The New York Giants and Detroit Lions both drifted through terrible 2013 seasons. Which one of them will get a much-needed win in the Monday night opener in 2014?
New York Giants @ Detroit Lions
Monday, September 8th – 7:10 PM ET
Odds: Detroit -5.5
Why The Giants Will Cover
They are going to be spitting fire in this game, or at least, they should be. The Giants won the Super Bowl two and a half very long years ago, and since then, it’s been a huge struggle just to get to 8-8 on the season. The Giants have suffered drastically in a few key areas. First, their offensive line has been horrible. Second, their secondary has been exposed by the other good quarterbacks in the NFC East. Third, their defensive line has not been as overwhelming as it has needed to be, and fourth, Eli Manning spent way too much of last season throwing the ball into defenders’ hands. Last season collapsed on the Giants, and for a proud franchise that has accomplished so much with its current coach and quarterback, you have to wonder if New York will stay down this season and into the near future.
The Giants can also win this game because they’re playing a team that has wasted a lot of talent over the years. The Detroit Lions are viewed as one of the three or four most undisciplined teams in the NFL. There’s way too much talent on this team for it to be as bad as it has been with the exception of that one playoff year over the past four. Yet, that’s not a reason to pick Detroit. That’s a reason to pick against the Lions here. If any team can implode at home, it’s the Lions.
Why The Lions Will Cover
They might not be a consistent team, and they might have a lot of question marks, but they’re going to play at home, and they’re going to enjoy one very big and central matchup advantage. Detroit’s defensive line is nasty. It’s a strength of the team. The Lions have a lethal pass rush with Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley and others, up against a retooled New York offensive line that hopes it is better, but cannot be given the benefit of the doubt. If you’re sitting here as a bettor and you’re thinking about which team to trust, the Giants’ offensive line against the Lions’ defensive line is too scary a prospect if you’re inclined to bet on New York. Detroit is likely to sack Eli Manning several times and put the Giants on their heels. Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford is capable of misfiring, and he will probably have to commit three turnovers for the Giants to get the game-changing plays they’re looking for. That’s probably not going to happen, since Stafford has been drilled by new head coach Jim Caldwell in the offseason. Stafford needed fresh direction, and now he has it.
Outlook
This matchup just doesn’t work for the Giants. Detroit’s defense should be able to have a big night against that New York offensive line, especially at home. It’s that simple.
Pick: Lions -5.5
