New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions: 6 keys to victory in Week 12

The New York Giants and Detroit Lions face off at 1:00 p.m. EST this Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

The Lions currently sit in the eighth spot in the NFC rankings and are on the verge of missing the playoffs after two consecutive postseason appearances. A win over the Giants this week could put them in a more comfortable position in the playoff race.

The Giants have no designs on a postseason run at this point, and they'll be without rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart again as he remains in concussion protocol. But that doesn't mean they don't want to win. Winning is always the goal, no matter which players suit up on the field.

Let's take a look at six keys to a Giants' victory in Week 12.

Establish the run

The Giants actually rank eighth in rushing this season, and while that's largely due to the play of Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy is capable, too. The Lions have a solid defense, ranking seventh against the run, but Jameis Winston tends to throw interceptions. The Giants need to establish a strong ground game, similar to their performance in Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers. This will reduce Winston's interceptions and keep the Lions' dominant offense on the sideline while also controlling the clock.

Win first down

The Giants have to win on the first play of every three-down sequence on Sunday. Detroit is elite on first down, so the Giants' ability to force third-and-long plays goes up if they win on the first play. Putting the Lions in those third-and-long situations increases the likelihood of getting their offense off the field. The best way to prevent them from scoring is to keep their offense on the sideline.

Discipline

Okay, we all know the Giants are an undisciplined team. They deal with self-inflicted wounds every week, which adversely impacts their ability to get down the field and score points. The Lions do not need the Giants' help on Sunday; their record may not indicate it, but they are an elite team. The Giants must limit penalties, especially pre-snap penalties, and stay ahead of the sticks. Tackling at the point of contact and making catches are also non-negotiable.

Generate organic pressure

This is going to be a tall task because the Giants haven't generated organic pressure hardly at all this season, but Shane Bowen has to get it done on Sunday. The Giants can't afford to leave a bad secondary in one-on-one situations by blitzing. Instead, maybe slide the safeties over to Deonte Banks' side, since he is prone to missing tackles, and use the defensive line and linebackers to put pressure on Jared Goff.

Protect the quarterback

This is self-explanatory. Protect the quarterback. Yes, Russell Wilson is waiting in the wings if Winston were to get injured, but he's already proven that he's not the quarterback he once was. Dart is unavailable because he's in concussion protocol. Protecting Winston doesn't just keep him healthy; it keeps the Giants' offense functioning and on the field.

Limit explosive plays

The Lions are one of five teams with four rushing plays over 40 yards this season, which is the top of the league. They also have nine rushing plays over 20 yards. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are both incredibly dangerous running backs with the ability to break off big runs on a moment's notice. They are the Lions' top offensive weapons, but the Giants can't forget about Amon-Ra St. Brown either.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions: 6 keys to victory in Week 12