Upon further review: What All-22 tape from Lions-Giants game revealed

A regular beat writer feature I’m intending to ditch as part of this new venture is immediate postgame grades. They’re unquestionably popular, but I’ve always been concerned about my lack of depth and overall accuracy with them.

Typically, when reporting at the stadium, I see a play three times: Live, the in-stadium replay via the big screen, and the broadcast version through YouTube TV. Of course, the broadcast is on a nearly 30-second delay, so it’s difficult to absorb all the details and nuance when my attention is split. Add in play-by-play note taking and the occasional social media post and focus becomes even more fractured.

Ideally, grades would be part of the film review process the following week, and if I pushed for that change, there’s no doubt my editors at the Detroit News would have agreed for the reasons explained above. But I never made the request because it can be easy to fall into traditional production patterns. That’s on me and I’m trying to fix it with this fresh start.

Maybe grades live on here in a different format. I’m undecided. I can’t imagine I’d want to do them over a traditional film review, so time might be the biggest issue. Like most things, we’ll tinker with the formula once the season starts and find what works best. 

Fortunately, grades were never part of preseason content. Neither were film reviews, but since the NFL was kind enough to quickly turn around the tape from Thursday’s matchup between the Lions and Giants, I decided to process the first three quarters of the game and share some thoughts, in a more informal way than a traditional review. 

● Allow me to start with the quarterback performances. Nate Sudfeld got the start and played the entire first half, attempting 15 passes and completing seven for 40 yards. I noted this in the postgame stock report, but I felt Sudfeld looked tentative with opportunities downfield. The film confirmed the observation. 

It showed up on a layer concept during the opening drive, when there was a window to work the ball to middle option Antoine Green on a crossing pattern, but the QB ate a sack, instead. 

Sudfeld also didn't pull the trigger when Daurice Fountain came open out of his break on the opening play of the team's third series, and the QB pulled it down and ran on a rollout instead of waiting for tight end James Mitchell to clear the final defender on that side of the field. 

As for Hendon Hooker's performance, it was a mixed bag during his two third-quarter drives, prior to getting knocked from the game with a concussion. I largely liked the QB's decisions to run, although you'd like to see him avoid unnecessary hits by sliding. The Giants sniffed out two of his play-action rollouts and Hooker was decisive with the use of his legs to salvage yardage. 

The only scramble I'd question came after he stepped around some interior pressure. There was time to reset his feet and he had rookie receiver Isaiah Williams open on a deep crosser. Having the trust to make that play should come with more reps. 

Hooker executed on some third downs, but lacked the desired accuracy, consistent with his practice performances. His throws were behind Williams and tight end Parker Hesse on drive-extending crossing patterns, giving the defenders unnecessary chances. And Hooker's back-shoulder ball to Donovan Peoples-Jones in the end zone lacked touch, sailing beyond the receiver's reach.