After a couple of down weeks by the Green Bay Packers, they found a much-needed bounce back against the heavily depleted New York Giants, winning Sunday’s too-close-for-comfort matchup 27-20. With the team sitting at 6-3-1 and 3rd place in the NFC North, let’s take a look at today’s winners and losers.
Winner: Malik Willis
It was all hands on deck for Green Bay with injuries at kicker, running back, offensive line…actually, it would be easier to just say “everywhere”. There were injuries everywhere. Malik Willis once
again stepped in for the Packers without missing a beat when the team found itself down QB1 after Jordan Love exited with a shoulder injury. Willis was only on the field for a few plays, but he didn’t leave without throwing the offense’s only TD pass of the first half. Look, it may not have been a smart play on his part, but it WORKED, and that’s what matters here, isn’t it?
Winner: Jordan Love
That’s right, we’ve got two winning QBs today, because I refuse to feed into the QB controversy storyline some of you are trying to create! After weeks of the offense not being able to get anything going, the team marched into MetLife Stadium and promptly laid another goose egg. Jordan Love, however, did just about everything he could do. With 11 incompletions today, I counted at least 7 that were catchable but dropped. 5 of these drops came in the first half, which is a Packers record since ESPN started tracking dropped passes. With Josh Jacobs exiting the game early today due to a knee injury, the team absolutely had to get things going in the passing game. Jordan Love did his job, and led the Packers to a win in spite of the performance from most of the receivers. Love’s final stat line was 13/24 for 174 yards and 2 TDs for a 105.2 rating.
Loser: The Butterfingers
I found myself yelling “CATCH THE BALL!” at least 7 times today, which is…so many times. Romeo Doubs, who has been affectionately nicknamed “Strong Hands” in our Acme Packing Company group chat, had at least 2 drops today. Wicks had one. Musgrave had one. You probably had one. These things absolutely cannot happen, especially when the offense is trying to get its groove back against a bad football team.
Winner: Christian Watson
There was one receiver who basically saved the day, and he’s been playing well ever since coming back from his torn ACL a few weeks ago. Christian Watson was about the only receiver who caught the ball today, bringing in 4 of 5 targets for 46 yards and 2 TDs. Both touchdown catches were nothing short of spectacular. His first TD catch of the day was a literal “how did he catch that?” with one guy breathing down his neck.
His second TD catch of the day was a literal “how did he catch that?” with two guys breathing down his neck. Since Watson’s return, it’s been nothing but incredible effort and athleticism from him, and we should all be thankful for his recent contract extension. The offense is simply better with Watson on the field.
Winner: Daniel Whelan
There was one guy on the field whose job is to kick the football who had a great game today, and his name is DANIEL WHELAN, my Irish prince. With outrageously windy conditions today, we saw kickers from both teams struggle to get the ball where it needed to be, but the Packers’ punter did what needed to be done. The Giants’ offense already ate up a ton of time today, and with the clock winding down, the Packers couldn’t afford to give them good field position. Whelan’s final two punts of the game were 60 and 61 yards, right when the Packers needed it most. A hero from today’s win, for sure.
Winner: Evan Williams
It wasn’t just the Packers receivers who were dropping balls today; their DBs couldn’t hold on to anything either. With Jameis Winston being both a TD and INT machine, he gave the Packers defense plenty of opportunity to get a key turnover, but it wasn’t until one of the final plays of the game that they actually got one. With the Giants’ offense making their way down the field to potentially tie the game, Evan Williams finally came away with a clutch pick, and it was easily the most difficult INT the Packers had the opportunity to get today.
The Packers are back in action next Sunday as they prepare to take on the 4-6 Minnesota Vikings for the first time this season at Lambeau Field. Can they keep it rolling in a key divisional matchup as they chase the Bears and Lions in the NFC North?
