After a brutal home loss to the Carolina Panthers and a lackluster offensive showing against the defending Super Bowl winners the following week, the Green Bay Packers need a pick-me-up.

Don’t we all need a treat in these trying times?

Thankfully, their next opponent is in shambles.

The New York Giants are putting the “artist” in “choke artist” this season, thanks to a plethora of last-minute comebacks by opposing teams, including their latest game at the hands of the Chicago Bears. That game would be Brian Daboll’s last as head coach, and the Giants will face the Packers under the leadership of interim head coach Mike Kafka.

To make matters worse in the Meadowlands, up-and-coming quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a concussion, exiting the game, and may miss Sunday’s game. Kafka said on Wednesday that the Giants will start Jameis Winston, who had been QB3, against Green Bay.

A backup quarterback playing for an interim head coach on a team that consistently loses is a delicacy for the Packers, at least on paper. But a cornered animal is the most dangerous, and the Packers haven’t been exactly trustworthy lately. Can they get right and overcome the chaos in New York?

Of the 2-8 Giants losses, three have been brutal last-minute defeats. In Week 2, a 64-yard Brandon Aubrey kick took the game into overtime, and a 46-yarder sealed the victory for the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 7, Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos offense, who had been quiet, became a stampede in the fourth quarter and handed the Giants a devastating loss. Last Week, Dart’s exit and some Bears’ resilience led to Chicago’s fourth-quarter comeback.

That leaves a sour taste and tanks morale.

In their other losses, they didn’t look great. The Giants aren’t a great team to begin with, especially without star wide receiver Malik Nabers and meme-machine Cam Skattebo.

Meanwhile, the Packers are coming off back-to-back home losses against an inferior Panthers team and a close but unfulfilling game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Packers need a good game to silence critics and restore some faith in Matt LaFleur. Bullying a 2-8 team with a backup quarterback and fill-in head coach seems like the perfect cure. But can Green Bay actually bounce back and get the job done?

Green Bay has a bad habit of playing with its food. Two of their losses came against opponents they were heavily favored over. Against backup quarterbacks in Weeks 5 and 6, the Packers let both offenses keep the game closer than it needed to be while still making some of their usual offensive mistakes.

Meanwhile, the Giants’ lone victories came against the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, two good teams. When Dart started, the Giants occasionally appeared to punch above their weight.

The two biggest questions are whether the Packers respond positively after their past two losses and whether the Giants will fight for their new coach.

Until 2022, LaFleur had never lost back-to-back games. But in 2022, he lost five straight (including one to the Giants). He would lose four straight in 2023. Those are his only two stretches losing three or more games in a row, and it’s hard to see this Giants team adding a new streak.

LaFleur had to answer questions about his future in Green Bay after Monday’s loss and is clearly feeling some heat. Can he overcome the doubters and deliver a statement win, even against an inferior opponent?

On the other side, we don’t know what a Mike Kafka-led Giants team looks like. Since 2018, interim coaches have had a true 50% win rate in their first week. In the three games under interim head coaches in 2024, the New Orleans Saints won under Darren Rizzi, while the Bears (Thomas Brown) and New York Jets (Jeff Ulbrich) lost.

Sometimes, the breath of fresh air galvanizes a team, at least for a week. Other times, the problems go much deeper.

Jameis Winston getting the start over Russell Wilson adds even more chaos to the equation. Winston is a one-man roller coaster capable of the finest or most horrifying quarterback showings at any given time. Despite his 1-2 record versus Green Bay (1-1 as the starter), he’s played well against the Packers, with 519 yards, seven TDs, no interceptions, and a 123.3 passer rating. Jeff Hafley must prepare the defense for Mr. Winston’s Wild Ride.

Nevertheless, the Packers should win this game. Their roster is much better than the Giants’, and the team is noticeably stronger across almost every category. Matt LaFleur won’t want another blemish on his record.

But the Packers have underperformed against bad teams before, especially against backup quarterbacks. The Packers can’t waltz in half-prepared like they have at other times. Green Bay can’t expect to merely beat a dead horse. They need to take the game seriously and use this as a turning point by delivering a complete game in all three phases.

A win against an interim head coach and backup quarterback won’t totally help the Packers gain more credibility, but you play the teams on your schedule. If Green Bay can take this game seriously, learn from their mistakes, and not play with their food, they can at least regain some trust against this floundering Giants team.