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South Ark Daily Picks / New York Giants vs Detroit Lions Prediction & Projected Score | Dec 28, 2026

New York Giants vs Detroit Lions Prediction & Projected Score | Dec 28, 2026

New York Giants vs Detroit Lions, Dec 28, 2026: SE v3.0 projected score 22.8–25.5 (away–home). Compare team stats and matchup advantages.

NFL · Game preview · SADP-score-ridge-1.0

New York Giants at Detroit Lions

Kickoff 12/28/2026, 7:15:00 PM CST · Ford Field
Group not verified / Group not verified · Week 16

Article published 10/13/2026, 12:21:55 PM CDT · last material update 10/13/2026, 12:21:55 PM CDT

AWAY · 3–1–1

New York Giants

22.8
MODEL
PROJECTION
HOME · 3–2

Detroit Lions

25.5
Projected winner Detroit LionsMargin 2.7Total 48.3Home win 56.5%Away win 40.8%

Model projections are estimates. Forecast timestamp 10/11/2026, 2:14:37 PM CDT · feature-data cutoff 10/11/2026, 2:14:37 PM CDT. Verified stored season-to-date statistics; descriptive comparisons are separate from the original scoring-model feature window. Comparison snapshot 10/13/2026, 12:21:55 PM CDT.

Official betting selection

SE v3.0 · selection status

Awaiting Odds

The model projection is available, but no eligible verified sportsbook offer has produced a locked official selection.

Team statistics & league rankings

Season-to-date comparison · ranks use covered teams within NFL · #1 is best for each metric.

Comparable verified observations · missing data stays unavailable
MetricNew York GiantsDetroit Lions
Points / game21.8#21 of 32 covered teams · 5 games32.8#1 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Points allowed / game21.2#9 of 32 covered teams · 5 games29.6#29 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Total yards / game302.3#29 of 32 covered teams · 4 games421.8#6 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Yards allowed / game328.3#8 of 32 covered teams · 4 games469.8#32 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Passing yards / game182.3#28 of 32 covered teams · 4 games303.5#2 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Rushing yards / game110.5#13 of 32 covered teams · 4 games102.0#20 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Yards / play4.95#30 of 32 covered teams · 4 games6.32#7 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Yards allowed / play5.66#12 of 32 covered teams · 4 games6.46#27 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Third-down conversion44.3%#7 of 32 covered teams · 5 games37.3%#21 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Third-down conversion allowed45.6%#27 of 32 covered teams · 5 games50.7%#30 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Turnovers / game1.25#13 of 32 covered teams · 4 games0.25#1 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Takeaways / game2.00#2 of 32 covered teams · 4 games1.00#18 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Offensive EPA / play-0.027#18 of 32 covered teams · 5 games0.174#2 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
EPA allowed / play0.020#21 of 32 covered teams · 5 games0.129#31 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Offensive success rate41.5%#19 of 32 covered teams · 5 games48.8%#3 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Success rate allowed45.7%#26 of 32 covered teams · 5 games46.7%#28 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Red-zone scoring rateUnavailableUnavailable
Turnover differential / game0.75#4 of 32 covered teams · 4 games0.75#4 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Defensive sacks / game0.75#31 of 32 covered teams · 4 games3.75#2 of 32 covered teams · 4 games
Tackles for loss / gameUnavailableUnavailable
Passing EPA / pass play0.070#14 of 32 covered teams · 5 games0.298#2 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Rushing EPA / rush play-0.144#24 of 32 covered teams · 5 games-0.017#13 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Explosive-play rate6.4%#29 of 32 covered teams · 5 games10.5%#8 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Sacks suffered / pass play7.2%#23 of 32 covered teams · 5 games5.4%#10 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
QB hits / pass play17.8%#24 of 32 covered teams · 5 games15.3%#12 of 32 covered teams · 5 games
Adjusted strength of scheduleUnavailableUnavailable

Statistical advantages

Detroit Lions has the higher observed scoring average: New York Giants scores 21.8 points per game and Detroit Lions scores 32.8, a 11.0-point difference. These are unadjusted season averages, not an estimate of this game's winning margin.

New York Giants allows 21.2 points per game, compared with 29.6 for Detroit Lions. New York Giants has the stronger defensive scoring figure by 8.4 points per game. Opponent quality and game situations can affect this comparison; a better raw rank is not proof of a better adjusted defense.

New York Giants's offense produces 302.3 yards per game; Detroit Lions's defense has conceded 469.8. The 167.5-yard difference compares two observed averages rather than predicting a yardage total. New York Giants averages 4.95 yards per play, which puts it #30 among 32 covered teams.

Key matchup factors

Detroit Lions's offense produces 421.8 yards per game; New York Giants's defense has conceded 328.3. The 93.5-yard difference compares two observed averages rather than predicting a yardage total. Detroit Lions averages 6.32 yards per play, which puts it #7 among 32 covered teams.

Explosive-play rate is another measurable difference: New York Giants records 6.4%, while Detroit Lions records 10.5%. Higher is better for this metric. Compare the sample counts in the table before treating a difference as stable.

Offensive EPA / play is another measurable difference: New York Giants records -0.027, while Detroit Lions records 0.174. Higher is better for this metric. Compare the sample counts in the table before treating a difference as stable.

The stored production forecast is New York Giants 22.8, Detroit Lions 25.5. Detroit Lions is projected to win by 2.7 points. SE v3.0 uses recent team and opponent profiles rather than just the full-season averages shown here. The NFL model includes home/away context; an independently attributable home-field point adjustment is not exposed for this game, so none is claimed.

Saved sportsbook observations

Spread unavailable
Total unavailable
Observed Not verified. Saved market observations can differ from the original locked betting line.

Final model assessment

Detroit Lions is the projected winner in the original stored scoring forecast, with a 2.7-point margin and 48.3 combined points. The comparisons above describe the scoring, defensive and efficiency context for this matchup. The official selection, when published, remains the specific wager in the tracker.

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Definitions, coverage & original timestamps

Game ID nfl:2026_16_NYG_DET. Article creation is not the original prediction timestamp. Original forecast 10/11/2026, 2:14:37 PM CDT; final stored pregame forecast 10/11/2026, 2:14:37 PM CDT. Rates use summed observed numerators and denominators; game averages use games with that statistic. Rankings use competition ties within the covered league population. NFL data uses regular-season games. EPA / play uses observed PBP EPA counts; success means positive EPA. Explosive plays use the source aggregation’s 20-yard passing / 10-yard rushing thresholds. CFB red-zone scoring includes field goals and touchdowns; a different NFL red-zone rate is not substituted. Quarterback hit rate is a hit proxy, not a complete pressure rate. Missing adjusted strength of schedule, pressure rates or archived inputs remain unavailable.