The Green Bay Packers (3-2) gave up 17 straight points in the second half and lost a stunner to the New York Giants by a 27-22 final Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
It was over when…
… Aaron Rodgers’ 4th-and-1 pass from the 6-yard line was batted down, creating a turnover on downs and giving the Giants the ball back up seven points with 1:02 left in the game.
Game balls
– WR Randall Cobb: He caught a season-high seven passes on 13 targets for 99 yards, including a 35-yarder on third down and a 20-yarder setting up a field goal in the first half.
– OLB Preston Smith: He had the defense’s only sack, and he also hit Daniel Jones three times.
– K Mason Crosby: The veteran kicker made field goals of 46 yards and 48 yards.
Key stat
338: The Packers defense gave up 338 yards over five scoring drives spanning the second quarter and second half
Scoring
3-0: Mason Crosby 46-yard field goal
10-0: Allen Lazard 4-yard touchdown (extra point)
10-3: Graham Gano 48-yard field goal
17-3: Marcedes Lewis 2-yard touchdown (extra point)
17-10: Daniel Bellinger 2-yard touchdown (extra point)
20-10: Mason Crosby 48-yard field goal
20-13: Graham Gano 37-yard field goal
20-20: Gary Brightwell 2-yard touchdown (extra point)
20-27: Saquon Barkley 2-yard touchdown (extra point)
22-27: Safety
Quick takes
– Losing a conference game in this fashion will almost certainly hurt the Packers down the road. Up 17-3 and 20-10 against a team quarterbacked by Daniel Jones should be a win 99/100 times. But as Aaron Rodgers said post-game, this team has a small margin for error this season.
– Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon attempted only 19 runs. The Giants begged the Packers to throw the ball, and Aaron Rodgers obliged. The biggest problem? The passing game was consistently unable to execute in the second half.
– This is such an up and down football team. The offense looked terrific for 30 minutes, scoring on four of the first five drives. The defense, at times, can be a dominant side. But the Packers can’t seem to put a full game together regardless of the opponent. The second half on Sunday was well below the standard necessary for winning in the NFL.
– Who knows what to make of the Packers defense overall. A game against Daniel Jones and the Giants weapons in the passing game should have been a big opportunity to feast. Instead, the Packers wilted over five straight highly disappointing drives. Giving up 27 points to that offense isn’t good enough.
– The Giants converted 6-of-11 third downs, rushed for 125 yards and made four trips into the red zone.
– Rasul Douglas committed three big penalties. Overall, the Packers handed the Giants four first down via penalty, including two canceling out sacks.
– Randall Cobb created 99 receiving yards and was explosive in the first half, but the Giants mostly took him away in the second half.
– On one three-play stretch after the Giants tied the game at 20, Rodgers threw three incomplete passes. He said he really liked all three calls. And he should have: All three created one-on-one opportunities for veteran receivers. The passing game just didn’t execute or finish.
– Neither the Packers nor the Giants had a turnover. For the fifth straight game, the Packers failed to win the turnover battle.
– Allen Lazard has a touchdown catch in seven of his last nine regular season games overall.
– I think this game was the answer to, “What if Mac Jones played last week?”
What’s next
The Packers (3-2) fly home and start a week of prep for the New York Jets, who come to Lambeau Field on Sunday for a noon kickoff.
