Packers Beat Themselves, Lose to Giants in London

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Photo by Evan Siegle - packers.com

Packers-Giants London Oct. 9, 2022

The Packers defense lines up against the Giants at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Oct. 9, 2022

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a lot of excuses, between a lackluster offensive line and several new receivers still learning the offense. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry has no built in excuses at all. Most importantly, neither of them have anything close to the number of excuses that the New York Giants brought with them to London, as, due to injuries, they currently have no NFL-caliber receivers. Starting quarterback Daniel Jones is only valuable for his mobility and given that he was forced to leave his last game with an ankle injury, he figured to be severely limited. And on defense, the Giants had no healthy edge rushers, and one starting caliber defensive back. Unlike the Packers, they managed to overcome their challenges with a smart game plan, focused on the Packers’ weaknesses.

After falling behind 20-10 at halftime, the Giants made key adjustments on offense and defense, capitalizing on Green Bay’s predictable offense, and riding a dominating running game to a stunning 27-22 comeback victory. The Giants’ methodical offense limited Green Bay to only three real possessions in the 2nd half, all of which came up empty, while the Giants scored on every possession that didn’t involve a quarterback kneeling. New York was able to do this by focusing on two specific Packer vulnerabilities on defense. 

The first was leveraging star running back Saquon Barkley both as a runner and a receiver. When Packer defensive lineman Dean Lowry is on the field, he’s an enormous liability on run defense, and combined with a significant regression by last year’s breakout star De’Vondre Campbell, and some serious growing pains from rookie linebacker Quay Walker, Barkley gashed Green Bay for 70 yards on just 13 carries. 

Green Bay safety Darnell Savage also played one of the worst games of his career, losing Barkley for a 41-yard reception in the 4th quarter and missing several key tackles. The Giants were without receivers Sterling Shepard, Kadarius Toney, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Kenny Golladay, and there is no excuse for a defense to allow a running back to beat them in such a scenario. 

The other enormous Packer weakness is much worse, as it represents a complete failure of self-scouting. According to Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner, the Packer defense has given up the 2nd fewest passing yards in the league so far (885), however despite that fact, they have somehow given up the most yards on crossing patterns (327), of any team in the league. The Giants abused this weakness repeatedly springing tight ends and 5th string receivers wide open in the area between the Packer linebackers and safeties. It was structurally similar to how Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson repeatedly came open, except this time it was players like Darius Slayton and Richie James. 

The continued inability of defensive coordinator Joe Barry to make any kind of adjustment to cover for his teams’ weaknesses is inexcusable at this point. Against Minnesota he failed to switch to man coverage or devote extra resources to stopping Justin Jefferson. He continues to let Dean Lowry be run over, even when opponents lack a credible passing threat. 

Perhaps the most alarming fact of all is the number of players who have taken a step back on defense. De’Vondre Campbell is having a much worse year in 2022, as is Rasul Douglas, Eric Stokes, Darnell Savage, and Adrian Amos. Some regression from Campbell and Douglas isn’t surprising, but the decline in performance across the board does not speak well of the coaching or scheme. 

On the offensive side, Aaron Rodgers continues to have issues getting the correct play called in time, and it’s fair to say that the option-heavy Green Bay offense is now being used against them. On the last offensive play of the game for the Packers, a 4th and 2 near the Giants’ goal line, Rodgers had AJ Dillon lined up next to him in shotgun. The Giants brought extra rushers, and they did so for two reasons. The first was to get Rodgers to check out of a run call. Neither of the Packer running backs had failed to gain at less than two yards on any carry in this game, and the Giants’ run defense has struggled all season. A run would almost assuredly pick up a first down and getting Rodgers to check to a pass gave the Giants the edge. 

Rodgers is now almost automatic in checking to a pass against heavy boxes while staying in run looks against light boxes. Aaron Jones actually did not have a single run against an eight-man box until this game, and now has exactly one. While that may seem like smart strategy, the defense also knows his tendencies. A good offense is supposed to dictate to the defense by attacking weaknesses, but with the Packers, the defense is frequently dictating to the offense based on where they line up their 11th man. 

Here, Rodgers was fooled. The pass option was supposed to go to Romeo Doubs on a crossing route, but the Giants’ overload blitz got home too quickly, forcing a hot route to a well-covered Allen Lazard that was harmlessly batted down at the line. Had Rodgers handed off instead, AJ Dillon would have walked into the end zone off the left side, where center Josh Myers had won his blocking assignment. 

The Packers have struggled all season not because of a talent deficit, but because they’ve been outcoached and outmaneuvered. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to get smarter midseason absent a personnel change in the coaching ranks.