Getting Jaxson back on the field
Jameis Winston made his Giants debut in last week's loss to the Packers due to Jaxson Dart suffering a concussion against the Bears in Week 10. Dart was placed in the concussion protocol soon after, where he has been working his way through ever since. While Kafka ruled Dart out for Week 11 last Wednesday, the rookie quarterback was spotted on the practice field on Friday. With the Giants taking the practice field today for the first time this week, the interim head coach said Dart would be out there with his teammates as a non-contact participant. He was listed as limited on the first injury report of the week.
"Right now he's in a non-contact day," Kafka said before practice. "Sure, he's still in the protocol, like in that phasing of it. So, he'll continue to progress through it if he goes through the right forms here."
When asked if Dart would be under center Sunday if he continues to progress through the protocol and does not suffer any setbacks, Kafka responded "Yeah, that would be the fair plan for sure."
Dart was in the midst of yet another strong outing prior to suffering the concussion. The 22-year-old had completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 242 yards through three quarters against the Bears, while adding 66 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. It marked the fifth time in seven starts that the rookie rushed for more than 50 yards, the sixth game in which he ran for a touchdown, and the seventh outing that he accounted for multiple touchdowns.
If he's able to get back on the field, the first-year quarterback has a good opportunity to stack another strong performance this weekend. While the Lions defense has played well this year, the strength of the unit lies in the run game. Detroit has allowed 18 passing touchdowns, tied for the ninth-most in the league. The Lions' secondary has also been dealing with the injury bug, as cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed, along with safety Kerby Joseph, all missed last week's game, leaving the unit without three of its usual starters in the defensive backfield.
Containing Detroit's playmakers
You'd have to go back to the 2021 season to find the last time Detroit did not boast a top five offense in both points and yards. The Lions make it no secret that they want to run the football. When you have a running back duo like Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, along with one of the NFL's top offensive lines, who could blame them?
Through the first 10 games of the season, Gibbs has registered 140 rush attempts for 732 yards, good for an average of 5.2 yards per carry, and eight touchdowns with Montgomery adding 110 rushes for 493 yards (4.5 avg.) and five scores. The two backs have also played a big role in the passing game, with Gibbs ranking third on the team with his 37 receptions, which he's taken for 334 yards and an additional two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Montgomery has caught 15 passes for 116 yards.
When the Lions do throw the football, more often than not it goes to the talented Amon-Ra St. Brown. The back-to-back All-Pro selection is well on his way to a third, as the wideout ranks sixth in the NFL in receptions (66), eighth in receiving yards (735), and second in receiving touchdowns (eight). His 94 targets are 44 more than anyone else on the team, leading to a target share above 30 percent.
Quarterback Jared Goff is putting together yet another strong campaign with 2,490 passing yards, a 69.7 completion percentage, 21 touchdowns and just four interceptions. But the veteran quarterback recently lost one of his favorite targets as tight end Sam LaPorta was placed on injured reserve due to a back injury. This has led to a bigger role for the team's No. 2 wide receiver, Jameson Williams, who ranks second on the team with 562 receiving yards. Williams has caught a touchdown in three straight games and has 66 yards and a touchdown in four of the last five.
The Lions' ability to capitalize in the red zone is among the best in the league. They have scored a touchdown on 26 of 39 trips inside the 20-yard line, with their 66.7 conversion percentage ranking fifth.