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It wasn’t a pretty first half for the New York Giants.
The Giants won the coin flip, opting to defer and give the Lions the ball to start the game. The decision appeared to pay off after the dense got off the field quickly.
The offense gave the ball right back to the Lions, leaving the field after just three downs, but not before Eli Manning was sacked and right tackle Bobby Hart was lost for the game.
The defense gave up a touchdown on the ensuing possession, with poor tackling and failing to keep contain on Matt Stafford keeping them on the field.
The Giants’ offense responded by marching down the field and scoring a touchdown of their own. The drive showed the kind of creativity we hoped to see from the Giants after their off-season additions, starting with an end-around by Sterling Shepard and culminating in a touchdown reception by Evan Engram on a seam route run from the fullback position.
After a penalty and a poor kick-off stuck the defense with terrible field position, Jason Pierre-Paul made his presence felt with a sack-fumble... Which Manning promptly gave back to the Lions on an aggressive but poorly executed throw to Engram.
Getting the ball back in great field position, the Lions wasted no time punching it into the endzone.
That one touchdown drive was all the Giants’ offense could muster in the half, with the offensive line hemorrhaging pressure on Manning.
The Giants will get the ball to start the second half, use this as your open thread.