Giants & Lions Joint Practice Erupts Into Full-On Brawl With Punches Thrown

Too bad HBO’s Hard Knocks cameras stopped following the New York Giants around, because this would’ve been some juicy fodder for viewers. At a joint practice with the Detroit Lions on Monday, things got more than a little heated, and you can tell both sides threw fists as the scuffle dragged on.

Looks like Lions star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown ignited the conflict to some degree. Got another alternate angle of the fight as well.

I can’t fully determine who all was involved, except that by the end, about four G-Men players were engulfed around Lions All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell. In a group of men who would be men amongst boys compared to any of us average citizens, Sewell is an even larger man among men. If that even makes sense. Point being, he’s one of the last humans on Earth I’d want to encounter in a dust-up of any kind.

Controversial as NFL Network’s player-voted Top 100 Players list can be, I feel like Sewell got his flowers with a higher rating than I expected. Other than Trent Williams, he might very well be the best tackle in football. Tampa Bay’s Tristan Wirfs would be in that conversation, too, at least among the younger players in the league.

I’m happy to know that I wasn’t being too “cap” — did I say that right? — with that Williams statement. Found out he was No. 7 on the top 100 and Sewell was next highest-rated offensive tackle.

The Giants and Lions get to face each other this Thursday in the preseason. Anyone who wants a shot at Sewell on New York’s side will have to wait another day for that opportunity. Can’t imagine Detroit will put Sewell — or any of their significant starters for that matter — in harm’s way in a meaningless exhibition game.

It’s probably going to be a rough 2024 campaign ahead for the G-Men. As of now, they might be favored at home against the Titans in Week 8. Other than that, they’re liable to be underdogs in every single other game they play this season. Doesn’t bode well! Meanwhile, the Lions are vying for another deep playoff run after blowing the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers last postseason.

These teams are such a great snapshot of how fast things can change in the NFL. In 2022, the Giants made a stunning run to the playoffs and even advanced to the Divisional Round with a win over the Vikings. They started that year 7-2. Detroit lost six of its first seven on the heels of a 3-13-1 record. Wow. Whose situation would you rather have now? A million people out of a million would take the Lions.