Game story
In Week 1 of the 2014 NFL season on 2014-09-08, the Detroit Lions took care of business against the New York Giants, pulling away with a 35–14 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 15 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
M. Stafford (Detroit Lions) paced the passing game, with +21.31 total EPA, and +9.7% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, M. Stafford (Detroit Lions) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +21.31 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+18.0% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Detroit Lions changed the game: (12:25) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 81-C.Johnson for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Detroit Lions | 14 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 35 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Stafford · Detroit Lions · Passing · +21.31 total EPA · 38 snaps · +0.56 EPA/play
- 2 C. Johnson · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +15.21 total EPA · 11 snaps · +1.38 EPA/play
- 3 G. Tate · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +8.27 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.38 EPA/play
- 4 L. Donnell · New York Giants · Receiving · +3.19 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.40 EPA/play
- 5 J. Fauria · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +1.50 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.37 EPA/play
- 6 B. Pettigrew · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +1.00 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.00 EPA/play
- 7 R. Bush · Detroit Lions · Receiving · +0.93 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.16 EPA/play
- 8 R. Jennings · New York Giants · Receiving · +0.69 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.14 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Stafford — DET · Passing
M. Stafford posted the highest total EPA (+21.31) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Detroit Lions's efficiency. Across 38 counted snaps, they averaged +0.56 EPA per play.
The signature play (+6.09 EPA) came from Detroit Lions: (12:25) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 81-C.Johnson for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Detroit Lions — C. Johnson (M. Stafford pass)
- Detroit Lions — C. Johnson (M. Stafford pass)
- New York Giants — L. Donnell (E. Manning pass)
- Detroit Lions — M. Stafford
- New York Giants — R. Jennings
- Detroit Lions — J. Bell
Field goals
- Detroit Lions — N. Freese
- Detroit Lions — N. Freese
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 14–0. Detroit Lions found the end zone from the NYG 67 (Q1 57:25) — (12:25) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 81-C.Johnson for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the NYG 2 (Q1 57:11) — 3-N.Freese extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the NYG 16 (Q1 50:19) — (5:19) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep middle to 81-C.Johnson for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the NYG 2 (Q1 50:12) — 3-N.Freese extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin..
The second quarter: New York Giants won the period 7–0. New York Giants found the end zone from the DET 1 (Q2 42:59) — (12:59) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short left to 84-L.Donnell for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; New York Giants added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q2 42:54) — 3-J.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford..
The third quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 13–0. Detroit Lions connected on a field goal from the NYG 10 (Q3 26:58) — (11:58) 3-N.Freese 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.; Detroit Lions connected on a field goal from the NYG 9 (Q3 20:54) — (5:54) 3-N.Freese 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the NYG 5 (Q3 18:58) — (3:58) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford scrambles right tackle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions added 1 points from the NYG 2 (Q3 18:51) — 3-N.Freese extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin..
The fourth quarter: Detroit Lions won the period 8–7. New York Giants found the end zone from the DET 1 (Q4 11:58) — (11:58) 61-D.Reynolds reported in as eligible. 23-R.Jennings left tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; New York Giants added 1 points from the DET 2 (Q4 11:53) — 3-J.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford.; Detroit Lions found the end zone from the NYG 3 (Q4 4:44) — (4:44) 35-J.Bell right tackle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Detroit Lions registered a safety from the NYG 2 (Q4 4:39) — TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 9-M.Stafford pass to 80-J.Fauria is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Detroit Lions (Q1 57:25) — (12:25) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 81-C.Johnson for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New York Giants (Q2 42:59) — (12:59) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short left to 84-L.Donnell for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
- New York Giants (Q3 28:43) — (13:43) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short middle intended for 84-L.Donnell INTERCEPTED by 54-D.Levy at NYG 31. 54-D.Levy to NYG 18 for 13 yards (23-R.Jennings; 12-J.Jernigan). The Replay Official chal
- Detroit Lions (Q2 32:00) — (2:00) 3-N.Freese 43 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin.
- Detroit Lions (Q3 23:24) — (8:24) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 15-G.Tate to NYG 32 for 44 yards (27-S.Brown).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Detroit Lions (Q1 57:25) — (12:25) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 81-C.Johnson for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- New York Giants (Q3 20:46) — (5:46) 10-E.Manning pass deep left intended for 80-V.Cruz INTERCEPTED by 27-G.Quin at NYG 37. 27-G.Quin to NYG 19 for 18 yards (82-R.Randle).
- New York Giants (Q1 45:06) — (:06) 5-S.Weatherford punts 40 yards to DET 10, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, fair catch by 12-J.Ross. NYG-5-S.Weatherford was injured during the play. His return is Probable. PENALTY on DET-24-J.Couplin, Roug
- Detroit Lions (Q3 23:24) — (8:24) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 15-G.Tate to NYG 32 for 44 yards (27-S.Brown).
Quarterback report card
M.Stafford led all passers in efficiency for Detroit Lions, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- M.Stafford (Detroit Lions) · 38 dropbacks · 57.9% completion · +9.7% CPOE · +0.56 EPA/play · +21.31 total EPA
- E.Manning (New York Giants) · 38 dropbacks · 47.4% completion · -10.6% CPOE · -0.19 EPA/play · -7.27 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | New York Giants | Detroit Lions |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.187 | +0.081 |
| Offensive success rate | 30.4% | 40.5% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.191 | +0.561 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.317 | -0.219 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.081 | +0.187 |
| Defensive success rate | 59.5% | 69.6% |
By the numbers
Detroit Lions held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.08 vs -0.19), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Detroit Lions: 11 drives, +6.39 total EPA, 6 scoring drives
- New York Giants: 10 drives, -14.81 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Detroit Lions leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- M. Stafford (Detroit Lions) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- M. Stafford (DET) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- E. Manning (NYG) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q1 57:25 · NYG 67 · Score 0-6
(12:25) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 81-C.Johnson for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q1 57:11 · NYG 2 · Score 0-7
3-N.Freese extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q1 50:19 · NYG 16 · Score 0-13
(5:19) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep middle to 81-C.Johnson for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q1 50:12 · NYG 2 · Score 0-14
3-N.Freese extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin. - New York Giants TD (+6) — Q2 42:59 · DET 1 · Score 6-14
(12:59) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short left to 84-L.Donnell for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - New York Giants XP (+1) — Q2 42:54 · DET 2 · Score 7-14
3-J.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford. - Detroit Lions FG (+3) — Q3 26:58 · NYG 10 · Score 7-17
(11:58) 3-N.Freese 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin. - Detroit Lions FG (+3) — Q3 20:54 · NYG 9 · Score 7-20
(5:54) 3-N.Freese 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q3 18:58 · NYG 5 · Score 7-26
(3:58) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford scrambles right tackle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions XP (+1) — Q3 18:51 · NYG 2 · Score 7-27
3-N.Freese extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-6-S.Martin. - New York Giants TD (+6) — Q4 11:58 · DET 1 · Score 13-27
(11:58) 61-D.Reynolds reported in as eligible. 23-R.Jennings left tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - New York Giants XP (+1) — Q4 11:53 · DET 2 · Score 14-27
3-J.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford. - Detroit Lions TD (+6) — Q4 4:44 · NYG 3 · Score 14-33
(4:44) 35-J.Bell right tackle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Detroit Lions Safety (+2) — Q4 4:39 · NYG 2 · Score 14-35
TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 9-M.Stafford pass to 80-J.Fauria is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.
Frequently asked questions
Who won New York Giants vs Detroit Lions?
The Detroit Lions beat the New York Giants 35-14 in Week 1, 2014 on 2014-09-08.
What was the final score of New York Giants vs Detroit Lions?
The final score was New York Giants 14, Detroit Lions 35 (NYG 14-35 DET) in Week 1, 2014 on 2014-09-08.
What was the score by quarter in New York Giants vs Detroit Lions?
Q1: New York Giants 0, Detroit Lions 14; Q2: New York Giants 7, Detroit Lions 0; Q3: New York Giants 0, Detroit Lions 13; Q4: New York Giants 7, Detroit Lions 8; Final: New York Giants 14, Detroit Lions 35.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in New York Giants vs Detroit Lions?
Detroit Lions touchdown — C. Johnson (M. Stafford pass) (Q1 57:25) Detroit Lions touchdown — C. Johnson (M. Stafford pass) (Q1 50:19) New York Giants touchdown — L. Donnell (E. Manning pass) (Q2 42:59) Detroit Lions touchdown — M. Stafford (Q3 18:58) New York Giants touchdown — R. Jennings (Q4 11:58) Detroit Lions touchdown — J. Bell (Q4 4:44) Detroit Lions field goal — N. Freese (Q3 26:58, 3 pts) Detroit Lions field goal — N. Freese (Q3 20:54, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in New York Giants vs Detroit Lions?
M. Stafford (Detroit Lions), 57.9% completion, +9.7% CPOE, +0.56 EPA per dropback, +21.31 total passing EPA. E. Manning (New York Giants), 47.4% completion, -10.6% CPOE, -0.19 EPA per dropback, -7.27 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in New York Giants vs Detroit Lions?
M. Stafford (Detroit Lions) led the game in total EPA with +21.31 on passing plays. across 38 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+6.09 EPA): (12:25) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 81-C.Johnson for 67 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +18.0%.
Season records after this game
New York Giants
Now 0-1 L
Detroit Lions
Now 1-0 W
Fantasy · fantasyhq.co
