Giants pass rushers concern Lions coach Jim Schwartz
The Lions have faced some of the best pass rushers in the NFL this season — Chicago's Julius Peppers, Minnesota's Jared Allen and Green Bay's Clay Matthews.
They haven't yet, though, faced a pass-rushing force quite like the Giants.
"They are gaining steam, for sure," Lions center Dominic Raiola said of the Giants. "They are realizing that's their strength and they need to do that to win games. They are doing a good job with that."
The Giants, the NFL's No. 1 defense, have 19 sacks, and they get those primarily with a four-man rush. Defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck have 10 combined.
"When you see that, it's going to open your eyes a little bit," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "That's going to be a big matchup in this game. When the Giants get sacks, they get wins. In their two losses they got one sack in each game."
The Giants got 10 sacks in one game, against the Bears, so the number is a bit skewed. But not the threat that front four poses.
"I am not sure how you slow them down," Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "They're such a complete defense. … We've played some pretty good defenses up to this point and our guys enjoy the challenge."
The Lions have allowed nine sacks. Part of that success is because of a solid offensive line, but mostly to a smart, short-range passing attack engineered by a crafty veteran quarterback, Shaun Hill.
"Shaun is playing well," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "He gets the ball to the open receiver, he recognizes all the hot (routes) and sight adjustments, and the ball comes out early.
"You see that he pulled the ball down against Green Bay against a two-deep man under (coverage) and ran for a 40-yard gain. He seems to be doing the things that he has to do."
Ground it out
But the smart reads and short routes alone won't get it done against a Giants defense that is also No. 1 against the pass.
This would be an especially opportune week for the Lions ground game to break out. It has averaged 3.6 yards per carry, 27th in the league.
"You are on the right track to say a good running game will help neutralize a pass rush," Schwartz said.
The trick is to control the ball and stay out of long down-and-distance situations. That's something the Lions have done well, but not with the run game.
"You can't be one-dimensional against them," Schwartz said. "We've seen games where they've turned teams one-dimensional (Chicago and Houston) and when they do that, they really get after the quarterback."
By and large, Schwartz has been pleased with his run game, but it has been inconsistent.
Rookie Jahvid Best, the primary rusher, is averaging 13.6 carries and 3.5 yards a carry.
The run game, however, could be hampered if receiver Calvin Johnson (shoulder) can't play or is limited.
Without Johnson, the Giants could load up with extra defenders in the box. But for the most part this season, they haven't needed to resort to any tricks to stop the run or the pass.
"We can do multiple things not only from coverage but pressure and give different looks and disguises," Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said.
Lions at Giants
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Sunday, New Meadowlands Stadium, EastRutherford, N.J.
TV/radio: Fox/WXYT
Records: Detroit 1-4, N.Y. Giants 3-2
Series: Detroit leads 21-17-1 (N.Y. Giants 16-10 in 2007)
Line: Giants by 10
