‘Bad In All Three Phases,’ Packers Upset by Giants
Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur offered a word of warning to his team after three consecutive wins.
“We’re a .500 football team. We’re 6-6 right now,” he said a day after last week’s upset of the Chiefs. “We’ve clawed out of a tough spot, but every week, you’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game.”
The Packers aren’t a .500 team because they didn’t bring their “A” or “B” game.
With Tommy DeVito outplaying Jordan Love, the New York Giants upset the Packers 24-22 on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. Randy Bullock booted a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the game.
The loss was a reality check to the Packers, who fell to 6-7. They lead a five-team logjam for the final spot in the NFC playoff race.
“You’ve got to execute and you’ve got to play good football and you’ve got to play complementary football,” LaFleur said after the game. “When you’re bad in all three phases, you lose the game.”
New York won its third in a row behind DeVito, the undrafted rookie who was poised, athletic and efficient in leading the upset.
Green Bay looked doomed, trailing 21-16 late in the fourth quarter when Saquon Barkley broke two tackles and rumbled into the open field. However, Barkley stumbled untouched to the turf and fumbled, with Carrington Valentine’s 50-yard return setting up Love at the Giants’ 36.
Love, who struggled for most of the game, threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Malik Heath – who had the ball jarred loose in the end zone a play earlier – on third down. Heath knocked over the official at the pylon. When he got up and called touchdown, Heath tore off his helmet and celebrated a potential game-winning touchdown.
The touchdown put Green Bay on top 22-21 with 1:33 remaining. On the critical two-point play, Jayden Reed motioned right and then took a handoff to the left. He was swarmed near the goal line, with Green Bay’s blockers unable to clear the path.
“Obviously, bad call,” LaFleur said.
Thus, the Giants needed a field goal to win instead of tie.
On the game-winning drive, Wan’Dale Robinson burned Keisean Nixon at the line of scrimmage to get free. DeVito’s pass hit him in stride for a gain of 32 yards that included 18 yards after the catch to the Packers’ 22.
“Explosive plays lead to points. It was just bad ball,” LaFleur said.
Love was 25-of-39 passing for 218 yards with one touchdown, one interception and one lost fumble. Green Bay was 5-of-14 against one of the best third-down defenses in the NFL but 2-of-5 against one of the worst red-zone defenses.
“Not good enough,” Love said. “Obviously not good enough to get the job done. Obviously, two costly turnovers cost us.”
The Packers lost the turnover battle 3-2; they had zero giveaways during their winning streak.
“Losing the turnover battle was critical,” Love said.
DeVito was 17-of-21 passing for 158 yards and one touchdown. He added 71 rushing yards. He was not sacked – the Giants had given up 20 sacks the last three games.
Through Week 7, both teams were 2-5. The first half of this game, with Green Bay leading 10-7, looked like it was being played by 2-5 teams.
Love had a terrible first half. His 13-of-20 passing was fine, but he threw one awful interception and fumbled once with Green Bay in scoring position.
“The first half was not up to our standard,” Love said.
Fortunately for the Packers, they were playing the Giants and their 32nd-ranked offense. The Giants had a 75-yard scoring drive; their other five possessions gained 53 yards.
Green Bay’s only touchdown was a 16-yard run by Reed, who took the ball on the fly, caught star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux napping and high-stepped his way for the final 10 yards.
The Giants took a 14-10 lead early in the third quarter following Nixon’s muffed punt, recovery and fumble. Following Green Bay’s third turnover of the night, DeVito took a quarterback run for 26 before Barkley scored from the 1.
“Not the smartest play in that situation,” LaFleur said of Nixon’s decision to not just pounce on the ball.
The Giants had their own muffed-punt turnover moments later, with Rudy Ford recovering at New York’s 14. However, the Packers managed only a 32-yard field goal after Reed appeared to not see Love’s pass on third-and-10.
The Giants went right down the field to extend their lead to 21-13 late in the third quarter on DeVito’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Hodgins on third-and-7.
