The Lions were heavy favorites Sunday against the last-place Giants. They snuck by in overtime after trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter to avoid a potentially disastrous loss.
Jahmyr Gibbs scored his third touchdown of the day on the Lions' first play in overtime, a 69-yard scamper to the end zone, the defense got a stop and Detroit eked out a 34-27 win.
Gibbs piled up 264 yards of offense on 26 touches, including a 49-yard run to the end zone in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 27-24. The other hero for Detroit was Jake Bates, who snuck in a 59-yard field goal in the final minute of regulation to send the game to overtime.
After Gibbs' go-ahead touchdown in overtime, Aidan Hutchinson sealed the game with a fourth down sack of Jameis Winston with the Giants in Lions' territory.
It was not a comfortable day for a team that considers itself a Super Bowl contender. Detroit's defense allowed Winston to throw for 366 yards in the face of very little pressure, with several blown assignments in the secondary. Winston threw a trick-play touchdown to Wan'Dale Robinson in the first quarter, and caught one on a pass from Gunner Olszewski in the fourth quarter.
Robinson caused problems for the Lions from start to finish, catching eight passes for 153 yards and a touchdown.
But the Lions survived, and enter a crucial Thanksgiving clash with the 7-3-1 Packers at 7-4, one game back of the Bears in the NFC North.