The New York Giants (2-9) will attempt to stop their free fall through the standings with an upset over the Green Bay Packers (8-3) at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Here are six things to know about the Week 13 game
The rivalry
This week’s game marks the 54th regular-season meeting between the two teams since 1928.The Packers lead the regular season series, 28-23-2. The Giants have a 16-15-2 home record against the Pack. The teams last met on October 9, 2016, a 23-16 Packers victory at Lambeau Field. The Giants last played Green Bay at home on November 17, 2013, winning, 27-13, over the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers.
The two clubs have met eight times in the post season. The Packers have won five times (1938, 1944, 1961, 1962 and 2017). The Giants’ three wins came in 1938, 2008 and 2012.
What’s going on with the Packers…
The Packers are coming off a brutal 37-8 defeat at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers on national television. Their other two losses have been to Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Chargers. Green Bay has wins over Chicago, Minnesota, Denver, Dallas, Detroit, Oakland, Kansas City and Carolina. They are currently in a tie with the Vikings for first place in the NFC North.
The Packers’ offense is averaging 23.5 points per game (13th in the NFL) and are 21st in yards per game at 341.6 (238.2 passing, 103.5 rushing). Their defense is allowing 22.0 points per game (14th) and 380.5 YPG (28th) — 255.0 passing (23rd) and 125.5 rushing (26th).
The Packers are +8 in turnover ratio with 16 takeaways and eight giveaways. Running back Aaron Jones has 11 rushing touchdowns, tied for second in the NFL. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn’t had a double-digit interception season since 2010 when he threw 11. He currently has two on the season, tying him for the lowest in the NFL with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (min. 320 attempts).
What’s going on with the Giants…
The Giants have lost seven consecutive games and their 2-9 record is one game worse than it was last year after 11 games. Quarterback Daniel Jones leads all rookie QBs with 17 touchdown passes. He has thrown a TD pass in nine consecutive starts, the fourth-longest active streak in the NFL.
The Giants offense is averaging 19.7 points per game (24th in the league), 315.0 yards per game (25th) – 219.5 passing (22nd) and 95.5 rushing (21st). The defense is allowing 28.0 PPG (29th) and 377.5 YPG (27th) – 260.0 passing (26th) and 117.5 rushing (22nd).
The Giants have a minus-11 turnover ratio with a whopping 25 giveaways and 14 takeaways. Only Tampa Bay is worse this season.
Two guys named Smith are racking up sacks for Green Bay
This past offseason, the Packers went out in free agency and signed two outside linebackers by the name of Smith. Za’Darius, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens and Preston, who began his career in Washington.
This season though eleven games, Preston has 10.5 sacks and Za’Darius has 10. How the Giants plan on keeping the Smiths off Mr. Jones is going to be interesting.
Not if you’re Jones, though. The Giants have allowed 35 sacks this season.
Davante Adams is back, and that’s not good for the Giants
Adams has been nagged by a toe injury most of the season and missed four games. Adams is clearly the Packers’ best wideout and the injury has been slowing him down a bit.
This week, against the Giants’ challenged secondary, Adams — who has been targeted 11, 10 and 12 times in the last three games since returning — could get healthy fast.
The Giants will likely pit Janoris Jenkins on Adams and that could make fans a little nervous. The way top wideouts have eaten Jenkins up this season (Mike Evans, for one). This could be the perfect bounce-back game for Green Bay and a springboard game for Adams.
Jimmy Graham isn’t great anymore, but it may not matter
Jimmy Graham was once one of the NFL’s most feared weapons when he was with New Orleans and Seattle. Graham only has 28 receptions for 317 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Hardly the monster he once was, but he is averaging 11.3 yards per catch. With safety Jabrill Peppers out with a fracture of the transverse process, the Giants will be looking to counter Graham with either 35-year-old Antoine Bethea, rookie Julian Love or Michael Thomas.
Look for Aaron Rodgers to exploit this mismatch.
