The Detroit Lions will face a familiar opponent under center this Sunday. The New York Giants have ruled out rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who remains in the league’s concussion protocol, and Jameis Winston has officially been named the starter.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell knows Winston well from their time together with the New Orleans Saints, and he spoke highly of the veteran quarterback when addressing the media.
“I know Winston very well,” Campbell said. “He can put it right on target. He’s aggressive, he’s competitive, he’s smart, and he’s won a lot of games.”
Winston’s start will be his second of the season for New York. While he doesn’t mirror Dart’s play style, Campbell doesn’t expect the Giants to overhaul their offensive approach.
Campbell noted that New York’s pro-style system should stay the same, regardless of which quarterback plays.
“The core of what they do isn’t going to change,” Campbell explained. “Even with Dart, they weren’t running a lot of designed quarterback runs. Their run game stays the same.”
That run game has been productive lately. The Giants have rushed for 311 yards on 68 carries over their last two games, with 245 yards coming from their running backs.
Campbell also hinted that Detroit had been preparing for Winston all week, anticipating that the veteran might get the call.
The Giants enter Week 12 still searching for their first road win in more than a year, while the Lions aim to keep pace in the NFC North race with Chicago and Green Bay.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
