NY Giants vs Lions predictions. Our expert picks for NFL Week 12 game

The Giants (2-9) have arguably the toughest road test of their season on Sunday when they make the trip to Detroit to face the Lions (6-4) in Week 12.

In last week's debut for Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka and quarterback Jameis Winston, the Giants showed fight but couldn't hold on in a 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants held a slim 20-19 lead over Green Bay midway through the fourth quarter, but ultimately a late touchdown pass from Packers QB Jordan Love to WR Christian Watson was the dagger with just over four minutes remaining, as Green Bay was without star running back Josh Jacobs for more than half the game after he left with a knee contusion in the second quarter.

We still don't know who the quarterback will be for the Giants, whether Winston will make a second consecutive start or if rookie QB Jaxson Dart will clear concussion protocol in time to be back under center come Sunday.

The Lions enter this game coming off their worst offensive performance of the season, scoring just nine points and going a combined 3-for-18 on third and fourth down in a 16-9 loss to the Eagles on Sunday night in Philadelphia.

Currently out of the playoff picture following a record-setting 15-2 campaign as the top seed in the NFC last season, the Lions should come out desperate in this one to avoid falling any further down the standings.

It's the third time in as many weeks that the Giants are playing an NFC North opponent, as they conclude their head-to-head matchups against that division in Week 16 when they host the Minnesota Vikings.

Our prognosticators throughout the 2025 season are: Art Stapleton (Giants/NFL writer, NorthJersey.com), Bert Bainbridge (sports trending reporter/columnist, NorthJersey.com), Brian Marron (digital producer, NorthJersey.com), Chris Iseman (Rutgers writer, NorthJersey.com), Bob Jordan (sports editor, Asbury Park Press/APP.com) and Dave Rivera (sports editor, USA TODAY Northeast/NorthJersey.com).

Giants vs Lions NFL Week 12 predictions, staff standings

Bert Bainbridge: 8-2

Chris Iseman: 8-3

Art Stapleton: 7-4

Dave Rivera: 7-4

Brian Marron: 7-4

Bob Jordan: 5-6

Here are our staff predictions for Giants vs. Lions from Ford Field in Detroit in Week 12:

Art Stapleton

The pick: Lions 34, Giants 17

Here's why: This is a nearly impossible spot for Big Blue. The Lions were smothered by the Eagles on Sunday and nothing went right. HC Dan Campbell could not have been pleased, especially with the offensive performance, in a game that was supposed to show Detroit’s mettle. That being said: here come the Giants, who have lost five in a row, have already fired their head coach and have not won on the road in 12 games. The only puncher's chance: only one team has scored 30+ on the Eagles and Broncos, and that's the Giants.

Bert Bainbridge

The pick: Lions 38, Giants 20

Here's why: The Giants nearly pulled off the upset over the Packers at home. Now the G-Men travel to Detroit to take on the Lions with a bad taste in their mouth after their Sunday night performance in Philadelphia. The Lions defense has been solid when it comes to opponent yards per game and points allowed, ranking top-10 in both categories.

The Giants will still be able to put up a decent showing offensively, but they'll have no answer for the Lions offense in a prime bounce back spot at home. Detroit cruises to a three-score victory and crawls its way back into a playoff spot and keeps pace with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers in the highly competitive NFC North.

Dave Rivera

The pick: Lions 30, Giants 17

Here's why: It's not so much about the Giants here as it is the Lions being desperate to start winning again. Lions QB Jared Goff will be much happier at home in the dome than he was last Sunday night in chilly and windy Philadelphia. Giants interim coach Mike Kafka's team will play hard again, that's not the issue, but Detroit is going to make somebody pay after losing to Philly, and the Giants happen to be that next team on their schedule.

Bob Jordan

The pick: Lions 31, Giants 6

Here's why: Giants showed last week what can go wrong when you fire the HC mid-season and it's gonna get worse.

Brian Marron

The pick: Lions 30, Giants 23

Here's why: The Giants will still look capable enough on offense to take advantage of a depleted Lions defense. The problem will be stopping Detroit, particularly on the ground. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery should be able to control the game enough to help the Lions ice the game late for a win.

Chris Iseman

The pick: Lions 24, Giants 13

Here's why: I've said this before, but there's no reason to overcomplicate things. The Lions are better than the Giants. They're desperate for a win here.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Giants vs Detroit Lions predictions. Expert picks for NFL Week 12 game