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DETROIT -- Matthew Stafford was at his best when improvising -- and that alone may be a sign of improvement. Stafford threw two early touchdown passes to Calvin Johnson, and Detroit beat the New York Giants 35-14 on Monday night in Jim Caldwells first game as Lions coach. It was a bright start for the Lions and their quarterback after the team collapsed down the stretch in 2013 -- in part because of Staffords turnovers. "I dont work on my moves a lot during practice, but I know I have to be better with my feet this year so that we can keep plays alive," Stafford said. "On both of the touchdown passes to Calvin, the offensive line got me a lot of time, and he was able to uncover himself and find somewhere open." The Lions intercepted Eli Manning twice in their first Monday night opener since 1971. Stafford went 22 of 32 for 346 yards, and Johnson had seven catches for 164 yards. Manning was 18 of 33 for 163 yards and a touchdown for the Giants, who started 0-6 last season and never led in their 2014 opener. "No excuses. We played very poorly," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "We dont have a lot to be proud of here. Couldnt move the ball, couldnt stop them, turned the ball over, got into that business again. Got a punt blocked, so you name it. It was a nightmare performance." Stafford scrambled to his right and threw deep to Johnson on the games first drive, and defensive backs Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Stevie Brown appeared to collide. Nobody else on the Giants was anywhere near Detroits star receiver, who was able to jog into the end zone for a 67-yard touchdown. Later in the first, Stafford scrambled to his left, and then threw back to his right. Johnson made a diving catch in the back of the end zone for a 16-yard TD and a 14-0 lead. "When Matt breaks the pocket, I know I have to keep working, because he can put the ball anywhere on the field," Johnson said. "We worked out together a lot during the off-season, and we did a lot of footwork drills. You can see that it is paying off for him. Hes making moves." Staffords two touchdown passes came on what looked like broken plays, and so did his 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He scrambled up the middle on that one and cut to his left to avoid a potential tackler. The Giants also missed the playoffs last season, thanks mostly to that terrible start. They were eager to begin on a better note against the Lions, but barely five minutes into the game, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul went down with a neck injury. He was able to walk off the field, but he was taken in for X-rays. Pierre-Paul was back in the game in the second quarter. The Giants revamped their secondary in the off-season, but Stafford took advantage of a couple big breakdowns. In the third quarter, he found Golden Tate for a 44-yard gain on third-and-11, which led to a field goal. Detroits secondary, meanwhile, looked solid despite an injury that kept newly acquired safety James Ihedigbo out of the game. Glover Quins interception in the third helped set up Staffords touchdown run that made it 27-7. Johnson tied Herman Moores team record with his 107th straight game with a catch. He was banged up down the stretch last season, and Stafford struggled with turnovers as a playoff berth slipped away. Caldwells hiring was in many ways viewed as an attempt to help Stafford take another step forward. The former No. 1 overall draft pick completed his first six passes Monday. Stafford went 14 of 17 for 212 yards in the first half. Detroit led 14-7 at halftime, and Lions rookie Nate Freese made a 28-yard field goal early in the third, after an interception by DeAndre Levy gave the Lions the ball at the New York 18. Freese added a 27-yarder later that quarter. Rashad Jennings scored on a 1-yard run for New York in the fourth, but Detroits Joique Bell answered with a 3-yard scoring run and the Lions added a 2-point conversion. "I thought the signature drive of the game was in the fourth quarter. They had cut into the lead, and we knew we needed to grind down the clock," said Caldwell, who took over in the off-season after Jim Schwartz was fired. "Thats what we mean when we talk about embracing the grind." NOTES: Lions offensive tackle LaAdrian Waddle went down with a calf injury in the first half, and cornerback Bill Bentley hurt his knee. Giants linebacker Devon Kennard hurt his hamstring. ... There was a pregame ceremony honouring William Clay Ford, who owned the Lions until he died in March. His widow Martha -- who took over control of the franchise -- and their four children received a game ball after the win. 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Unlike last year when nobody got in, there have been estimates of as many as five getting voted in this time around and as few as one, Greg Maddux.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Two days before Anaheim visits the Los Angeles Kings for their high-profile showcase under the stars, the Ducks showed theyre willing to get just as gritty as their rivals to grind out a win. Patrick Maroon scored the tiebreaking goal on a wraparound late in the second period, and the Ducks beat the Kings 2-1 on Thursday night in the prelude to the clubs landmark outdoor game this weekend. Frederik Andersen made 30 saves and Dustin Penner scored a power-play goal in the 20th victory in 23 games for the NHL-leading Ducks, who dialed down their high-octane offensive game and matched the Kings usual grit in a hard-hitting, bad-tempered meeting. Offence was scarce when the Southern California clubs warmed up for their visit to Dodger Stadium on Saturday, and the high-scoring Ducks didnt mind at all. "We can play any style," Ducks defenceman Ben Lovejoy said. "We can play with speed teams because we have that speed and skill, and we can match up with the big, physical teams like L.A. I dont think we beat them at their own game. I think we imposed the kind of game we wanted in the second and third." After a scoreless third period, Anaheim improved to 21-1-2 at Honda Center two days after its first home regulation loss. The Ducks are rolling into the first warm-weather outdoor game in NHL history with a five-point lead over Chicago in the overall standings and a 17-point margin over third-place Los Angeles in the Pacific Division. A few minor skirmishes in the third period suggested tempers will run high in the rematch -- exactly the NHLs intention in scheduling back-to-back meetings. The Kings and Ducks will hold separate workouts Friday on the new rink in the middle of the historic baseball park. "Theres nothing we see out of them that we dont already know," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. "Theyre a good, strong team that plays physical hockey ... but we can play that, too." Anze Kopitar scored early in the first period and Jonathan Quick stopped 19 shots for the Kings, who have lost four straight. Los Angeles hasnt won since officials in Detroit blew the call on an obviously illegal tying goal by Niklas Kronwall inn an eventual shootout loss to the Red Wings last Saturday.dddddddddddd "I think everybody in this room knows we can and weve got to play better," Kopitar said. "So the pressure is a little bit bigger, for sure, but were going to get through this together. ... In the third, it was more like us -- pressing, puck possession, spending time in their zone. But we came up short. Its something we have to learn from. We cant give up soft goals and easy goals." Just 3:13 into this meeting, Kopitar ended a personal 10-game goal drought when the Ducks left him alone near the net to bang home a cross-ice pass for his 14th goal. Kopitar is the only NHL player on Slovenias first Olympic hockey team, and he leads the Kings in scoring for the seventh consecutive season. Neither team mounted much offence in the first 30 minutes, but Penner hurt his former teammates by shoving home a rebound 10 seconds into another power play late in the second period. Penner scored 11 goals in parts of three seasons with the Kings before scoring 12 goals already this season for the Ducks, who re-signed him last summer. Maroon then put the Ducks ahead, forcing a bad pass by Willie Mitchell before getting the puck down low and wrapping it around for his fourth goal -- just his second since late October. "Weve got to try to take a few positives out of tonight and come back Saturday," Kings forward Trevor Lewis said. "We obviously need the points more than they do. After a loss like this, you always want to get right back after them, so its good that weve got them again in two days." Until Winnipegs 3-2 victory on Tuesday snapped the Ducks 22-game home points streak to open the season, Los Angeles was the last visiting team to win at Honda Center, taking a shootout victory Dec. 3. NOTES: The Ducks scratched forwards Daniel Winnik and Kyle Palmieri. Coach Bruce Boudreau also gave a day off to starting goalie Jonas Hiller, who acknowledged being distracted by the looming outdoor game in Tuesdays loss to Winnipeg. ... Los Angeles D Matt Greene missed his fifth straight game with an upper-body injury. ... Andersen leads the NHLs rookie goalies with 13 wins. ' ' '