Eric Gray punches in two TDs in Giants' preseason opener vs. Lions after Drew Lock hurts hip

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Giants backup quarterback Drew Lock left Thursday night’s preseason opener with a hip injury after facing constant pressure and hits behind a shaky offensive line.

But a Boogie Basham-led defense smothered the Detroit Lions’ offensive reserves, and running back Eric Gray went off for 98 total yards and two touchdowns, as Brian Daboll’s team came out on top, 14-3, at a rain-soaked MetLife Stadium.

Third-string QB Tommy DeVito, tight end Tyree Jackson, inside linebacker Dyontae Johnson and gunner Miles Boykin also were among the Giants who contributed multiple difference-making plays.

The defense forced three turnovers on downs, including two in the red zone.

Rookie corner Dru Phillips had a tackle for a loss. Rookie interior defensive lineman Elijah Chatman had a sack. And rookie running backs Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Dante Miller ran well. Rookie safety Tyler Nubin also had an impressive take-on of a block on a tackle for loss by the defense.

Edge rushers Ovie Oghoufo and Benton Whitley both made plays to turn the Lions over on fourth down near the Giants’ goal line.

Basham and Johnson each had four tackles and a sack. Johnson then left the game with an apparent left ankle injury in the second half.

Daboll played a handful of starters, including first-round wide receiver Malik Nabers and top corner Deonte Banks. But Nabers didn’t see a target in 12 snaps. And most of the Giants’ big names didn’t participate, including Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and four of the team’s five healthy starting offensive linemen.

Most likely, the first teamers will have a dress rehearsal on the road in next week’s Aug. 17 at the Houston Texans. Then they’ll wrap up the preseason at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 24 as the road team against the Jets.

Without most of the starters on the field, Thursday’s opener had both highs and lows. The offense was concerning at the start.

Lock’s offense generated 50 yards, an interception and no points on 18 plays across the game’s first four drives.

Lock held the ball too long on a couple plays, including at least one when Nabers was open downfield. But Lock was mainly under constant duress from the Lions’ pass rush.

The Giants started Josh Ezeudu at left tackle, and the results were predictable: Lock took a ton of hits.

He had good protection when he threw a terrible interception into the gut of Lions safety Brandon Joseph, which gave Detroit an early 3-0 lead on a 53-yard Jake Bates field goal.

But on the next drive, Lock was hit by three Detroit linemen at once on one pass attempt. Then he got hurt on a Nate Lynn hit after a spin move past Ezeudu.

As Lock knelt down on the ground in pain, the fans at MetLife Stadium strangely began to cheer. That was because they saw the local product DeVito jogging onto the field to replace him.

GM Joe Schoen said later during the broadcast that Lock’s injury was not serious and he could have returned if needed to the game.

The Giants then scored 14 unanswered points in the second quarter. DeVito hit Gray and Jackson for key completions on both drives.

Gray broke off a 48-yard touchdown run at 9:12 behind a solid seal block by right tackle Josh Miles for a 7-3 lead. Gray took it to the house by juking Lions defensive back Morice Norris, who had laid a crushing hit on Gray during Monday’s joint practice.

Then D-tackle Jordan Phillips and the Giants defense stopped the Lions on a fourth-and-short to give the Giants the ball back at the Detroit 37. Gray piggybacked off a DeVito completion to Jackson to the 1-yard line and punched in the short yardage carry for his second score and a 14-3 lead at 4:49.

New coordinator Shane Bowen’s defense then continued to keep the Lions’ offense out of the end zone.

Tre Herndon intercepted a Nate Sudfeld pass that he fumbled back to the Lions on the return. And later, Oghoufo batted down a Hendon Hooker pass to force a red zone turnover on downs.

Whitley then hit Sudfeld to force an incompletion and another red zone turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.