DETROIT LIONS VS NEW YORK GIANTS POST-GAME WRAP
From the Detroit Lions’ 17-6 loss against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, December 18, 2016.
TEAM DEFENSE
The Lions allowed 17 points against the New York Giants to extend their current streak of holding opponents to 20 points or less to eight-consecutive games. (17 vs. Was 10/23; 20 at Hou 10/30; 16 at Min 11/6; 19 vs. Jax 11/20; 13 vs. Min 11/24; 13 at NO 12/4; 17 vs. Chi 12/11; 17 at NYG 12/18). This marks the team’s longest such streak in a single season since 1961 (nine consecutive games in Games 5-13). It is also the longest active streak in the NFL.
The Lions have now held opponents to 20 points or less in five-straight road games (17 at Chi 10/2; 20 at Hou 10/30; 16 at Min 11/6; 13 at NO 12/4; 17 at NYG 12/18). The last time the Lions held opponents to 20 points or less in five-straight road games came during a five-game road stretch in 1986.
Detroit has also limited opponents to 17 points or less in the past three road games (16 at Min 11/6; 13 at NO 12/4; 17 at NYG 12/18). The last time the Lions did not allow at least 17 points in three-consecutive road games occurred during the first three road games of the 2004 season.
Since Week 7, the Lions have allowed 16.5 points per game, the second lowest total in the League over the past eight weeks.
20 Points or Less Allowed: Under Coach Caldwell and Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin, the Lions have held opponents to 20 points or less in 27 of the team’s 46 games played since the beginning of the 2014 season. They have tallied the sixth-most such games over the past three seasons.
WR ANQUAN BOLDIN
At the New York Giants, WR Anquan Boldin played in his 200th career NFL game and caught 3 passes for 13 yards. The 14-year veteran now has the fourth-most receptions (1,067) among players in their first 200 games, and he ranks ninth all-time in receiving yards (13,689) among players in their first 200 games.
WR GOLDEN TATE
WR Golden Tate hauled in eight receptions for 122 yards at the New York Giants. With 122 receiving yards, Tate has now gained over 3,000 yards (3,086) since he joined the Lions in 2014.
With 122 yards against the Giants, Tate registered his 11th career 100-yard game and eighth since joining the Lions in 2014. His eight 100-yard games are the most among Lions receivers over the past three seasons.
WR MARVIN JONES JR.
In his first 14 games with the Lions, WR Marvin Jones Jr., who had 3 receptions for 41 yards at the New York Giants, has registered 838 receiving yards on 49 catches (17.1 avg) this season. He has now established a new single-season career high (816 yards in 2015).
DE EZEKIEL ANSAH
With one sack at the New York Giants, DE Ezekiel Ansah notched his 31st career sack with the Lions and established a new high among Lions defensive players in their first four seasons. He passed the previous best of 30.0 set by DE Cliff Avril from 2008-11.
K MATT PRATER
K Matt Prater made field goals of 48 and 33 yards at the New York Giants and has now connected on 30-of-33 field goal attempts this season. With 30 field goals made, Prater has now joined K Jason Hanson (34 in 1993, 32 in 2012) as the only kickers in team history to make 30+ field goals in a season. Prater also tied a career high of 30 that he previously set in 2009 while with Denver.
DE ANTHONY ZETTEL
Rookie DE Anthony Zettel recorded his first career sack when he dropped the Giants for a seven-yard loss in the second quarter as New York was driving in Lions territory (2nd-and-5 at the Detroit 23-yard line).
DT A’SHAWN ROBINSON
Rookie DT A’Shawn Robinson batted down one pass against the New York Giants and now has seven pass defenses on the season. Robinson became the fourth rookie defensive lineman since 2000 to register 7+ pass defenses in a season, joining DE Fred Wakefield (9 in 2001), DE Courtney Brown (8 in 2000) and DE Darren Howard (7 in 2000) as the only players to accomplish this feat. Robinson is the first rookie defensive tackle with 7+ pass defenses in a season.
Robinson also became the first Lions defensive tackle and second defensive lineman (DE Robert Porcher 8 in 1994 and 8 in 2002) to record seven pass defenses in a season since 1994.
LB TAHIR WHITEHEAD
LB Tahir Whitehead led the Lions with 12 total tackles (10 solo) at the New York Giants. This was Whitehead’s eighth game in 2016 with 10+ total tackles and his fifth game with 12 total tackles, which is a career single-game high.