Inbox: All they can do is get after it again

Brian from Las Vegas, NV

One day, maybe a team will beat us. I wonder if that will feel any better?

I doubt it. I would suggest it's way worse feeling your team just didn't compete on a given day.

Matt from Plainfield, NJ

The Giants are better than their record suggests, but where in the world did Spoff count four blown double-digit second-half leads? Next time, get him a bigger coffee after MNF.

Sorry, my bad. Two of their blown double-digit leads have been in the second quarter, not second half: 13-3 over Dallas and 14-3 over New Orleans. The other two have been in the fourth quarter: 19-0 (and 26-8) over Denver and 20-10 over Chicago.

Eric from Kenosha, WI

On to the Giants. 2022, Rodgers' thumb is broken in London. 2023, defense never adjusts to Tommy Tutone (or whomever) bailing at the first sign of trouble. Please excuse our fan PTSD this week.

Noted.

Steve from Cottage Grove, WI

Spoff, I always appreciate the daily read of II. Thanks for all you and Wes do. With Jameis Winston expected to start for the Giants on Sunday, what are some keys to the game for the Packers' defense to attack their offensive unit? Sacks, interceptions, etc. Are there any Giants players that make you pause or hope the game plan accounts for them?

Winston is going to take chances, and therefore is going to give the Packers chances to make plays in the back end. That's his MO. In his best season with Tampa Bay, he threw for 5,000 yards with 33 TD passes and 30 INTs. Last year with Cleveland, in seven starts, he threw 13 TDs and 12 picks. That's who he is. He will go for the spectacular play and live with the result. If he puts the ball in harm's way, the Packers must make him pay.

Randy from Bucksnort, TN

I'm heading to New York on Saturday (as long as the flights aren't cancelled) to see the game on Sunday. What areas do we need to do better this week so I can see them win in person and raise my road record to an even 5-5? Who are the Giant defenders that we need to worry about keeping our offense in its current funk?

I addressed the Giants’ defensive front in this story. I watched most of their game against the Bears, and Caleb Williams was pulling one Houdini act after another to get away from those guys. It was nothing short of astounding Williams wasn't sacked. Protecting Jordan Love will be no easy task.

Brannon from Greenville, SC

I, for one, was entertained by the defensive struggle on Monday night, but I like old-school football. Was I frustrated? Sure. Angry? No, I got to watch a football game in a local bar with a bunch of decked-out Packers fans and had a fun-filled evening. Football makes life good :) What are the weaknesses of the Giants' defense that the Packers might exploit to get the offense generating points?

The Giants have struggled stopping the run. They've allowed 152 rushing yards per game, which ranks 31st, ahead of only Cincinnati. The Packers absolutely have to be able to run the ball effectively against this defense.

Jacob from Superior, WI

Curious how bad this offense is? They're the first NFL team to allow fewer than 40 points and fewer than 800 yards over their first three losses of a season since the Lions in 1940.

So we got that goin' for us, which … ain't cool.

Peter from Orland Park, IL

Hello Insiders, you responded to another fan about taking what the opponent gives you, "Dink and dunk is not a style they want to play, clearly, and they aren't good at it. I can only surmise they're not good at it because they don't practice it enough." If a team is letting you get 5 yards a pass, you move the chains every third play. You build a rhythm, get players involved and excited to play. The defense will eventually put additional players in the box, then you attack downfield. Thoughts?

It's beyond a question of style now, because the Packers have shown they can move the ball any which way. The issue is mistakes. For the second game in a row, LaFleur said afterward the opponent was simply waiting for the Packers to screw up, and it worked. Whatever style, if you can't avoid penalties and negative plays, you won't score enough. The Packers have crossed midfield a dozen times in the last two games and have 20 points to show for it. That's a head-exploding stat. They have to cash in or opponents won't see any reason to adjust.

Jake from Decatur, GA

The talk yesterday reminded me of my own favorite Vic-ism, originally by Chuck Noll: Leaving the game plan is a sign of panic, and panic is not in our game plan. The run plays are doing enough. The receivers are getting open, and Love usually finds them. The O-line will gel or it won't. The receivers will start catching the ball or they won't. Sometimes you have to change the way you prepare, but this team, in my very professional opinion, just needs to play better. Plain and simple.

If only it were so simple. But I wholeheartedly agree.

Phil from Madison, WI

I don't want to be too critical because he was under a ton of pressure, but the first half was the first time I remember thinking Love was panicked. There were a lot of happy feet and looking for escape routes early. I think he needs to watch a bunch of old Tom Brady games. Jordan never seems to know where he can go with the ball for a throwaway to avoid a sack. Also maybe the coach needs to help him in a game like that with some rollouts.

I commented in the live blog at the time I thought the 11-yard sack on the opening drive that knocked the offense out of FG range, followed by the botched exchange with Josh Jacobs on the first play of the next drive, threw Love off his game for a bit. In the fourth quarter, I saw a much more confident QB make some high-quality throws in tough spots, not all of which were caught.

Steve from Stillman Valley, IL

I'm concerned with JL's play. A franchise QB needs to show confident leadership when things are going badly. He also needs to see the whole field and find the open receivers. TV viewers were shown four different plays where he didn't even see the open receivers. If he's going thru his progressions shouldn't he pick some of these up?

I'm reading a ton of these comments, so I checked the film and here's what I saw. On the early third down when Romeo Doubs was open on a corner route, the pass protection didn't hold up long enough for that throw to be made. When Love tried to look quickly for another option backside, he lost his chance to get away and took the 11-yard sack. On another early third down when he hit Luke Musgrave two yards short of the sticks, he didn't wait long enough for Christian Watson's in cut over the middle, and the pass pro did hold up. He rushed himself on that one. Later, on a 5-yard scramble up the middle on second-and-long, Doubs was free out in front of him but he didn't throw it. Not sure if he didn't see him or felt he couldn't set his feet right to be accurate. On the deep ball to Watson late, Dontayvion Wicks was coming free over the middle but Love was avoiding a sack back there and stuck with what I assume was the primary read amidst the chaos. Did he miss some chances? Sure, but they weren't all on him, and offensive breakdowns on other plays were more instrumental in the results. It's a team game.

Chad from Cornelius, NC

I think if JJ turns the other way on that late-game screen he runs to Kaukauna … and back.

It was a checkdown not a screen, but yeah. The smallest happenstance can change any game when the margins are so thin.

Scott from East Helena, MT

Every comment section of every social media post regarding the Packers has a lot about Brandon McManus still kicking. No mention of it in II. The fans deserve an explanation of why Lucas Havrisik didn't win the job.

I addressed this in my mid-week chat: Nobody on the outside knows what's gone on in practice. If Havrisik were kicking better than McManus in practice, I believe they'd have waited longer for McManus to get healthy. I don't know how else to view it.

Sean from Bel Air, MD

I saw a good amount of film on X Tuesday, and my takeaway is not that the playcalling is predictable or stale. I saw WRs/TEs open and running lanes for the ball carrier. The takeaway is that the execution just isn't there and everyone on offense has had a hand it in at one point or the other. Case in point, on that fourth-and-1 play the Iggles knew was coming, if RB1 runs where it's designed to go, he likely gets the first down. The left side of the OL collapsed that DL. Just Do Your Job.

Right, but RB1 also had a blocker in his lap when he got the handoff, so he couldn't get where it was designed to go, rendering multiple good blocks useless. All it takes is one.

Johnny from Nasewaupee, WI

Hello II, after Elgton Jenkins went out, I tried to watch Sean Rhyan. He seemed to do a good job filling in at center. How do you guys think he graded out?

I thought he held his own just fine, and if it weren't for what I mentioned above, we'd be talking about Rhyan's impressive pancake block on fourth-and-1.

Grant from Green Bay, WI

Worried. Concerned. Panic. I know I'm a Packers optimist, but if I'd only read II, I'd think the Packers were the Jets. It was an ugly offensive showing, absolutely, but we held the defending champs to their lowest point total of the year, four of our seven best offensive players were hurt (Tucker Kraft, Jayden Reed, Jenkins, Doubs) and we only lost by three. Adjustments are needed, no doubt, but if 2023 and 2014 taught me anything, it's that seasons change and we've overcome worse with less.

Weapon-wise, the first game after losing Kraft might've been the most inopportune time for Matthew Golden to be sidelined, on top of Malik Heath and Savion Williams not full-go, Wicks just getting back, then Doubs exiting. Plus another continuity hit up front. I'd like to believe once all that settles down, the offense will settle down as well.

Gregg from Brownsville, WI

Please explain to me what Nick Sirianni was thinking on the fourth-down throw to the end zone late in the fourth quarter? Christian Watson catches that pass and it easily could have been a different outcome. To me that is a bigger head-scratcher than anything MLF did on Monday.

I didn't get it either. I said to Wes in the press box, you either kick the long field goal to go up by six, which admittedly had its risks, or punt the Packers back to the 10-yard line. No other option made sense to me.

Jim from Hudsonville, MI

Wes mentioned the defensive adjustments we made between the Panthers game and the Eagles game. Could you please share what those were, specifically, from a scheme standpoint? To my highly untrained eye, it simply appeared that we played better. Surely it was more than that?

The Packers' second-level defenders, particularly Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper and Evan Williams, attacked the line of scrimmage much more forcefully against the run. I don't know whether you call that a scheme adjustment or just improved play, but it made a huge difference.

Phil from Marietta, GA

Please clarify a rule. Packers punt and attempt to down the ball but the GB player's foot is on the goal line so the ball is a touchback but still live. Eagles player picks it up and tries to run but is tackled immediately. Refs award the touchback. Why? Didn't the Eagles' player void the touchback by running with the ball?

A touchback is a dead ball. They didn't call it in the moment because they weren't sure. After discussion, they did, so nothing else mattered.

Bill from Burbank, CA

Three losses. Stop panicking. The D played inspired ball. Barkley 22 for 60. The O lost two All-Pros in two weeks, the receiving corps is crippled, and we still went toe-to-toe with the champs for 60 minutes. J Love still a very young QB. But it is November, and contending teams should have it together by now. This Packer team hasn't come close to putting one single complete game together in nine tries. What's it gonna take?

I'd say seven tries after coming awfully close the first two. But in any event, that's the million-dollar question. If it were an easy answer, we'd have seen it long ago. All they can do is get after it again on Sunday.

Mark from Bettendorf, IA

5-3-1 still gets you in the playoffs today. I, for one, am being patient. The defense keeps them in games and I believe those self-inflicted problems will start to fade with one big win. Would a 15-plus point win in New York relax everybody, or would it be better they sneak one out in the end like they have struggled to do in their three losses?

It doesn't matter. This team just needs a win any way it can get it. Blow them out, squeak by, whatever it takes. The fuel pump for the psyche has just one "W" button. Push it and don't look back. Talk to you again tomorrow. Happy Thursday.

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