his coaching travels, Ben McAdoo picked up the Rule of 53, which represents the ideal combination of rushing attempts and pass completions for an offense in the span of a game. Dating back to his days in Green Bay, that number moves the chains and gives your team a good shot at winning the ball game. So far this season, the Giants are 2-0 when hitting that number. They had 64 (32 rushes + 32 completions) in Week 2 vs. New Orleans and 55 (27 + 28) in Week 10 vs. Cincinnati. They are 7-4 when not reaching it.
9. AWARDS ARE PILING UP
Brad Wing was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his five punts inside the 20, including two downed at the 3 by Dwayne Harris, against Dallas. It was the sixth Player of the Week award won by the Giants this season: one on offense (Odell Beckham Jr.), three on defense (Landon Collins twice and Jason Pierre-Paul), and two on special teams (Wing and Janoris Jenkins). Wing is the first Giants punter to receive the Special Teams Player of the Week Award since Jeff Feagles in Week 13 of the 2005 season.
10. STAY IN YOUR SEATS
During their current five-game winning streak, the Lions have outscored their opponents, 44-24, in the fourth quarter and overtime. They overcame a fourth-quarter deficit in four of those games, while the defense has six interceptions in the final two minutes of games this season. Only one of Detroit's nine victories this season has been decided by more than seven points, while five were by a field goal or less. That mirrors the Giants, whose average margin of victory is 4.9 points. That includes two games decided by three points and two more decided by one point.
These five players could make a key impact in Sunday's matchup with the Lions
CB ELI APPLEWhile Janoris Jenkins has received a lot of recognition – and rightfully so – defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said, "There are a lot of snaps over there where Eli is taking a guy out of the play. Now it doesn't get recognized because they don't throw it over there." The 10th overall pick out of Ohio State has six passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one interception in his rookie season.
WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. He needs 300 receiving yards (3,864) in the final three games to surpass Randy Moss (4,163) for most in NFL history through a player's first three seasons.
CB JANORIS JENKINSThere are five quarterbacks in NFL history who have thrown for 5,000 yards in a season, and the Giants are about to face their second one of 2016. After they held Drew Brees to six yards per throw in a 16-13 victory over New Orleans in Week 2, Jenkins will help defend Detroit's Matthew Stafford, who passed for 5,038 yards in 2011.
DE ROMEO OKWARAMaking his first NFL start last week in place of Jason Pierre-Paul, the undrafted rookie recorded eight tackles, three quarterback hits, a sack and a pass defensed. The Giants will need him down the stretch.
LB DEVON KENNARDIt takes more than one player to fill Jason Pierre-Paul's shoes. Kennard chipped in last week with two tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a pass defensed, and his first sack of the season.
