Ah, the unpredictability of youth. Mistakes of the young are corrected but more often than not, it takes a couple of corrections. The Green Packers, riding a three game winning streak with exemplary play, could not sustain that momentum at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey Monday night, falling to the New York Giants 24-22 in a contest that looked much more like the shaky football of September than a playoff push in December.
The Packers offense was wildly inconsistent and turnovers returned. The defense couldn’t reach a third string quarterback turned cult hero in the Big Apple and failed when given a chance to secure an improbable victory. The Special Teams committed penalties, missed a field goal and muffed a punt which led to a touchdown. Head Coach Matt LaFleur was asked if he saw any indication a performance like that was coming and he bluntly replied, “No, no I did not.” LaFleur bristled though his entire post game press conference that lasted all of five minutes saying the play was substandard in all three phases.
Green Bay struck first on a Jayden Reed jet sweep late in the first quarter, sprinting 16 yards around the right end without getting touched. The Giants answered with an end around from a receiver as well. Wan’Dale Robinson covered 32 yards to the five where Saquon Barkley got in clean off the left side to tie the game at 7. The next two possessions ended with Jordan Love turnovers, he coughed up a fumble at the New York 26 that cost Green Bay at least a shot at three points. On the next series, a poor ball intended for Dontayvion Wicks was intercepted by Jason Pinnock at the New York 23. The adversity defense held firm both times. Backup linebacker Eric Wilson stopped Barkley for no gain on 4th and one and a rare pressure forced and incompletion and led to a punt.
One more trip to the red zone fizzled before the half but Anders Carlson hit a 36 yard field goal with :17 left in the second quarter to give the Packers a 10-7 lead at the break.
A third and one stuff of Barkley by Kenny Clark opened the third quarter forcing a quick punt but disaster struck. Keisean Nixon muffed the kick and when he tried to pick it up, he lost it again with the Giants recovering at the 31 and this time, they cashed in. Tommy DeVito, an undrafted rookie quarterback ripped off a 26 yard run to the one and Barkley finished it off to give New York it’s first lead at 14-10. New York had punt return trouble too as a Daniel Whelan kick glanced off the leg of Bobby McCain and Rudy Ford covered it up at the New York 14 yard line. The offense went nowhere and got only three points off the turnover on Carlson’s 32 yard kick.
New York hit a flea flicker for 25 yards on the next series and DeVito capped the 75 yard drive by rolling right and hitting Isaiah Hodgins in the corner of the end zone against Carrington Valentine to make it 21-13 game heading to the 4th quarter.
Love got sacked on a third and 11 play at the New York 17 forcing Carlson on to attempt a 45 yard field goal but it missed wide left. The defense got the ball back with a three and out and Love hit Tucker Kraft over the middle and the rookie broke a tackle to break a big 43 yard gain. Again, the offense stalled and Carlson made amends with a 48 yard boot to pull Green Bay within 5 but only 5:35 was left to play.
That’s when things really got wild. Looking to run out the clock, Barkley ripped off a 34 yard run and kept his feet after a swiping tackle attempt but when he fell to the ground without getting touched again, the ball came out. Valentine picked it up and raced 50 yards the other way setting up Green Bay at the New York 36. Love drilled a pass in the end zone for Malik Heath who had the ball in his hands for a moment only to have it come and after review, the play was called incomplete. Love went right back to Heath who caught the out route to the left and somehow extended the ball over the pylon while losing his helmet and knocking over the sideline official in the process who gathered himself and signaled touchdown. Another review confirmed the score that put the Packers up 22-21. A two point conversion was a play the New York defense had seen often, Reed on a jet sweep and this time it was covered up.
Taking over at their 25, DeVito hit four straight passes, two checkdowns, a softly covered out route and then the big play, finding Robinson on a crossing route as he beat Nixon and the catch and run covered 32 yards to the Packer 22. New York bled the clock and brought out Randy Bullock who missed early in the game from 48 yards but his 37 yard kick was down the middle as the clock expired.
About as deflating a finish you could imagine.
LaFleur wasn’t about to hide his disappointment.
New York outgained Green Bay 367-326. Love finished 25 of 39 for 218 yards with a touchdown and an interception, getting sacked twice for a rating of 76.7. He was outplayed by DeVito who was 17 of 21 (10 of 11 in the second half) for 158 yards and a score for a rating of 113.9. The Giants had yielded 69 sacks on the season through 12 weeks but shut out Green Bay’s pressure. DeVito also piled up 71 yards on 10 carries behind only Barkley’s 86 yards on 20 rushes with two scores. A.J. Dillon picked up 53 yards on 15 carries and Reed had 38 on four sweeps or reverses. He also caught a team high 8 passes but for just 27 yards before leaving the game to be evaluated for a concussion. The Packers struggled on third down, converting just two of their first 11 before finishing 5 of 14.
Key players were inactive for the contest, Christian Watson and Aaron Jones on offense, Jaire Alexander again on defense. Newly signed running back Kenyan Drake was elevated to the game day roster but didn’t see action.
Just when it appeared the young Packers had put the growing pains behind them, the loss to the Giants proved how easily they can resurface. Now at 6-7 with a a month to go, the Packers still hold the 7th and final Wild Card spot in the NFC but the Rams, Seahawks, Saints and Falcons are also at 6-7, right on their tail. Green Bay’s final four games are against Tampa Bay at the 6-7, the NFC South leader coming to Lambeau on a short week, at 1 win Carolina, the 7-6 Minnesota Vikings and the five win Chicago Bears. All winnable games but as fans witnessed Monday night in the Garden State, they can just as easily succumb to the error of their ways. You just never know with kids.
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