It continues to get worse for the New York Giants, who lost their fourth-straight game on Sunday in a 31-26 decision against the Lions in Detroit.
New York’s shoddy pass defense was exposed yet again, this time by Matthew Stafford, who threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns.
Fourteen of his 25 completions on the day went to either Danny Amendola (eight) or Kenny Golladay (six), the latter leading all receivers with 123 yards and two touchdowns.
For Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones, it was a much cleaner performance compared to recent weeks.
After throwing seven interceptions in his previous four games, Jones was clean while completing 28-of-41 passes for 322 and four touchdowns.
Saquon Barkley carried the offensive load yet again, accruing 143 total yards and a touchdown while Golden Tate had eight receptions for 85 yards.
Against a lackluster Lions offense, however, Jones’ turnover issues continued almost immediately in Week 8.
After throwing an interception and fumbling three times against the Cardinals, Jones saw a backward screen pass intended for Barkley fall incomplete, becoming a live ball that was ruled a fumble.
While Barkley fell asleep on the play, former Giants linebacker Devon Kennard scooped up the loose ball and returned it 29 yards for the Detroit touchdown.
Less than five minutes later, the Lions went up 14 when Stafford hit Marvin Hall for a 49-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter.
While New York’s offense was a no-show in their first three drives — gaining a total of 25 yards — Jones got into a groove. He completed 6-of-6 passes for 77 yards on a 10-play, 88-yard scoring drive that ended with the rookie quarterback hitting fellow rookie wide receiver, Darius Slayton, with a 22-yard score early in the second.
The two hooked up again with 4:39 left in the half to make it a one-point game in spectacular fashion. On a 3-&-7 from the Lions’ 28-yard-line, Jones threw a jump ball that Slayton was able to haul in over the Detroit defender. Aldrick Rosas, however, would miss the extra point to keep the Lions ahead.
Jones went 12-of-15 in the first half for 138 yards.
A questionable running into the kicker penalty by David Mayo, who was on the ground when his arm made contact with Lions punter Sam Martin, extended a Lions drive late in the half that resulted in a field goal in the final minute to take a four-point advantage into the locker room.
They would make it a two-possession game on their first drive of the second, but Jones would answer quickly with his third touchdown of the day — a two-yard pass to tight end Evan Engram. But a failed two-point conversion to try and make up for Rosas’ missed extra point meant the Giants’ deficit was at five with 4:54 left in the third.
But New York’s defense couldn’t find a way to slow Stafford down as he iht Kenny Golladay for a 41-yard touchdown on a flea-flicker early in the fourth to put things away.
Golladay would give the Giants life inside five minutes when he fumbled near midfield, but the visitors would fail to convert a fourth-down attempt for a second-straight time inside Lions territory.
A garbage-time touchdown from Jones to Barkley salvaged the scoreline, but the ensuing onside kick went out of bounds to secure another loss for the Giants.
