Three Critical Players for Both Packers, Giants for Sunday’s Matchup

The Green Bay Packers (5-3-1) will look to snap their two-game losing streak against the struggling New York Giants (2-8) on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Here are the key players for both teams.

Packers-Giants: Three Key Players for New York

1. OLB Brian Burns

Brian Burns has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL this season, tied for the league lead with 11 sacks to go with 15 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and six passes defensed. He is a bright spot on the Giants’ poor defense, and he could be a game-changer on Sunday.

During the Packers’ three losses and the tie against the Cowboys, they gave up 10 sacks. They gave up four in their five wins. Myles Garrett, who is tied with Burns for the league lead in sacks, proved what a dominant edge rusher can accomplish in slowing down the Green Bay offense in Week 3.

Burns’ snaps are split relatively evenly between the left and right sides, so left tackle Rasheed Walker and right tackle Zach Tom will get their shots against one of the NFL’s premier rushers.

If they can’t protect Jordan Love from Burns, he could make a living in the backfield and slow down the Packers’ already struggling offense.

2. DT Dexter Lawrence II

Another bright spot on the Giants’ defensive line is nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II, who is one of the best pass rushers at his position despite only having a half-sack this season. Among 72 defensive tackles with at least 150 pass-rushing snaps, Lawrence is tied for 10th in pass-rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus.

A three-time Pro Bowler, he had nine sacks in just a dozen games last season.

More than a pass rusher, he has three batted passes and one interception this season.

After losing center Elgton Jenkins likely for the rest of the season, the middle of the Packers’ offensive line is vulnerable, and it will have its first test against Lawrence without much time for Sean Rhyan to settle into his new role at center. Other than four snaps last season, Rhyan hadn’t played center in a game in his career until logging 41 snaps against the Eagles.

3. QB Jameis Winston

New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) is shown during the third quarter against the Denver Broncos. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

With Jaxson Dart sustaining a concussion last week against the Bears, veteran Jameis Winston is taking over as the starting quarterback.

Winston has not yet played this season. Last season in Cleveland, Winston started seven games, finishing the season with 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The story of Winston’s career has always been his decision-making and aggressiveness. He has been seen as an all-or-nothing quarterback, having the talent and arm strength to make explosive plays but taking big risks and putting the ball up for grabs.

That was highlighted in 2019, when he finished first in the NFL with 5,109 passing yards, second with 33 touchdowns and first with 30 interceptions.

If the Giants want to steal a win from the Packers, Winston needs to be at his best and take care of the ball, as his defense hasn’t been good and may not be able to keep up with the Green Bay’s offense.

Packers-Giants: Three Key Players for Green Bay

1. QB Jordan Love

Jordan Love is coming off one of his worst games of the season, throwing for a season-low 176 passing yards and no touchdowns on another season-low 55.6 completion percentage.

Love could be in for a much better game against the Giants’ 23rd-ranked passing defense. He should have more weapons this week, as Matthew Golden might be returning from his shoulder injury and Romeo Doubs avoided a long-term injury after leaving last week’s game with a chest injury and has no injury tag this week.

2. RB Josh Jacobs

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) makes a reception for a first down before tackled by Nakobe Dean. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Like Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs has an opportunity to have a great game against the Giants 31st-ranked rushing defense. Jacobs is coming off a solid performance against the Eagles, running the ball 21 times for 74 yards and a touchdown.

Jacobs could be challenged by Green Bay’s new offensive line, with Sean Rhyan sliding into center to replace Elgton Jenkins, a former Pro Bowler. Rhyan will have to contend with powerful Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence.

“I think that’s a really good opponent, man,” Jacobs said. “Looking at their front five, they’re all first-rounders, all guys that you know play at a really, really high level, just watching them on film. I mean, they fly around to the ball.”

Jacobs could also get involved in the passing game if the interior of the offensive line struggles without Jenkins. He brought in five of his six targets for 33 yards last week.

3. DE Rashan Gary

Rashan Gary could be primed for a big game against the Giants’ struggling offensive line, which ranks 24th in sack percentage allowed. After going without a sack for the fourth time in nine games last week, Gary will want to live in the backfield against the Giants and torment Jameis Winston in his first game of the year.

Gary spends a lot of his time lined up across from the opposing team’s right tackle. If that remains true this week, he will be up against Jermaine Eleumenor. Among offensive tackles, Eleumenor ranks seventh in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which combines sacks, hits and hurries per pass-protecting snap. He allowed a sack last week against Chicago, snapping a four-game sack-free streak.

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