The Giants face the Lions in Big Blue's 2017 home opener Monday night at MetLife Stadium:
1. READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL
MetLife Stadium is ready for some football. The New York Giants (0-1) host the Detroit Lions (1-0) on Monday night in their 2017 home opener. The Giants finished 7-1 at home last season, their best record in the history of MetLife Stadium and their best home record since they were 7-1 in Giants Stadium in 2008. The Giants are 50-39-3 in home openers.
2. SO THEY MEET AGAIN
Just like last year, the Giants play Detroit a week after taking on Dallas. Unlike last year, however, Big Blue enters the back-to-back with a loss to the reigning NFC East champions. The Giants have won four of their last five games vs. Detroit, including their 17-6 victory last season in Week 15. That win tied the all-time series in the regular season at 21-21-1.
3. GIANTS INJURY REPORT
Questionable: WR Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle), OL D.J. Fluker (shin), LB B.J. Goodson (shin)
Out: LB Keenan Robinson (concussion)
4. LIONS INJURY REPORT
Questionable: DE Ezekiel Ansah (Knee)
5. OFFENSE SEARCHING FOR SPARK
In Week 1, the Giants played into the hands of the Cowboys, the best clock-killing team in the league. The Giants managed just 13 first downs and lost the time of possession by nearly 10 minutes in a 19-3 loss. The Giants have not eclipsed 20 points since Week 12 of last season in Cleveland.
6. CHANGES ON THE O-LINE?
Offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan didn't name names, but the Giants did some shuffling this week in practice with right tackle Bobby Hart dealing with an ankle injury (he did not practice Thursday and was limited Friday). We'll see how that translates to the lineup come time for kickoff. "We had other guys on the roster filling in, moving around different places, different guys fitting into some different places," Sullivan said. "So we feel good about that. We'll see how it all unfolds here."
7. YAC ATTACK
Since arriving in Detroit in 2014, wide receiver Golden Tate leads the NFL with 1,946 yards after-the-catch. Lions running back Theo Riddick, meanwhile, is 11th with 1,362 yards in that span. It will take a group effort to defend an offense designed for chunk plays.
8. GOOD ON YA
According to STATS LLC, B.J. Goodson's 18 total tackles in Week 1 were tied for the second-most in a regular-season game for the Giants since 1994. Not bad for a player making his first NFL start. Jessie Armstead also had 18 in a 1997 game against the Cowboys. Mike Barrow had 19 in a 2003 outing. The opponent? Dallas, of course.
Keep an eye on these players in the Giants' home opener against the Lions
WR STERLING SHEPARDThe second-year receiver will try to help jumpstart the offense after catching a touchdown in last year's meeting with the Lions.
SAFETY LANDON COLLINSThe Giants allowed only one touchdown in their opener, but the defense was unable to make a game-changing play in the turnover department. The All-Pro safety aims to change that in Week 2.
CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIEAgainst Matthew Stafford and the Lions' weapons, the cornerbacks will have a busy game on Monday night. DRC had an interception in last season's victory over Detroit.
OFFENSIVE LINEWith right tackle Bobby Hart hampered by an ankle injury, Ben McAdoo said the team will look at the options to fill that spot if Hart cannot play.
LB B.J. GOODSONIt's been only one week, but the second-year middle linebacker leads the NFL with 18 tackles, four more than the next player.
9. STAT OF THE WEEK
The Lions completed yet another fourth-quarter comeback in Week 1, scoring 20 points in the final 10 minutes of their 35-23 victory over the Cardinals. In 2016, Detroit set an NFL single-season record by winning eight games after trailing in the fourth quarter. Thirteen of their last 18 games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
10. SUPER BOWL XLII ANNIVERSARY
All year long, the Giants are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the 2007 team that upset Bill Belichick and the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. The high point will be a special halftime ceremony on Monday night, when more than 50 players and coaches from the team will be honored, including Tom Coughlin, Michael Strahan, Plaxico Burress, David Tyree and Justin Tuck. Leading up to it, there was a full reunion weekend. The events included: the annual Champions for Children gala to benefit the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund on Friday, a ceremony prior to Saturday's Yankees-Orioles game at Yankee Stadium, and a team dinner on Sunday evening. If you're not making it to the game, Giants.com has you covered. Stay tuned for highlights and don't forget to check out the oral history of the game-winning drive in Super Bowl XLII.
