Tag: New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions

Detroit’s own Trevor Nowaske reflects on his NFL debut in the Lions preseason win

Undrafted rookie LB Trevor Nowaske talks about his experience playing for his hometown Lions in Ford field in preseason win over the Giants

Playing in an NFL game for the first time, even in the preseason, is a major accomplishment for rookies. Getting to make that professional debut in your hometown stadium, with many friends and family in the stands cheering you on, that’s a truly special opportunity.

That’s what happened for Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske on Friday night. Nowaske is an undrafted rookie from Saginaw Valley State and a proud native of Canton in the Detroit metro area.

“I don’t know if I can put it into words,” Nowaske said after the game about playing as a Lion in Ford Field. “Such an unreal experience. Being from Canton, honestly being a Lions fan my whole life, and now it’s coming to fruition being on the team, it’s still kind of settling in.”

Nowaske made his mark on both defense and special teams. He logged four total tackles, including three in just 15 run defense snaps. No. 59 was an active presence all over the field in the final portion of the game.

“My heart was beating (fast) for sure,” Nowaske added. “I knew that first play would be a bottle full of emotions. My whole family is here, and it was really cool to kind of experience that will all of them.”

The family support means everything to Nowaske.

“I’ve very blessed. It’s been awesome,” Nowaske said about having his parents so close by.

He was quick to point out that he’s not living at home, but he really appreciates having them so readily available. His father, Jim, played football at Adrian College (where he’s in the school’s hall of fame) and had a cup of coffee with the Cleveland Browns.

His proud parents “are at every practice,” and Trevor is clearly appreciative of their support. He’s had a solid training camp, showing the athleticism that helped Nowaske stand out in the GLIAC and earn the chance to make his hometown team.

As for what’s next after contributing to the Lions’ 21-16 win over the Giants, it’s right back to work.

“I’ve still got a lot of work to do. I know it’s an uphill battle from here, being undrafted … I’m happy I could go out there and contribute but there’s still a lot more than can be done.”

Nowaske gets another shot at proving he belongs in Detroit when the Jacksonville Jaguars come to town for joint practices later this week. He’s realistic about his chances to make a stronger linebacking corps than the Lions have fielded in years. A practice squad spot seems very realistic, however.

“I’m trying to do one thing every day that catches someone’s eye,” Nowaske stated.

 

 

 

Lions vs Giants: Best and worst PFF grades from Detroit’s preseason win

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst PFF performers for the Detroit Lions against the New York Giants.

The Detroit Lions kicked off their season with a 21-16 victory over the New York Giants in their first preseason game. Despite many of the team’s key players sitting out, the Lions’ management was able to evaluate potential roster candidates.

The game started off slowly, with the offense struggling, but the defense saved the day by repeatedly stepping up to the challenge and shutting down their opponents. Although some areas showed promise, others may require further evaluation by the Lions’ management.

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst Pro Footbal Focus (PFF) performers, highlighting those who impressed and those who fell short in their bid for a coveted roster spot.

Lions stock report: Which players rose and which fell in the preseason opener

Detroit Lions stock report: Which players rose and which fell in the preseason opener

Preseason games are about player evaluation and opportunity. Sure, it’s great that the Detroit Lions beat the New York Giants on Friday night in the exhibition opener. However, the preseason contest was much more important in giving Lions players chances to raise their stock with the team.

Some players succeeded, while others squandered chances to help themselves make the final 53-man roster. Here’s who stood out for helping themselves and also which players did not in Detroit’s 21-16 win.

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Stud and Duds for the Lions’ preseason win against the Giants

Here is the breakdown of Detroit Lions Studs and Duds for their preseason victory over the New York Giants

The Detroit Lions kicked off their football season with a 21-16 preseason win over the New York Giants.

Despite the Giants’ favorable starting field position, it was evident early on that the Lions defense had made significant progress during the offseason. They displayed impressive run defense, quarterback pressure and tight coverage. It’s still early in the season to make any judgments, but it’s reassuring to see the team’s improvement paying off.

As you reflect on the game, keep an eye out for standout players vying for roster spots, as well as those who fell short and may not make the cut. The following are the Lions’ Studs and Duds for this week.

Best social media reactions from the Lions preseason win over the Giants

The Lions came out looking fierce to kickoff the preseason and made some splash plays along the way that social media loved

The Detroit Lions kicked off what is expected to be a big season for the franchise on Friday. The offense flashed, lots of playtime for Jameson Williams, and the defense looked good from top to bottom. Overall it was about as successful a preseason game as any coach and team could hope for.

Of course with any NFL game, preseason or non, social media tends to get buzzing on any big plays made.

For the Lions, special teams, defense, and offense all ended up contributing their fair share. The stars of the night however may have been the fans of the environment they created. Coach Dan Campbell talked about it last year and through training camp, the fans mean so much towards the success this team can have.

Here are the social media posts that stood out most against the Giants.

Look: Top photos from the Lions preseason win over the Giants

Take a look at some of the top photos from the Detroit Lions 21-16 preseason win over the New York Giants

The Detroit Lions won their preseason opener, a hard-fought 21-16 victory over the visiting New York Giants on Friday night. With many starters from both teams sitting out, the Lions got some great contributions from a deep rookie class in the win.

The crowd of over 48,000 in Ford Field got to see a lot of memorable moments in the game. The professional photographers captured many of those moments, too.

Here are some of the best pictures from the Lions win over the Giants:

Lions rookie report: Strong showing from Detroit’s rookies in win over Giants

The Lions beat the Giants 21-16 and relied heavily on contributions from the rookie class

The Detroit Lions came out victorious from their first preseason game of 2023. Not only did they come out with a win, but they got early returns on their investments from their rookie class.

You can’t talk about this game without mentioning the wide receivers. Detroit has three first-year receivers on the team and all three made an impact against the Giants.

Chase Cota, undrafted out of Oregon, played for most of the game and had quite the professional debut with four catches for 60 yards. Seventh-round pick Antoine Green aided early on in the game with three catches of his own for 36 yards. Dylan Drummond, who has picked up some attention throughout training camp, had a quieter game but still contributed nonetheless. The former Eastern Michigan wideout earned 12 yards on two receptions and also took one kick return for 19 yards.

Undrafted rookie quarterback Adrian Martinez came in for Nate Sudfeld in the fourth quarter and showed some flashes of potential. Known for being mobile in college, he ran the ball 5 times with his longest gain being 10 yards. He capped off his day with a rushing touchdown to take Detroit into the lead. He didn’t look as good as a passer, only completing four-of-seven attempts for 37 yards, but his performance should earn him more playing time in the remaining preseason showings.

Tight end Sam LaPorta saw the field plenty in the first half of the game, but did not contribute much to the box score. He was utilized often in 12-personnel sets alongside Brock Wright and the two even lined up side-by-side at times. LaPorta was targeted once but dropped the pass.

First-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs impressed early on despite some poor offensive line play up front. The shifty running back showed an ability to find his way upfield in situations that would normally be a loss of yardage. He also briefly flashed his skills as a receiver with one catch for 18 yards. He also proved himself to be a team player as he is credited with a tackle on New York’s Jason Pinnock following an interception from Sudfeld.

Fellow rookie running back Mohamed Ibrahim did not share the same successes. Ibrahim averaged 2.3 yards per carry on his four touches and had to briefly go to the locker room wit the trainer after suffering a minor injury.

On the offensive line, fifth-round pick Colby Sorsdal started the game at right guard and it became evident that there would be a learning curve for the former William & Mary lineman. Undrafted rookies Brad Cecil and Connor Galvin served as the respective second-team center and right tackle.

On the other side of the ball, defensive lineman Brodric Martin may have stood out size-wise, but his one tackle on the day leaves us waiting to see what made the Western Kentucky product worthy of a costly trade-up in the third round. Fellow rookie linemen Chris Smith and Cory Durden saw limited action against the Giants but did not do anything noteworthy.

First-round pick Jack Campbell had a very impressive debut for the Lions. The former Iowa Hawkeye had four tackles and a pass defense on the day and seemed to bring life to the team’s run defense. With Alex Anzalone not suited up, Campbell got the start alongside Derrick Barnes.

Undrafted linebacker Trevor Nowaske had his name called on the broadcast a few times, and for good reason. The Saginaw Valley State standout also put up four tackles in this matchup against New York.

The four rookies in Detroit’s secondary were some of the biggest playmakers of this group. Safety Brandon Joseph made impactful plays everywhere on the field. On top of his game-sealing interception, he also played well against the run and even made a tackle-for-loss.

Nickel defender Brian Branch got his first start as a Lion and immediately made plays. Not even four minutes into the game, he sniffed out a screen to veteran Cole Beasley and quickly took him down for a loss of yardage.

Undrafted rookie Starling Thomas has been the training camp darling of 2023, and he continued to impress against the Giants. His biggest contributions were on special teams, where he excelled as a gunner on the punt team and also put up some key blocks on kick and punt returns throughout the game.

Look: Top photos from the Lions preseason win over the Giants

Quick takeaways from the Lions preseason win vs. the Giants

Here are a few things that stood out for the Lions in the preseason opening win vs. the Giants

Football returned to Ford Field on Friday night when the Detroit Lions hosted the New York Giants in the preseason opener for both teams. After two days of spirited joint practices, the two teams took their action to the exhibition field.

The Lions wound up winning the game, 21-16, when rookie QB Adrian Martinez scored a late rushing TD. The game outcome doesn’t matter, it’s the path to the outcome and the play of the Lions players that means everything. Even so, the 48,000-plus fans enjoyed the exhibition victory.

Here are a few things that stood out in watching the game live in the stadium.

Watch: Lions rookie Brian Branch’s great ‘welcome to the NFL’ moment

Lions rookie DB Brian Branch made quite an impression in his first NFL preseason drive

A lot of times, when you hear the phrase “welcome to the NFL, rookie” it means the player did something wrong. That’s not the case with Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch.

The second-rounder from Alabama announced hiss presence with authority on the very first defensive drive of the preseason opener against the New York Giants. Branch sniffed out a short swing pass from New York QB Tyrod Taylor and exploded into veteran wideout Cole Beasley for a crushing tackle for loss.

This is exactly what the Lions want to see from Branch, their second second-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He picked up a tackle on the very next play too, though that one was negated by a Giants holding penalty.

10 Lions to watch closely in the preseason opener vs. the Giants

It’s going to be a big night for several Lions, including these 10 Detroit players

The Detroit Lions host the New York Giants in the 2023 preseason opener for both teams. After two days of joint practices in Allen Park, the teams take their action to Ford Field for the kickoff of exhibition season.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell refused to indicate if the regular, established starters would play. Even if they do, it’s almost certainly on a very limited basis; the preseason isn’t about the starters.

It’s about the reserves and the position battles and the rookies getting their first taste of NFL action. Here are 10 Lions who wear at least one of those hats who will be important players to focus upon against the Giants.