If Green Bay Packers fans were looking for a statement performance on the road to erase the ugliness of a pair of losses at Lambeau, they didn’t get it on a blustery day at Met Life Stadium. They got the much-needed W, but it came with plenty of breath-holding and pearl-clutching.
You figured the New York Giants might get a jolt with their interim head coach and QB Jameis Winston stepping in. That makeshift offense gave the Packers fits all afternoon, moving the ball on the ground, chewing up the clock, and dodging several turnover land mines when Green Bay’s DBs refused to hang on to softballs Winston was tossing their way.
This one was going to be a dog fight; that was clear from the start. If it wasn’t receivers and DBs dropping balls, it was Jordan Love heading into the tunnel with a shoulder injury, or Josh Jacobs limping toward the blue medical tent, or Lucas Havrisik missing a pair of PATs.
But then onto the field strolls Malik Willis, who injected instant life into the offense again, directing a seven-play drive that included a sweet 16-yard run and ended with a dart in the end zone that Christian Watson somehow hung on to, the first of several key grabs by the Pack’s most explosive receiver.
The last one was the sweetest, punctuating the game-winning drive with a spectacular, almost Randy Moss-like catch on an equally amazing throw by Love into the wind. That’s four fourth-quarter comebacks Love has engineered this season, for those keeping score, all of them on the road.
It wouldn’t have happened if not for the play of the game, that third-and-10 heave to Savion Williams that looked like a busted play but turned into a game-saver. Williams was in a walking boot hours before kickoff. He played two snaps and made maybe a season-saving catch on one of them.
The fact that he hung in there with a sore left shoulder and converted all afternoon speaks volumes. The Pack was four for four in the red zone and seven of 11 on third downs. Granted, they weren’t facing the ’85 Bears, but it was a step in the right direction for the maligned offense.
The Pack rushed for over 100 yards in the first half, despite losing Jacobs early on, with Aaron Banks and Sean Rhyan providing optimism that the interior of the line is starting to look better. Fortunately, Jacobs dodged a serious injury.
An MRI showed no structural damage, and he’s considered day-to-day. With two games in the next 11 days, you connect the dots and figure he probably misses the next two key divisional games. Not ideal timing for a short-handed offense trying to find its footing.
It wasn’t a sterling audition for Jeff Hafley, if he was looking to impress the Giants owners, who will be searching for a new head man. His unit couldn’t get off the field all day. The Giants controlled the clock, spending 60% of the time on offense. The run defense was leaky, allowing 142 yards (though it took 37 carries to reach that total). Winston was rarely rushed out of the pocket. The Pack needs much more from Rashan Gary, who ended up splitting snaps with Kingsley Enagbare. With Micah Parsons drawing multiple bodies constantly, Gary needs to make his presence felt — he didn’t on Sunday.
Parsons continues to be a one-man wrecking crew. He had two huge plays at crucial moments, sacking Winston (with Isaiah McDuffie) on fourth down in the red zone, and the strip sack that ended the game.
Punter Daniel Whelan earned one of the team’s three game balls, and his multiple field-tipping punts, kicking into swirling winds, should not be forgotten. He is such a valuable weapon.
One thing to note: Luke Musgrave played a grand total of two snaps in the second half. He had a bad drop that looked like a fumble for a moment. Maybe that’s what got him planted on the bench. Or perhaps the team liked what the other two tight ends, John FitzPatrick and Josh Wiley, could provide as complete players in this particular game. It’s a storyline to watch, as the former second-rounder looks to grab hold of this opportunity with Tucker Kraft on the shelf. So far, not so good.
The Packers return home in second place in the North, looking up at the…wait for it, Chicago Bears. They’ll get their first shot at the Monsters of the Midway in a few weeks, but next up are the floundering Vikings, who are just a few weeks removed from stunning the Lions in Detroit.
It sure doesn’t feel like the team has turned a corner. Still, the Packers come home with a much-needed win under their belts, thanks mostly to their quarterback, who continues to find a way to fight through adversity and make game-winning plays when his team needs it most.
