Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

QUICK RECAP

On October 28, 2007 – the first Super Bowl-winning season of the Eli Manning era, the NFL played their inaugural game in London with the Giants taking on the Miami Dolphins. They won a 13-10 defensive battle in wet conditions as Manning passed for 59 yards, the second lowest of his career. Fast forward nearly 15 years and the League is now playing multiple games overseas, branching into multiple countries spread out over multiple weeks. NYG last played overseas in 2016, a 17-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams thanks to a four-interception day by Case Keenum. Their 2022 contest was, for a third time, considered a road game, against Aaron Rodgers and the 3-1 Green Bay Packers.

The Giants roster has been one of the more injured in the league. They were without multiple receivers (Golladay, Toney, Shepard, Robinson), multiple cornerbacks (Robinson, Flott, Williams), multiple outside linebackers (Ojulari, Smith), their top defensive lineman (Leonard Williams), and their starting left guard (Lemieux). Matching up against a Rodgers-led team, the 2021 MVP, with such a bare cabinet was yet another tall task for this new regime to take on. The Packers had already beaten CHI, TB, and NE in consecutive weeks while allowing 17 points or less to all three of those offenses respectively (NE scored a defensive touchdown in their match-up).

Rodgers led GB to three points on the opening drive via the foot of Mason Crosby. His rookie season was in 2007, the year NYG first played in London. The first two NYG drives, on the other hand, resulted in a couple of three-and-outs, four yards gained, and five yards of penalty (net -1 yards). GB’s third possession was very-much aided by a 33-yard pass interference penalty called on safety Xavier McKinney. Two plays later a quick-strike throw, the offensive theme for GB in the first half, resulted in a four-yard touchdown to Allen Lazard. GB had a quick 10-0 lead, and the game was heading in the direction many thought it would.

NYG responded with 42 yards on three plays, including a 26-yard strike from Daniel Jones to Darius Slayton. The drive stalled out, but it was productive enough to warrant a 48-yard field goal attempt by Graham Gano, which he nailed. GB responded with their second-straight touchdown-scoring drive, this one a two-yard pass from Rodgers to Marcedes Lewis, a tight end drafted five spots ahead of defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka in 2006. He is the last active player from the class.

NYG continued to show the “this feels different” mantra I have had in my head the entire season to this point while watching this club. How so? They responded with yet another positive drive of their own. Eleven plays, a forty-yard gain by Saquon Barkley, and two third-down conversions (one of 13 yards, one of 9) brought NYG inside the five-yard line. They scored on a trick play of sorts, a double reverse that was designed to end in a pass by tight end Daniel Bellinger but instead had him taking the ball into the end zone as a runner. (Brian Daboll hinted to him it would be there). NYG got the score to 17-10 with over a minute remaining for Rodgers with three timeouts at his disposal. For him, time-wise, that might as well equal an entire half of football to work.

Rodgers and the GB offense gained 45 yards, economically used all three timeouts, and set up Crosby for another field goal attempt with a running clock. Crosby nailed the 48-yarder as time expired to make it three-straight scoring possessions by GB to give them a 20-10 lead at the half.

NYG came out of the half keeping the game’s scoring streak alive. A couple of third down offensive line gaffes (false start by Ben Bredeson and a missed block by Evan Neal) stalled the drive at the 19-yard line where Gano hit a 37-yard field goal to make it a one-score game. The momentum took a turn on the following drive. After three straight scores by the GB offense, NYG forced a punt after GB was once again in NYG territory. A third-down sack by Dexter Lawrence, one of the top defensive tackles in the game, was the nail in the coffin for the GB scoring streak as it knocked them out of field goal range. NYG had the ball, with momentum, down one score, as the fourth quarter got under way.

Barkley went down with a shoulder injury after a one-yard loss on the next drive. In the past, this would have resulted in the wind disappearing in the sails. Instead, NYG responded with what I consider to be their best drive of the season, partially because they accomplished it without #26 on the field. 15 plays, 8 first downs, 8 players who touched the ball, and a two-yard touchdown by Gary Brightwell (the first of his career) tied the game up at 20. NYG then forced another GB punt after a three-and-out and the game was fully in their control.

Barkley was back on the field, and he let everyone know right away. He took the second play of the next drive 41 yards after a short pass. He was then the one who crossed the goal line on a two-yard run out of the wildcat following an unnecessary roughness penalty by Rasul Douglas that gave NYG an automatic first down.

Rodgers, an eventual first-ballot Hall of Famer coming fresh off a MVP award, took the GB offense all the way inside the NYG 10-yard line. 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 from the six-yard line did not result in a single run despite the fact the GB backfield was averaging well over 5 yards per carry. The team opted for two passes, both of which were batted at the line, giving NYG the ball back as they kneeled the ball inside the five-yard line to get rid of the GB timeouts. Punter Jamie Gillian ran out of the end zone with the ball rather than exposing the team to a Matt Dodge situation. This ended up giving GB the ball back, down five, and without any timeouts at their own 41-yard line. After a false start, Rodgers dropped back and tried to escape pressure so he could throw a Hail Mary for the win, but he was sacked by Oshane Ximines.

NYG wins 27-22.

QUARTERBACK

-Daniel Jones: 21/27 – 217 yards / 0 TD – 0 INT / 100.2 RAT

Jones also added 41 rushing yards (not including the three kneel downs) just days after nobody knew if he would miss the game because of an ankle injury suffered last week. Mid-week, we were wondering if NYG would sign Brian Lewerke or Jake Fromm to backup Davis Webb. Now we look back and I think this was Jones’ top performance of the season considering the circumstances. We may see better statistical games from him, but he made multiple big time throws, took some of the biggest hits we have seen this year, and still made a huge difference on the ground. Prior to this game, I wrote down a list of things to look for. At the top? “How does Jones impact the game on a bad wheel?” Athletic quarterbacks are all the craze in the League now, everyone wants one. But what happens when they are nicked up? What happens when they age and lose some of their movement capability? Jones rose to the occasion and what he did post-Barkley injury on the touchdown scoring drive cannot go overlooked. 6/7 – 56 yards including two 3rd-down conversions and 25 yards rushing. What he did with what he had is exactly what good quarterbacks do: create more than the sum of parts. Big-time performance for Jones.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley: 13 att – 70 yards / 1 TD / 3 rec – 36 yards

Barkley went past 100 total yards for the third straight week and for the fourth time in five games. He missed what ended up being just 14 plays with a minor shoulder injury. He had two big plays, one in the running game and one in the passing game. A 40-yard run and a 41-yard reception were the two biggest plays of the day, and both of those drives respectively ended in touchdowns. These big gains do more than just accrue points for your fantasy team. When a drive has zero 15+ yard gains, 4.3% reach the red zone, 5.9% score points, 2.2% score touchdowns. When a drive has one 15+ yard play, 40.8% reach the red zone, 51% score points, 28.8% score touchdowns (information taken from Sharp Football). Explosive plays mean the world to an offense that is trying to score points. Barkley, in his current state in this current system, is absolutely vital to this team’s success.

-Matt Breida saw a season-high 18 snaps and gained a season-high 27 yards on 6 touches. He also threw a key block on Barkley’s 40-yard run. Gary Brightwell scored his first career touchdown on one of his two carries and also threw a key block on Barkley’s touchdown. It is great to see the depth chart contribute with subtle, but key components to game-changing plays.

WIDE RECEIVER


-Darius Slayton: 6 rec – 79 yards

Perhaps the most-overlooked player on this roster by everyone as we headed into this game. Slayton is, by far, the most-talented pass catcher on this team. A team that is without (arguably) their top 4 receivers. A team that has been signing guys off the street and playing multiple players without a full season of starts on their resume. Let’s not forget that Slayton has had success (2019 rookie season that saw a 48/740/8 season long stat line). There have been countless lows and very few highs since that year, but he stepped up in a big way here. 5 of his 6 catches went for a first down and a quality route forced a defensive holding (also resulting in a first down on a play that was originally a sack). Two of Slayton’s first downs came via yards after the catch + yards after contact. He showed grit and strength, and both ended up being huge plays when looking back. This is the best game we have seen out of him since Week 5 of 2020. Let’s see if this will turn into something because this could be THE opportunity of a lifetime that will undoubtedly set up his future in the league.

-Marcus Johnson, David Sills, and Richie James all caught every single one of their targets. Jones was accurate and these guys did their job. Johnson is tools-rich and many around the League know it. While he has never quite capitalized on opportunities consistently, Johnson has been a part of over 24 transactions since 2016 including two trades. Everyone sees the upside, but he just hasn’t had consistent looks and has had some injury misfortune. I liked his routes when looking at the All-22 and I like how he attacked the ball. He, like Slayton, is playing for his career right now.

-I also need to give credit to Sills for multiple big-time blocks on multiple plays that were game-changing. “Smart, tough, dependable”.

TIGHT END

-Daniel Bellinger caught two passes for 22 yards and scored a touchdown on the ground. I credit Daboll and Kafka for the play design (both have used this play at previous stops) and I credit Bellinger for instilling the confidence in the staff to put this kind of trust in him. Remember, this was a designed pass for him, but Daboll hinted the run would be there. It was, and Bellinger used the power and momentum he had to take it on himself to score. He is a rookie playing like a third-year vet when it comes to nuances. His transition to the league has been stunning. He was flagged for a hold and graded below average as a blocker, a work in progress who does show positive flashes there every week, especially on the move.

-Chris Myarick and Tanner Hudson played nearly half of the snaps. NYG went with a lot of heavy personnel and while these two did not impact the game much as receivers (Myarick had 1 catch for 4 yards), they both were solid as blockers both in the run and pass game respectively.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-Andrew Thomas and Ben Bredeson both had sacks nullified by defensive holding in the GB secondary. Thomas, besides that, threw another shut out. The potential All-Pro continues to shine and his run blocking in this one was a key difference maker as well. Bredeson was flagged for a false start and allowed 1 pressure. His overall performance was average, which all things considered, ends up just fine for who he is and what he has been doing. He struggled to get a push against the powerful interior GB defensive line, but he did stay sticky to his guy, which is the minimum I look for.

-The right side was up and down. Guard Mark Glowinski allowed a pressure and was beat for a few tackles in the running game, but finished out average. Rookie Evan Neal’s struggles in pass protection continued. He allowed a sack and a pressure as we are seeing the footwork issues arise week to week. He did get movement off the ball in the running game but his gaffe on a 3rd-down run by Jones up the middle was a key miss. We have seen worse out of Neal, and this was a tough matchup for him, but I want to see the outside shoulder and speed up the edge improve. We are seeing too many of the same losses week to week.

-Center Jon Feliciano plays the game hard and he brings some plus quickness and attitude. But he is, as many NYG centers have been since Sean O’Hara, a major weak point. He allowed a pressure and a TFL. But even more than that, he was constantly giving up ground to the likes of Kenny Clark (a very good player) and T.J. Slaton, a sizeable-second year pro. This is an issue for the running game that needs to be fixed. Nick Gates is knocking on the door.

EDGE

-With each week that passes, we see more out of rookie and #5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. Even within this contest, he took his game to a higher level in the second half. He finished with 2 pressures, 0.5 TFL, 3 tackles, and 2 pass breaks ups, including one on the final drive that prevented GB from tying it up. A productive game for a kid who, in my opinion, still isn’t reacting. He is thinking too much and not moving naturally which is common for young edge players. He looks stiff. With all the time missed in the preseason, Thibodeaux is right where he should be and I suspect the sacks are coming, just wait. Maybe the refs will actually call a hold or three next week on the tackle trying to block him.

-Oshane Ximines had 2 tackles, 1 sack, and (technically) a forced fumble. The sack was at the end of the game on the Hail Mary attempt, but he has now hit the quarterback in every game and 6 times on the year. He hit the quarterback 5 times in the previous two seasons combined (14 games). Tomon Fox added 2 tackles in a backup role.

-Jihad Ward had 1 tackle, 0.5 TFL, and a pressure which came from the defensive tackle position on third down. An unsung hero of the strong defensive performances. It stems from his unique skill set that credibly belongs at multiple spots of the front.

DEFENSIVE LINE

-Dexter Lawrence came up with a key sack right as NYG was turning this game around. I think it was one of the biggest plays of the game and possibly the biggest one on defense. He also added a pressure and 5 tackles showing great range and push. He is changing how offenses approach the middle in a big way.

-In a game like this, it is easy to discuss unsung hero Nick Williams. When a team wins, you want to bring in all the components to the win but in a game a team loses, it is common to overlook a solid performance from a guy that who on the bubble in August. He played just over half the snaps and finished with 3 tackles and 2 pressures. He and Justin Ellis were stout inside and while the run defense still could have been a hair better, these guys got the job done.

-D.J. Davidson left the game on a cart. A lower body injury to him that forces any missed time makes yet another position group on this team thin, especially if Leonard Williams is out any longer.

LINEBACKER

-Jaylon Smith, signed just weeks ago, made multiple highlight-reel hits on the move. While we need to be careful in using splash plays on tackles beyond the line of scrimmage as an influential barometer in player evaluation, Smith’s presence needs to be discussed. There is an attitude that comes with a Wink Martindale defense. Smith embodies that and it brings energy to the defense. He had 6 tackles and there was one he essentially ran laterally step for step with GB rookie receiver Christian Watson, a credible sub-4.4 receiver. Smith’s hit was direct and sure, and Watson got up awkwardly afterward.

-Tae Crowder added 3 tackles and a TFL, filling the inside running lanes in a hurry. Micah McFadden was beat to the outside multiple times against both the run and pass. He did add 2 tackles, though. I just worry about how an offense can expose him in space right now.

CORNERBACK

-Adoree’ Jackson missed the second half with a knee injury but finished with a productive game. He had 6 tackles and a TFL. I am pleasantly surprised by how aggressive he has been when filling on the outside. It hasn’t always been a strong point to his game, but then again, his durability has been an issue in the past. A lengthy injury to him would be a major blow to the defense.

-Nickel Darnay Holmes had 3 tackles and a pass break up in the end zone. He also added a pressure and a quick tackle that does not show up in the box score. Minimizing yards after catch is such a huge part of defending today’s plethora of short passing concepts. Holmes did a nice job playing to that strength.

-With Aaron Robinson, Cor’Dale Flott, and Rodarius Williams already out, NYG had to give substantial playing time to Fabian Moreau and Nick McCloud. Even Justin Layne saw 17 snaps. All three of these guys were added after training camp after being by cut by their original 2022 teams. Moreau and McCloud both had a pass break up, but both had two negative plays as well. Layne contributed a breakup via a physical hit that jarred the ball loose from Lazard. An entire game with those three seeing significant snaps would worry me.

SAFETY

-The safety duo of Julian Love and Xavier McKinney were the glue on the back end that kept things together. Love led the team with 6 tackles and a TFL while McKinney added 3 tackles and pass break up on 4th-and-goal to essentially seal the game. He was flagged for a 33-yard pass interference on a GB touchdown scoring drive, however. Did you notice BOTH of them knew exactly where Rodgers was going to throw the ball before the 4th-and-1 snap? Rodgers tapped his right shoulder pre-snap and they BOTH told McCloud the ball was coming his way. Those little things are what can make us feel good about this team in big situations against big-time talent. Much like what Antonio Pierce provided as a middle linebacker 15+ years ago.

-Dane Belton had a tackle and a pressure and Tony Jefferson added 3 tackles in their backup roles.

SPECIAL TEAMS

-K Graham Gano: 2/2 (Made 48, 37)
-P Jamie Gillian: 2 Punts / 50.0 avg – 44.5 net

3 STUDS

-QB Daniel Jones, WR Darius Slayton, DT Dexter Lawrence

3 DUDS

-OC Jon Feliciano, OT Evan Neal, LB Micah McFadden

3 THOUGHTS ON GB

1. A fun fact for you. Marcedes Lewis was the FIRST EVER 1st round pick to catch a touchdown from Aaron Rodgers. Crazy to think about. Over 450 touchdown passes – and that was the first thrown to a 1st rounder. I respect GB and the way they have run their organization throughout history and my lifetime. But even the best has their warts and the one I strongly believe here is the fact they made Rodgers continue to create with lesser-than-ideal targets to throw to. Look what he did with Davante Adams, see what it looks like without him. And just remember they chose QB Jordan Love over the likes of Michael Pittman and Tee Higgins (taken 7, 8 picks later). To think GB could walk away with just ONE Super Bowl appearance with Rodgers under center makes you think, doesn’t it? Not good enough.

2. Fortunately GB is in a division that is already very much just a two-team race. While MIN does appear a notch above right now, the fact they get four games against CHI + DET combined certainly paves the way for a likely wildcard appearance. While they have issues on both sides of the ball, I trust their defense will be good enough because they have very good players at key spots at all three levels. Throw in Rodgers and a likely progression of their young receivers, I think they get into postseason play pretty easily. What do they need, though? Like Rodgers suggested, I think they need to go get Odell Beckham when that knee is ready to go.

3. The starting offensive line for GB: 4th round, 6th round, 2nd round, 4th round, 2nd round. Their top backup and current rotational left tackle (Yosh Nijman) was undrafted. Their backups? 4th round, 6th round, 3rd round, 7th round (in addition to Nijman). Every single one of these guys was drafted by GB. I think this means a lot to future upside and maximizing the value of a collection of players. Chemistry means more to quality OL play than most people know.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

1. One of the most overlooked positive components to this game? The tackling. I had a season-best 2 missed tackles for that side of the ball as a whole. They were averaging 5 per game prior to this matchup. This was vital to their success as 17 of Rodgers 25 completions were caught within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage and 10 behind it. That is a common component to this offense, but even more so because of the defense the Giants employed. Quality tackling is, undoubtedly, game-altering.

2. Where to go and what to do with the middle of the offensive line? Will Shane Lemieux make that big of a difference when he comes back, and can he even stay on the field? Can Nick Gates finish off the comeback story and return to his level of play pre-injury? I have a hard time putting money on either. Rookie Joshua Ezeudu has not shown enough to instill confidence for 2022. As I said above, chemistry does have value and I think NYG has to roll with what they have. It will limit them, maybe even more so than it has already, but the coaching staff will need to try and stay a step ahead of opponents because it has the potential to get ugly.

3. When the NFL started the international series of games in London, teams always had a bye after playing abroad. Thanks to the Colts requesting otherwise in 2016 because they did not want a bye week so early in the season, that rule has changed. NYG comes back with three more games before their mid-season bye. They have another home game up first against BAL. That means they will go a league-high 6 weeks between true away games at the opponent’s home stadium. Another solid advantage for their friendly schedule. Two of their next three opponents have very forgiving defenses (BAL and SEA) and then the two games following the bye are HOU and DET (a combined record of 2-7-1 and 29th/31st in yards allowed) at home. This win against GB and the win against TEN week one were huge when looking at the 2022 season as a whole and the hope for a postseason birth. Up first, the Ravens. Think Wink will be up for this one?

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

THE STORYLINE:
Before the season started, most New York Giants fans looked at the 2022 schedule and were expecting a 2-2 start at best. Understandably, the fact that the rebuilding and still injury-plagued Giants are sitting at 3-1 has most of us feeling pretty good. The possible canary in the coal mine was the Giants being soundly beaten by a Dallas Cowboys team without Dak Prescott and a number of key offensive starters. The Giants obviously surprised the Tennessee Titans and beat two bad teams in the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears. But we’ll take it. After all, the Giants haven’t been able to brag about a winning record since 2016.

Nevertheless, the quality of opponent is about to significantly improve. The Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens will be heavily favored to beat the Giants. The Jacksonville Jaguars are 2-2, having crushed the Los Angeles Chargers and given the Philadelphia Eagles all they could handle. Unless New York can pull off another upset in the next two weeks, they will head into that Jaguars game at 3-3.

The 3-1 Packers are expected to make short work of the 3-1 Giants. Why? The advantage in quarterback play, the NFL’s 6th-ranked offense, and the NFL’s 5th-ranked defense. (The Giants are ranked 22nd and 15th, respectively, by comparison). The Giants also far more banged up, especially at quarterback, wide receiver, and in the secondary. Not having Azeez Ojulari also hurts.

THE INJURY REPORT:

• QB Daniel Jones (ankle)
• QB Tyrod Taylor (concussion – out)
• WR Richie James (ankle)
• WR Kenny Golladay (knee – out)
• WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee – out)
• WR Kadarius Toney (hamstring – out)
• OT Evan Neal (neck)
• DL Leonard Williams (knee – questionable)
• DL Henry Mondeaux (ankle – out)
• OLB Azeez Ojulari (calf – out)
• CB Fabian Moreau (foot)
• CB Cor’Dale Flott (calf – out)
• CB Nick McCloud (hamstring)
• S Julian Love (concussion)

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
When most people think of the Green Bay Packers, they still think of Aaron Rodgers and their passing game. However, the strength of this team is now arguably its defense, with is 5th overall ranking and 3rd against the pass (only 168 passing yards per game). The latter does not not bode well for a hobbled quarterback in Daniel Jones with the worst receiving corps in the league. On Sunday, Jones will be throwing to the likes of Richie James, David Sills, and Darius Slayton and probably Practice Squader Marcus Johnson. His tight ends don’t exactly instill fear in opponents either.

The secondary is rock solid with cornerbacks Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, and Rasul Douglas and safeties Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage. They are helped immensely by edge rushers Rashan Gary (5 sacks, 18 pressures) and Preston Smith (2.5 sacks, 12 pressures) and defensive linemen Kenny Clark (2 sacks, 16 pressures), Jarran Reed, and Dean Lowry. Inside linebackers De’Vondre Campbell (36 tackles) and Quay Walker (26 tackles) can cover a lot of ground. The Packers are one of the NFL’s best pass-rushing defenses, pressuring opponents on 43 percent of their passing attempts. “It’s one of the best defenses on paper that we’ve had,” said Rodgers in camp.

Last week, the Giants basically ran a one-dimensional offense (71 yards passing) and got away with it because the Bears were so undisciplined on defense, particularly in backside pursuit off the edge. It’s hard to imagine the Packers doing that, especially after what they saw on tape this week. Just as importantly, Daniel Jones is playing with a bum ankle. The New York offensive line also still has issues in pass protection and stopping the Gary-Smith-Clark trio is particularly problematic.

The one weakness the Packers have had this year is run defense, being ranked 22nd overall (127 yards per game). Green Bay will load up the box against Saquon Barkley, have the backside defenders watch for the bootleg, and dare a gimpy Daniel Jones and his journeyman wide receiver to beat them. We all know it. It would seem that New York’s only chance is if somehow the Giants are able to out-muscle the defenders up front combined with some serious heroics from a cast of no-name wideouts. There is only so much scheming a coaching staff can do. At some point, the talent deficiency will rear its ugly head.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
As mentioned, Green Bay is 6th overall in offense, averaging almost 380 yards per game. However, they have had issues scoring, averaging only 19 points per game. They are 16th in passing (233 yards per game) and 7th in rushing (145 yards per game).

Meanwhile, through four games, Wink Martindale’s defense is 15th overall in yardage (332 yards per game) and 9th in scoring (18 points per game). The big negative thus far has been rushing defense (28th overall). The Giants have yet to pick off a pass too.

So as odd as it sounds when facing the Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, the first defensive key is to stop the run. Aaron Jones has rushed 48 times for 327 yards (6.8 yards per carry). He is backed up by A.J. Dillon, who has carried the ball more times, 57, for 211 yards (3.7 yards per carry). Dillon is the big, power back who does the dirty work.

When it comes to throwing the ball, Rodgers no longer has a “go to” guy and has spread the ball around more to four wide receivers (Romeo Doubs, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Christian Watson), three tight ends (led by Robert Tonyan), and his two backs (Jones and Dillon). He is also focused more on the short- to intermediate-passing game. While the Packers still get big chunk plays in the passing game, it’s primarily because they lead the league in yards after the catch.

To be frank, this is the first big-time quarterback the Giants will face this season. Guys like Fabian Moreau and Darnay Holmes are really going to be tested, not to mention the Giants linebackers in coverage. It’s a game like this where the team’s lack of a quality starter opposite of Adoree’ Jackson and depth will show up. The absence of Aaron Robinson and Cor’Dale Flott doesn’t help matters. Martindale will undoubtedly try mix things up to confuse Rodgers, but that’s hard to do given his football acumen and experience.

An interesting side story to follow in this one Wink’s heavy blitzing scheme versus Rodgers, who is one of the most dangerous quarterbacks to blitz. Will Wink want to take chances with Rodgers, or go against his nature and play it more safe? Stating the obvious, this is not a good game to be missing Azeez Ojulari, especially with Kayvon Thibodeaux still getting acclimated to the game and Leonard Williams still dealing with a knee injury.

My two big defensive keys for this game are: (1) stopping the run, and (2) tackling well after the Packers complete short passes.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
If Nick McCloud isn’t limited by his hamstring, he should help the special teams coverage unit. What’s frustrating about the special teams right now is while they have made plays to help win three games, they have also made enough mistakes to make games closer than they should have been. To pull off an upset, the Giants need a complete game from the kicking and coverage units.

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH:
Defensive Coordinator Don Martindale on Aaron Rodgers: “The way to attack him changes from year-to-year of who he has with him. The thing that separates him is everybody knows that he’s a Hall of Fame quarterback, I think we’d all agree on that, and that’s from him throwing as many touchdowns as he has. So, everybody knows that, but what they don’t really appreciate, which I do, is just the great football mind that he has. He gets them in the right run game, he gets protections right, he knows the pressures are coming. He’s a great student of the game and I really admire how he goes about playing this game. It’s always fun, it’s a fun matchup.”

THE FINAL WORD:
I really love the Giants’ coaching staff. And when you have good coaching, I usually love being in games where no one expects you to win. But this is a tough one. The Packers defense is REALLY good. And they have absolutely nothing to be afraid of in the passing game with the Giants other than covering Saquon Barkley as a receiver. Jones is playing hurt. His receiving targets are Sills, James, Slayton and practice squaders. It’s hard to imagine the Giants being able to move the ball well against this defense. On the flip side, if the Giants have talent issues in the secondary as many of us suspect, Rodgers will exploit them.

If the Giants manage to pull this one off, I will be really impressed.

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

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Green Bay Packers 31 – New York Giants 13

QUICK RECAP

Two teams with new looks. Two teams with historical significance. Two teams that come from cold weather cities meeting in December with snow coming down hard. This had the look of a classic “Winter is Coming” NFL game that should have been as entertaining as any game on the NFL schedule. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers came to town to take on the hapless Giants trying to find their way as the last quarter of the season was in sight. After a 7-1 start, GB lost 2 of 3 as their defense started to falter and the lack of depth at receiver behind the injured Devante Adams finally caught up. They needed a game to right the ship, what better place to do it than New York? As Aaron Rodgers said in regard to NYG, “…they’ve been struggling”…if he only knew.

The Giants’ first possession ended with a 3 yard loss by Saquon Barkley on a 3rd-and-1 rushing attempt up the middle where he was hit by a defender within a half second of getting the ball. For those keeping score at home, we have now seen that exact play 1,000 times this season. GB responded with a 7-play, 72-yard touchdown scoring drive that ended with a Rodgers-to-Adams completion in the end zone at the hands of safety Antoine Bethea.

With the snow coming down hard and kicker Aldrick Rosas sitting on the struggle bus in addition to a new long snapper in place of the injured Zak DeOssie, Pat Shurmur opted to go for it on 4th-and-5 from the GB 33-yard line and they converted. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-3 from the GB 18, Jones hit Sterling Shepard downfield for a touchdown. It was a big-time, elite-level throw with pressure bearing down on him and a lot of traffic left and right. The game was tied up 7-7.

That tie lasted just a few plays, as Rodgers knew it would be an easy day with the terrible NYG secondary trying to gain their footing on a slippery surface. He hit Allen Lazard for a 37-yard score on a double route that left absolutely no hope for Antoine Bethea to recover from. It was 14-7 and it just seemed that GB would score when they wanted to.

Daniel Jones threw an interception on the next drive and it set up GB kicker Mason Crosby for an impressive, easy-looking 47-yard field goal in the snow that was still coming down hard. With the score at 17-7 GB, the Giants put together the most time-consuming drive of the game and their most time-consuming drive of the season. An 18-play, 66-yard drive ended in a successful 27-yard field goal by Rosas. NYG converted 2-of-4 3rd downs and both 4th down attempts as the old Saquon Barkley started to re-appear and Jones showed his toughness and ability to hit the tight window throws with an unstable base. They brought a 17-10 deficit into halftime.

After forcing a GB punt on the opening possession of the second half, the Giants were able to put another 3 points on the board via a 45-yard field goal by Rosas. Momentum was on their side and the defense needed to step on the throat of Rodgers and company. This is where the lack of pass rush and lack of cover-ability combined just absolutely kills the Giants defense. Rodgers, quite easily and simply, marched downfield on a 14-play drive to put another touchdown on the board. This score was a 17 yard pass to Adams even with multiple NYG defenders in the area; it seemed nobody had a shot at breaking it up. It looked like a couple dads playing against a bunch of 5-year olds.

The next two NYG possessions ended with Jones second and third interceptions, respectively. In between, Rodgers threw his 4th touchdown of the day to blocking tight end Marcedes Lewis. The score was 31-13 and even though NYG put together a couple of nice plays in their final possession against the GB prevent defense, it wasn’t even worth watching. The stadium agreed, as it was maybe 10% full at the end with most of them being the faithful Packers fans.

Giants lose, 31-13.

QUARTERBACKS

-Daniel Jones: 20/37 – 240 yards – 1 TD / 3 INT / 49.4 QBR. Jones also added 6 yards on 5 carries. He converted two 4th down rushing attempts that required some grit and power. This was the lowest QB rating we have seen out of Jones other than the Thursday night game in NE. His 3 interceptions were all very poor throws and while one can blame the weather, let’s not use that as a crutch. Good quarterbacks play very well in the snow and this was not a full on blizzard. The foot traction wasn’t that bad and there wasn’t much wind. While Jones did deal with pressure all afternoon and he was limping around a bit, this was a poor performance. The positive side of things revolve around two big time throws. His touchdown pass to Shepard was on the money with pressure bearing down on him from all angles. He also threw a great seam pass on 3rd-and-12 to Cody Latimer. It was one of those Sundays that can be labeled a “Rookie Sunday” for Jones.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley: 19 att / 83 yards – 3 rec / 32 yards. I was desperately hoping to see at least some improvement come from Barkley and I’m not just talking about the production. I wanted to see him run harder, push some piles, break some tackles, fall forward. He did all of those things and we saw a couple flashes of the big play ability we know he has. It wasn’t enough to call him and running game “back”, but I took his play as a positive. He had several blocking assignments and he did well for the most part. He got away with a blatant hold and did allow a pressure. Hopefully this is one of many steps in the right direction.

WIDE RECEIVER

-Sterling Shepard: 3 rec / 40 yards / 1 TD. In his second game back, Shepard caught three passes including the lone Giants’ touchdown. He looked quick and crisp as a route runner and I wish they could have gotten him the ball more often. His style of play usually produces well in conditions like what they played in.

-Darius Slayton: 6 rec / 44 yards. Slayton is proving more and more to be a guy who can pose as a threat both underneath and deep. I did notice that the GB corners were really physical with him at certain points and it impacted how he came off of the ball later in the game. The third interception where Slayton was targeted down the left sideline was a direct result of his hesitation and slowness off of the line. Still a lot to be happy about with the speedster.

TIGHT END

-Kaden Smith: 6 rec / 70 yards. Pretty busy day for the in-season pick up. Smith is making the best of a bad situation in New York but I wouldn’t get overly excited here in terms of being a long-term, every-down guy. He is a quality blocker with a significant lack of foot speed. I do like him as the underneath check-down or short-area target as his size and soft hands can make him reliable.

-Scott Simonson played about a third of the snaps Smith did and struggled as a blocker. He allowed a pressure and a TFL.

OFFENSIVE LINE

–Nate Solder continues to be a turnstile and I just can’t see any reason for hope that he is going to turn it around. He allowed 5 pressures (the GB offensive line had a total of 2) and it looks like we are now seeing this really impact Jones as he drops back. There is a natural sense of over-urgency from Jones at times and he has a natural gravitation to the right side almost as if he is anticipating having to escape from the pass rusher behind him. This is what ruins young QBs.

-Mike Remmers and Will Hernandez were better, but not by much. Remmers allowed 2 pressures and was responsible for a TFL. He did make a couple things happen on two of Barkley’s bigger gains though and at least we see grit from him. Hernandez allowed the big TFL on the first drive and a pressure a couple drives later. His play leveled out from there on and he ended up with an average grade. Kevin Zeitler was solid but lacked movement at the point-of-attack.

-Jon Halapio, like Solder, continues to show he just can’t get the job done. I watch a lot of NFL football throughout the week and I can’t give you 3 names that are worse than him at center. He allowed 3 pressures and was pushed around all day. He just doesn’t move his feet, can’t stay in front of his man, and the amount of times he gets driven back off the ball multiple yards on running plays is completely embarrassing. This guy needs to be as far away from NYG in 2020 as possible.

EDGE

-Just an awful day from the pass rush department and that starts with the edge guys. Markus Golden and Lorenzo Carter each had a pressure but were awfully quiet otherwise. Golden did get in on 8 tackles, which sounds like a lot, but he was the beneficiary of the defensive line doing their job and action being funneled his way. Carter looks like he just can’t get the job done unless he beats a blocker off the edge. With the somewhat slow track, it was imperative for the pass rushers to win in small windows with their quickness, hand-work, and power. Carter didn’t have any of those weapons working for him.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

-One of the better rushing attacks in the NFL when Aaron Jones runs the ball was shut down for the most part. Jones averaged a season low 1.8 yards per carry and Dexter Lawrence was the main reason. He finished with 3 tackles but did an outstanding job funneling runs to other NYG defenders. Leonard Williams also finished with 3 tackles, one of which was for a loss, and a pressure.

-Dalvin Tomlinson and B.J. Hill were solid as well. They combined for 5 tackles and we saw an uptick in playing time for Hill. Both are very solid and reliable against the run but neither have a prayer when it comes to the pass rush on a play-to-play basis.

LINEBACKER

-Alec Ogletree led the team in tackles once again, this week with 9. These next few weeks are important for him in my eyes. We have seen how much better he is than the back-ups when he was out with his lower body injuries, but his limitations in space, most notably in coverage, are well documented. More of the same with him in this game. He is limited as an every-down player, but pretty effective on action between the tackles. David Mayo added 5 tackles and 1 TFL.

CORNERBACK

-Janoris Jenkins. It is funny that my game notes from the past two weeks both included question marks next to him regarding how he doesn’t shadow the opposite team’s top target. Last week we saw Allen Robinson, CHI’s top WR by far, roast Corey Ballentine snap after snap. This week, we saw GB’s number one by far, Devante Adams, roast Grant Haley. In key moments, I don’t understand why James Bettcher has Jenkins away from where GB obviously wants to throw. Just an odd way to approach it and I side with Jenkins on his frustration. He finished with a tackle and a PD and put his head into oncoming traffic a few times.

-It appears we have a split-snap situation going on at the other corner spot between Deandre Baker and Sam Beal. I wouldn’t freak out about it regarding the first rounder Baker because this team needs to see what Beal has now that he is healthy. Baker had an opportunity to make a play on the ball early but he simply didn’t track it and looked lost. The result was a big gain as the ball nearly hit him in the head. Beal didn’t fare much better as neither seemed overly disciplined with their reads and techniques.

-Grant Haley was back on the field and Aaron Rodgers viewed it as an early Christmas present. In the second half especially, when they needed a 3rd/4th down conversion, they went directly at him and were almost always successful. Haley got beat up badly and also was flagged for a pass interference that brought GB to the 1-yard line on a drive they later scored on.

SAFETY

-The one positive I am taking away from this game, if I had to choose one, was the performance of Julian Love. With Jabrill Peppers out, Love got the start and was on the field for 97% of the snaps. He finished with 7 tackles and a forced fumble. I’m not used to seeing #24 out there and there were a couple plays where a NYG defender made a nice open-field tackle and my reaction was, “Who was that?!”…it was Love. Easy to see the difference between fast, twitchy, and effective when they are standing next to each other in relation to Bethea.

-Speaking of Bethea, he allowed two of the GB touchdowns, one short and one long. He was also flagged for a defensive hold in the end zone. I sure hope he is a major help behind the scenes because from what we have seen on film, he is no better than what we had in Curtis Riley last year, who I labeled one of the 5 worst starting safeties in the NFL.

SPECIAL TEAMS

-K Aldrick Rosas: 2/2 (Made 27,45). Nice bounce-back performance for Rosas in tough conditions. He is going to need to shine the rest of the way if he wants to keep his job.

-P Riley Dixon: 1 Punt / 47 avg / 47 net.

3 STUDS

-DT Dexter Lawrence, S Julian Love, OG Kevin Zeitler

3 DUDS

-OC Jon Halapio, OT Nate Solder, EDGE Lorenzo Carter

3 THOUGHTS ON GB

1. GB really revamped their defense this past offseason. They cut ties with long-time fan-favorite Clay Matthews and brought in two veteran pass rushers, Preston Smith And Za’Darius Smith, for a combined $118 million over 4 years. That is a ton of cap space wrapped up into two players for a team that is also paying big-time money to a QB. Take notes, NYG. You may have a couple of big name pass rushers available in free agency this upcoming offseason and I think it is near-mandatory they get at least one.

2. Just how good is this GB team? Can they really contend with teams like NO and SF? It comes down to Aaron Rodgers and his ability to stay at an elite level. His best days are behind him but he still can play at his highest level ever any given Sunday. The consistency isn’t there from week to week like it used to be but I know this: I would NOT want to see him in the playoffs.

3. GB went with a never-been-head coach when they hired Matt LaFleur. There were reports early on that he and Aaron Rodgers were not seeing eye-to-eye and that he was in over his head. But it has worked out well. LaFleur hasn’t been in the league a super long time and I have to think that may play to his advantage more than anything. He is innovative and modern, especially so when you compare him to Shurmur. The league doesn’t know his tendencies, they can’t look back on decades of material. If NYG wants to go the assistant route with their next coaching search, this is a situation and result to keep in mind.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

1. What else is there to talk about? We are seeing the same process and result week after week. The offensive line stinks and it is holding back multiple individuals The pass rush is near non-existent and that makes life so easy for the opposing offense. The head coach looks overmatched on a weekly basis. Now that we see teams like CIN and MIA pulling off upset wins, I hope this only exemplifies just how broken this franchise is right now and Mara needs to wake up and make wholesale changes.

2. The media and fans (including several here) have talked about the lack of innovation Shurmur has shown with play designs and calls. He usually shrugs it off, replying that the team simply needs to execute better. I understand his response and don’t disagree but everybody will get innovative at times, even the most old-school teams in the league. Shurmur opted to change the identity by trying to get cute twice in this game. A flea flicker (that had TWO guys running routes) and a timed snap-handoff to D’Mari Scott who just got added to the roster. He did this in a poor weather game where foot traction was limited at best. Come on, NOW is the time you choose to get past your stubborn ways and play with tricks? His thought process is just so puzzling and lacks sense.

3. The closing weeks of the season will very much be about the young guys in the defensive backfield. Is Julian Love an answer at safety? Is the combination of Baker, Beal, Ballentine at corner enough to avoid putting resources into the position this offseason?

© USA TODAY Sports

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Game Preview: Green Bay Packers at New York Giants, December 1, 2019

THE STORYLINE

During the dark times, it is easy to forget that the New York Giants have been one of the NFL’s most successful franchises, winning eight NFL championships and playing in 19 NFL championship games. It’s not just the quantity of success, but the quality, with the 1990, 2007, and 2011 playoff runs being some of the most memorable in pro football history. The latter two playoff runs included never-to-forgotten upsets against the Green Bay Packers on their home field. While it may seem like ancient history, it’s not. Both of those games were played within the last 12 years.

Which brings us to 2019. In the team’s long and storied history, there have been the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. There was the 1964-1980 playoff drought that included 2-10-2 (1964), 1-12-1 (1966), 2-11-1 (1973), 2-12 (1974), 3-11 (1976), and 4-12 (1980) seasons. During this 17-year time frame, the Giants averaged FIVE wins per season. It was a dreadful time to be a New York Giants fan.

But the 2019 New York Giants earned a disgrace that even those pathetic teams of the 1960s and 1970s never achieved: it went winless during both months of October and November. Two months ago, the Giants were 2-2. They now enter December 2-9. Almost unbelievably, they are out of the playoff hunt in a division where the front runner has a .500 record.

The New York Giants have won 10 games in three seasons. They are currently averaging THREE wins per season during that time span. They will finish the year either in 3rd or 4th place in the NFC East with losing records for the sixth time in seven years.

Something is wrong. Everyone has a theory as to why, but we all know something is wrong. We all feel it. Even with a rookie quarterback who is showing signs of being the real deal and a second-year running back who flashed greatness as a rookie, there is little hope among the fan base. The Giants are not getting better. And the games are not fun to watch. It’s become a chore. This is as depressed as I’ve seen Giants fans since I began covering the team in 1995.

Wellington Mara and Robert Tisch passed away in 2005. Their sons, as newbie owners, were in charge of the team when it won NFL titles in 2007 and 2011. John Mara and Steve Tisch got cocky. They let their guard down. The franchise rapidly deteriorated into a laughingstock in the blink of an eye. And one gets the sense that they pretended it wasn’t happening, that the downturn was a temporary anomaly. It wasn’t. And with each passing day, fan ire now turns on them as they have hand-picked the staff who were supposed to turn this around.

Wellington once famously said, “It’s nice to see arrogance humbled” when talking about the Dallas Cowboys in 1996. Those words are now haunting his son, even if he chooses not to recognize it. John is now going through the same growing pains that his dad did as an owner many decades ago. Whether he can learn from his mistakes and make the right adjustments will determine how long the Giants remain a joke. Hopefully, it won’t be another 17-year stretch.

THE INJURY REPORT

• WR Golden Tate (concussion – out)
• TE Evan Engram (foot – out)
• TE Rhett Ellison (concussion – out)
• S Jabrill Peppers (back – out)
• LS Zak DeOssie (knee/wrist – out)

THE FINAL WORD

The Giants are going to lose their eighth game in a row on Sunday. And there is a good chance that this game gets ugly in front of a half-empty stadium.

The Giants will then finish a 4-game stretch that includes two annual beat-downs by the Philadelphia Eagles, including one game in prime time.

It’s going to get much worse my friends.