Engram’s vulgar display costly

It is rare when a player gets his first career NFL touchdown and knows he will get chewed out by the head coach for what he did on the play. That is the turn of events rookie tight end Evan Engram experienced Monday night.

Engram showed why the Giants took him in the first round of the NFL draft, drifting past every Lions defender for an 18-yard touchdown in the second quarter, pulling the Giants even at 7. The play excited the Giants, their fans and Engram. Too much so for Engram. During his celebration, he gyrated and grabbed his crotch. The league has eased its restrictions on celebrations, but Engram went too far and it cost the Giants 15 yards, as he was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Bobby Hart came out of the season opener with a sprained ankle but managed to practice during the week and started at right tackle. Clearly, Hart was not healed, as he lasted only two plays before limping off in obvious pain.

LB J.T. Thomas was forced out in the second half with a groin injury. … DE Olivier Vernon often had his way with left tackle Greg Robinson, forcing him into three holding penalties. … The Lions won a replay challenge with 9:49 remaining, as head coach Jim Caldwell questioned the spot on Shane Vereen’s 3-yard reception that gave the Giants a first down on fourth-and-3. Vereen was hit immediately by Quandre Diggs and went down on contact. The ball was re-spotted and the measurement came up a yard short, giving the ball back to the Lions.

Calvin Munson, undrafted out of San Diego State, did not play one defensive snap in the season opener (he played 18 snaps on special teams), yet he was the choice as the starting middle linebacker in place of B.J. Goodson, who was inactive with a shin injury.