DETROIT — Richard Silva grades the Detroit Lions in their 34-27 win over the New York Giants.
Quarterback
Jared Goff’s teammates did him few favors. His lone interception was caused by a tipped pass that should’ve been caught, and large chunks of production were left on the field, with his receivers dropping balls or not making plays on passes in their areas. He was sacked three times, and it probably should’ve been more, if not for his escapability. Goff also had a couple big-time throws, namely a rifled pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown that went for 20 yards on third-and-medium. His final line: 28-of-42 for 279 yards, two touchdowns and an INT. Grade: B
Running backs
What more is there to say about Jahmyr Gibbs? One of the best players on the planet dominated for the third week in a row. He took the first snap of overtime 69 yards to the house. He ripped off a 49-yard rush before catching a touchdown two plays later to cap a pivotal drive in the second quarter. He scored on another 49-yarder later in the game. Since Week 10, Gibbs has 582 yards from scrimmage and six total TDs on 61 touches. Grade: A++
Wide receivers/tight ends
To talk about the negative first: Drops have officially become a problem for St. Brown. The receiver entered Week 12 with five on the season, and he added at least one more Sunday, as Goff’s third-quarter pass tipped off of St. Brown’s fingers and into the arms of safety Jevon Holland. St. Brown made up for his error by being Detroit’s most productive receiver, snagging nine of his 13 targets for 149 yards and a touchdown. His score came on a screen. He showed good initial patience on the play, and he dragged a handful of defenders with him into the end zone. Kalif Raymond had two catches, one of which (a 30-yarder) put kicker Jake Bates in position to connect on a 37-yard field goal before halftime. Grade: B+
Offensive line
Kayode Awosika struggled in his third game starting at left guard this season, allowing two of New York’s three sacks. He was swiftly beaten by Rakeem Nuñez-Roches on the second instance. Goff’s third sack came due to defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence getting initial pressure against Graham Glasgow, which forced the quarterback to scramble into Darius Alexander, who had two sacks. Alexander, a rookie, previously only had a half-sack. Much of Gibbs’ numbers can (and should be) attributed to his individual efforts, but those long runs don’t get sprung without the offensive line making plays. On Gibbs’ first 49-yarder, Glasgow climbed to the second level and did just enough to keep linebacker Bobby Okereke from making the tackle. Grade: B-
Defensive line
An inconsistent pass rush over the last three weeks is concerning — quarterback Jameis Winston often sat comfortably in the pocket as he sliced Detroit’s secondary — but Aidan Hutchinson came through when it mattered most, sacking Winston on fourth down to clinch the win. Along the interior, the Lions stymied New York’s rushing attack, allowing running backs Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary to combine for 3.2 yards per carry on 34 attempts. Roy Lopez was critical in this facet. Grade: C+
Football players
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) breaks the tackle of Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rey Del Rio)
Linebackers
Jack Campbell once again paced the Lions in total tackles (11), and he had as much to do with the team’s efforts in stopping the run as anyone, notching at least three run stops. Alex Anzalone had a couple run stops, as well, but he was one the wrong end of an impressive 24-yard catch from tight end Theo Johnson, who went up and high-pointed the ball with Anzalone in coverage. Derrick Barnes wasn’t at fault for a deep pass to Winston on a trick play, but he was unable to get Winston to the ground after the QB caught the pass. Grade: B
Secondary
Covering Wan’Dale Robinson proved difficult. There were a handful of gains that were the result of well-schemed passes to the quicker-than-fast receiver out of the slot, but Robinson also flat-out beat Amik Robertson on multiple reps. Robinson, who had a career-best 156 yards on nine catches, caught a touchdown on New York’s opening drive. It was a double-pass, and Thomas Harper, who later had an interception, was baited out of position. The Giants finished with 395 net passing yards, their second-most of the season. D.J. Reed lost receiver Isaiah Hodgins on a critical third-and-10 with the Giants backed up near their own goal line, and Brian Branch committed a pass interference against Johnson later that same drive. That was before Rock Ya-Sin got the Lions off the field with a crucial pass breakup on fourth down. Robertson came through with his own PBU toward the end of regulation, salvaging the day from being a total failure. Grade: D
Special teams
Bates made both of his field-goal attempts, knocking through the aforementioned 34-yarder and an absolutely massive 59-yarder to tie the score with 28 seconds remaining. Jack Fox had perhaps his best game of the season as he averaged 40 yards across five punts and pinned the Giants inside their own 10-yard line on four occasions. Kalif Raymond’s 44-yard kick return right before halftime helped get Bates in range for his first make. Grade: A+
Coaching
This would obviously be a different grade had they lost. But for the first time this season, the Lions rallied from being down multiple scores and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. That’s a credit to Dan Campbell’s culture. It’s difficult to discern whether play-calling or execution was the culprit for Detroit’s early struggles. Campbell did make a clear mistake late in the fourth quarter, when he wasted his final timeout after a spiked ball. Grade: C+