EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Packers hung on for a 27-20 victory over the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday to snap their two-game losing streak and improve to 6-3-1.
Here are five takeaways from the difficult triumph:
- Nothing was pretty about this one.
The Packers were dropping passes as well as interceptions, and replacement kicker Lucas Havrisik missed two extra points. They were dealing with injuries to key players, a temporary one to QB Jordan Love (left shoulder) that allowed him to come back in the game, but one to RB Josh Jacobs (knee) that didn't permit his return.
The offense went three-and-out at the worst possible time, right after the defense had been on the field for almost 10 minutes of game clock. The defense leaked 142 rushing yards and 10 combined third- and fourth-down conversions. And the list goes on.
But Christian Watson's second TD catch of the game with four minutes left, combined with Evan Williams' interception in the end zone in the final minute salvaged a victory over the two-win Giants. It was one huge exhale at the finish.
"Obviously just extremely happy with the win," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said. "We definitely didn't make it easy on ourselves, but the bottom line is we overcame a lot of adversity and found a way, and sometimes that's what it takes in this league."
- Backup QB Malik Willis engineered the first touchdown drive while Love was sidelined.
Love left the game late in the first quarter when he took a hit to his left shoulder on a first-and-20 scramble. Two plays later, Willis converted on third-and-8 with a 16-yard zone-read keeper, and the offense was on its way.
On third-and-goal from the 1 just three plays into the second quarter, Willis delivered a strike to Watson in the back of the end zone, taking a big hit from an onrushing defender while Watson made a strong hands catch to answer New York's opening TD drive.
"We don't win that game without Malik," LaFleur said, who admitted to how risky it was to call Willis' number on a zone-read run with QB1 in the locker room getting his shoulder x-rayed. "You're a little bit concerned in that moment, because you can't have anything happen to him. But he made a lot of plays."
The x-rays were negative and Love was back in on the next series. He said the pain was there in his shoulder, but he termed it "manageable."
"Definitely not fun," Love said of leaving the game and getting checked out, but he was glad it was "something I can play through." He added the injury would be further evaluated back in Green Bay.
- The defense paid for its missed opportunities against a shorthanded Giants offense.
New York turned to backup QB Jameis Winston in the wake of rookie starter Jaxson Dart's concussion, and the Giants were without two of their top offensive playmakers in WR Malik Nabers and RB Cam Skattebo.
Known for putting the ball in harm's way, Winston didn't pay for his mistakes, as four potential interceptions were missed by the Packers – two by Carrington Valentine, one by Javon Bullard when teammate Isaiah McDuffie ran into him, and one by Keisean Nixon on a deep ball.
All that helped the Giants score 13 points in the first half and then put together back-to-back drives of 16 and 15 plays in the second half.
The first one, with the Packers leading 19-13, ended after nine minutes, 46 seconds on a shared sack on fourth down in the red zone by Micah Parsons and McDuffie.
"That was huge," LaFleur said.
But their next drive took another 7:59 off the clock and Winston finished it with a TD sneak, giving the Giants a 20-19 lead with 7:22 left.
All told, the Giants were 10-of-18 on third and fourth downs, but Winston threw one too many dangerous passes as Williams intercepted him in the end zone on third-and-6 from the 14-yard line with 36 seconds left.
"I was really relieved when we needed a play at the end of the game we got one," LaFleur said.
- Love and the offense came through when it had to.
Trailing 20-19, the Packers faced third-and-10 from their own 47 when Love, bouncing around in the pocket with good pass protection and looking for someone to throw to, heaved it deep for rookie Savion Williams.
On the only pass thrown his way all day – a day that began with his foot/ankle injury in a walking boot as he arrived at the stadium no less – Williams made a leaping catch over the defender for 33 yards to the New York 20.
"It went off schedule," Love described. "In the pocket I had time, but I didn't like the initial read and told him to go deep. He did a good job wheeling up there and I threw him a 50-50 ball. He went up and made a big-time catch. Really a phenomenal play by him."
A couple snaps later, after an offensive holding penalty and a 13-yard reception by Romeo Doubs following multiple drops on the day, Love fired a go ball for Watson from the 17-yard line. Watson made an impressive catch in the back corner of the end zone just behind the defender for the go-ahead score.
"Christian was running a slot fade right there," Love said. "You're seeing the one-on-one so I tried to put it up for a place he can go make a play. Not trying to throw a perfect ball … he did a great job high-pointing that one and coming down with it."
Running back Emanuel Wilson, who had 40 yards rushing and a TD in Jacobs' absence, caught the ensuing two-point pass for the seven-point lead, which held up.
- Now the meat of the schedule arrives.
The Packers play five of their last seven regular-season games against NFC North opponents, beginning next Sunday at home against the Vikings.
It's hard to envision winning a lot of games playing the way Green Bay did against the Giants, but they simply need the win after two tough home losses to spark something.
"That's ultimately (it)," LaFleur said. "We'll enjoy it tonight but we know what we have in front of us, a division rival, they beat us twice last year. Last two times at home we've come up short.
"We're going to have our hands full for another 60-minute, four-quarter battle. We're going to have to get healthy, recover and put the work in to go play our best football."
