EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Jameis Winston gave the Packers chances, as Green Bay's defense knew the New York Giants' gunslinging backup quarterback would.
However, actually capitalizing on Winston's miscues was a separate deal during the first 59 minutes, 20 seconds of Sunday's matchup at MetLife Stadium.
After several close calls and near-interceptions, safety Evan Williams played the hero when he finally picked off Winston in the Packers' end zone to help seal a 27-20 win over the Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Green Bay's secondary got hands on several Winston passes, but didn't secure a takeaway until Williams' interception on a third-and-6 pass intended for Jalin Hyatt with just 36 seconds remaining.
"Instinct kind of takes over more in those moments," said Williams, who has two interceptions this season. "You just kind of trust your training. I've gotten that ball a million times throughout training camp. …. It just felt like a drill really out there to me."
Playing their first game for interim head coach Mike Kafka, the Giants lived on the edge for most of the afternoon. To support Winston in his spot start for an injured Jaxson Dart, New York employed a run-heavy offense behind Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary.
The Giants held the ball for nearly 36 minutes while running 38 times but generated a relatively modest 142 yards (3.7-yard average) on the ground. To make up the difference, New York went for it four times on fourth down – three of which came on the same third-quarter series.
Winston largely played under control in passing situations but was nearly picked off twice by cornerback Carrington Valentine in the first quarter alone.
At the start of the fourth quarter, nickel corner Javon Bullard came close to an INT but collided with linebacker Isaiah McDuffie before he could bring it in.
Shortly thereafter, cornerback Keisean Nixon and safety Xavier McKinney were in the vicinity of another Winston deep throw but neither could bring it in. The Giants wound up retaking the lead, 20-19, with 7:22 left on a 1-yard Winston TD.
"We definitely had opps and we did not capitalize on them," McKinney said. "To be able to get that one, for 'E' to be able to get that one when we needed it the most, that was definitely a relief for us for sure."
The Packers' offense answered and Williams' INT came after Green Bay surged ahead 27-20 lead on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson and a successful two-point conversion with a little more than four minutes remaining.
The Giants drove the ball into Green Bay's red zone after converting two third downs. Facing a third-and-6, Winston tried to loft in a pass to Hyatt in the end zone, but Williams was on it.
"They ran that concept a little earlier in the game. … two primary receivers stacked," Williams said. "Jameis, once he got the ball, he looked immediately towards my way and I'm thinking I'm hot (read). I'm probably the first read and I saw one break out. Legs made the play before I really did. I broke on (it) before it happened and put myself in a good spot to end it."
The Packers' defense allowed three TD-producing drives to the Winston-led Giants, including its first touchdown allowed on an opening series this season.
However, New York struggled to generate explosive plays all afternoon, and it showed on a 16-play, 56-yard drive in the third quarter that ate nearly 10 minutes off the clock but generated no points after Micah Parsons and McDuffie combined for a sack of Winston.
The Williams INT gave Green Bay a touchback and forced the Giants to use their final three timeouts to get the ball back with 10 seconds remaining. Parsons earned a strip sack of Winston that was recovered by Rashan Gary to end it.
To Parsons, it felt like momentum swung on Williams' INT – especially after the defense had four pass deflections prior to the second-year safety's takeaway.
"It's just like finally," Parsons said. "But he's a ball player. That's what he do in practice. If he gets a chance to make a play, he's gonna make a play. That's just the expectation for everybody."
Williams acknowledges the Packers still have plenty to clean up and a win doesn't necessarily mask the corrections they have to make going into next week's NFC North matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
Coming off back-to-back home losses, though, a resilient and definitive ending to Sunday's matchup with the Giants was just what the Packers ordered.
"A lot of relief, for sure, to finally get off the field," said Williams, who received a game ball. "We had opps all day. Guess we're gonna be doing some ball drills when we get back. Just felt good to finally be able to close it out. Put a period at the end of that sentence."
