Tavarres King and Ereck Flowers – © USA TODAY Sports Images
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GREEN BAY PACKERS 38 – NEW YORK GIANTS 13…
The New York Giants 2016 season came to a disappointing end on Sunday with a 38-13 drubbing by the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Giants led 6-0 until late in the first half when the Packers put up a quick 14 points, including a last-second Hail Mary pass. The Giants managed to close the score to 14-13 with six minutes left in the 3rd quarter, but then the roof caved in as Green Bay scored 24 unanswered points.
The Packers out-gained, but did not hold huge advantages, in total net yards (406 to 365), net yards rushing (75 to 70), and net yards passing (331 to 295). But the Packers held a big advantage in time of possession 34:31 to 25:29 and won the turnover battle two to nothing. The Giants were also 0-for-2 in the red zone while the Packers were 3-for-4. There were too many dropped passes, including two in the end zone.
The Giants received the ball to start the game and had seven first-half possessions. Three of these resulted in three-and-outs, with another just gaining one first down. The Giants did manage a 9-play, 54-yard drive on their second possession that ended with a 26-yard field goal by place kicker Robbie Gould. Their fifth drive traveled 70 yards in seven plays and resulted in a 40-yard field goal that gave the Giants a 6-0 advantage with 7:24 left to play in the first half.
After a quick three-and-out by the Giants, Green Bay got the ball back at the Giants 38-yard line with 3:45 to play before the break. It took the Packers just three plays to travel those 38 yards and go up 7-6 after quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Davante Adams. The Giants unfortunately went three-and-out again when a 3rd-and-1 run was stuffed and Green Bay got the ball back at their own 20-yard line with 1:38 to go. The Packers managed to reach the Giants 42-yard line and with six seconds left on the clock, Rodgers tossed up a Hail Mary pass that was caught by wide receiver Randall Cobb for the touchdown with no time left. Until those two possessions, the Giants defense had held the Packers to only four first downs and had forced five consecutive punts.
Despite the heart-breaking change in momentum to end the first half, this was still a tight game in the 3rd quarter. After both teams exchanged punts, the Packers lost a yard on a 4th-and-1 rushing attempt at the Green Bay 42-yard line. Two plays after that, quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Tavarres King for a 41-yard touchdown to close the score to 14-13.
But after that switch in momentum, the game was all Packers. On their ensuing drive, Green Bay drove 63 yards in four plays to take a 21-13 lead on Rodgers’ 30-yard touchdown pass to Cobb. After a screw-up by kick returner Bobby Rainey (stepping out-of-bounds at the 3-yard line), a three-and-out by the Giants offense, and a 23-yard punt return by Green Bay, the Packers drove 23 yards in five plays to set up a 32-yard field goal to go up 24-13 late in the 3rd quarter. After yet another three-and-out, the Packers drove 80 yards in 10 plays with Cobb catching his third touchdown pass, this time from 16 yards out. Packers 30 – Giants 13. On the ensuing possession, Manning was sacked and he fumbled the ball away to the Packers. They put the game away with a 9-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run. Manning’s final pass from the Packers’ 13-yard line with 34 seconds left in the game was intercepted.
Eli Manning finished the game 23-of-44 for 299 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. was held to four catches for 28 yards. Tight end Will Tye caught four passes for 66 yards, including a 51-yard reception. Wide receiver Sterling Shepard had four catches for 63 yards and wide receiver Tavarres King 73 yards on three receptions. Running back Paul Perkins carried the ball 10 times for just 30 yards. Running back Rashad Jennings had 29 yards on five carries.
Defensively, the Giants started off both halves strong but finished weak as Aaron Rodgers threw for 362 yards and four touchdown passes with no interceptions. He was sacked five times with safety Landon Collins, cornerback Coty Sensabaugh, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, and defensive ends Kerry Wynn and Romeo Okwara all registering sacks. The defense was also credited with five tackles for losses and six pass defenses.
Video highlights/lowlights are available at Giants.com.
INACTIVE LIST AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (core muscle), defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa (hamstring), safety Nat Berhe (concussion), linebacker Ishaq Williams, tight end Jerell Adams, offensive tackle Will Betty, and running back George Winn.
Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie suffered a bruised thigh in the game.
POST-GAME REACTION…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Ben McAdoo and the following players are available at Giants.com:
- Head Coach Ben McAdoo (Video)
- QB Eli Manning (Video)
- WR Odell Beckham, Jr. (Video)
- LG Justin Pugh (Video)
- S Landon Collins (Video)
ARTICLES…
- Giants coach Ben McAdoo is one cool cat, just ask his players by Steve Serby of The New York Post
- Giants’ best asset for success has nothing to do with skill by George Willis of The New York Post
- Why Odell Beckham Jr. is built for pressure of postseason by Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com
- Cruz lifted by many on way back to the playoffs by Tara Sullivan of The Bergen Record
- Dwayne Harris on rejecting Miami flight, pain and a Lambeau dig by Steve Serby of The New York Post
- Giants offensive line clicking with Justin Pugh arguably team’s best run-blocker by Daniel Popper of The Daily News
- Damon Harrison’s Jets tears turn into Giants joy by Mark Cannizzaro of The New York Post
- Giants’ DRC: Speed is state of mind and key to success by Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record
- The story behind how mini-Ben McAdoo was born by Fred Kerber of The New York Post
- Giants, Packers have a postseason history dating to 1938 by Neil Best of Newsday
- Giants-Packers: A look back at classic games in this rivalry by Ebenezer Samuel and Joe Belock of The Daily News
- ONE HAIL OF A MOMENT! Hakeem Nicks’ epic 37-yard TD to end 1st half is forgotten gem of Super Bowl XLVI run by Ebenezer Samuel of The Daily News
- Giants hero with boot at Lambeau 9 years ago, Lawrence Tynes reflects after staph infection ended career by Gary Myers of The Daily News
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
New York Giants General Manager, Head Coach Ben McAdoo, and select players will address the media on Monday.
