Giants Country

Giants Rewind: What Mattered Most vs. Green Bay Packers

Coach Gene Clemons takes one last look at the New York Giants' amazing win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 5.

Gene Clemons

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“The Giants' record is a farce,” they said.

“Wait until they play a quality team,” they said.

“Watch what happens when they face a legitimate offense or a top-tier quarterback,” they said.

Well, the New York Giants did all that when they faced one of the best to ever do it in Aaron Rodgers, and on that day in London, they emerged victorious, proving that maybe their record isn't a farce.

It didn't always look that way--throughout the first half, it looked like Rodgers and the company were going to get the best of the Giants. But head coach Brian Daboll's group has grit--the defense continued to tighten the screws, the offense made plays, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Giants were 4-1 with a win over a team that's regularly favored to be a postseason contender.

How did it happen? Let’s look at the plays that mattered in New York’s 27-22 victory across the pond.

1st & 10, NYG 27: Packers' opening drive ends with a Field Goal

The anatomy of an upset starts with the favorite not getting the early lead they are accustomed to earning. This game could have started poorly for the defense, but they showed their resolve.

The Packers were marching down the field during a five-play 44-yard drive where they converted a 3rd-and-8 on a 35-yard pass from Rodgers to Randall Cobb. Back-to-back 5-plus yard rushes by A.J. Dillon made it seem like it would be a long day for the Giants' defense.

On first down from the Giants' 27-yard line, the Packers called a passing play, and the underneath linebackers did a great job of taking Rodgers's first two options away. He was forced to come back to his third option, but the pressure was coming, and the window was closing, leading to an incomplete pass.

The second down run was blocked very well by the Packers as they were able to climb to both inside linebackers, and Adoree Jackson was able to dart through and limit the run to a five-yard gain.

On third down, Rodgers had Jones in the flat for what could have been a first down, but Dane Belton was able to speed up Rodgers and forced a less catchable ball. The Packers settled for three on a drive they most certainly thought would end in a field goal.

2nd & 7, NYG 22: Just Snap it to Saquon

After a sack that wasn’t and a three-yard scramble by Daniel Jones, the Giants were sitting back on their 22-yard line, trying to find a little magic to wake this offense up.

Halfway through the second quarter, the offense has only accounted for a field goal on 14 plays and 44 yards over three possessions. In stepped Saquon at quarterback; from the shotgun, he was flanked to his left by his fellow running back Matt Breida.

The offense was in a tackle over, unbalanced set, with left tackle Andrew Thomas playing tight end on the right. Instead of running right, where the strength is, the Giants ran weak side. They pulled the center, who was able to hook the defensive end, but the critical actions that made this play work came from both backs.

First, credit goes to receiver David Sills V for getting his hands on the outside linebacker, which helped Barkley get to the edge. He then tried to come off the black and hit the safety filling the alley, but he was unsuccessful, so he just got his body in front of the linebacker he was originally blocking.

That is when Breida came with the perfect inside-out block, which must have reminded him of his Georgia Southern days. That block, mixed with Sills shielding the linebacker, gave Barkley a yard and a half gap to explode through and take off into the secondary. Forty yards later, the Giants were in Packers territory with new life and momentum.

Nine plays later, tight end Daniel Bellinger was able to get into the end zone on what looked like was supposed to be a reverse pass.

2nd & 11, NYG 8: The Drive!

After a first down pass to Barkley not only lost a yard but lost the Giants the services of their best weapon, the Giants were looking like they may not have the firepower to get it done against such a good Packers defense, especially without Barkley.

Daniel Jones stepped up and did his best impression of Steve Young en route to a 15-play, 91-yard touchdown drive. That tied the game up at 20 a piece. On the drive, he completed 8 of 9 passes for 56 yards. He also added three rushers for 25 yards. The only thing he did not do on this drive was score a touchdown. 

That honor went to Gary Brightwell, who got the first rushing touchdown of his career. The drive was impressive because it was done without Barkley, and it showed people how effective Jones could be leading an offense when he operates with confidence and makes decisive choices with the ball in his hands.

2nd & 10, NYG 40: Barkley’s Back!

When Barkley went to the locker room, he was visibly upset that he could not be in the game. The Giants were able to make magic happen without him, but obviously, they needed his explosiveness.

You could already hear the rumblings that this could be another disappointing injury for Barkley. The defense was able to stuff the Green Bay offense once again and force them to punt the ball right back to New York.

After a pass to Matt Breida for zero gain, guess who was back in the game? Barkley! He wasted no time making his presence felt. Lined up out wide stacked behind another receiver, Barkley ran a shallow cross on a mesh concept with the tight end on the other side that occupied the linebacker and allowed Barkley to catch a wide-open pass and race up the sideline for 20 yards.

As the Green Bay defender pursues him, he leaves him sliding by on the ground with a juke move that seemed so violent there should have been a hole left when he lifted his foot. That sprung him for an additional 20 yards before he went out of bounds.

Five plays later, Barkley punched it into the endzone for the winning touchdown, the Giants' first lead of the day.

1st & 10, NYG 15: 4-Down Stand; Giants Win!

When you give the ball back to Aaron Rodger with five minutes remaining, you often end up on the unfortunate end of a Packers touchdown to either tie or win the game. That is exactly what it looked like for the first 11 plays of the game's final drive.

It was a mixture of run plays and short passes as the Packers methodically worked it up the field. But the Giants defense was not stupid; they knew three points would not get it done this time and kept rallying to the ball and not allowing the big play over the top.

By the two-minute warning, the Packers were on the Giants' 15-yard line with a fresh set of downs. The Giants' red zone defense, which had been stellar for the season, had surrendered 14 points so far this game.

The first down run by Aaron Jones was a seven-yard gain, and they went back to the run on second and three, but this time, Jones ran into a wall of blockers stones by Dexter Lawrence and company, which allowed Kayvon Thibodeaux to dart in and make the tackle just short of a first down. 

The Packers never went back to the run. The next play was a quick pass across the middle that Thibodeaux deflected, and on fourth down, the Giants showed zero blitz and brought the house. Rodgers tried to throw it quickly to his right, but the ball was batted down, and the Giants' defense ran down the field in jubilation.

Daniel Jones would take three knees in a row before punter Jamie Gillian ran around in the endzone before taking a meaningless safety and not giving the Packers a chance to set up a punt return. It was a well-earned win on a far road game for the Giants. 

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Gene Clemons
GENE CLEMONS

Gene "Coach" Clemons has been involved with the game of football for 30 years as a player, coach, evaluator, and journalist.  Clemons has spent time writing for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Bridgton News, Urbana Daily Citizen, Macon Telegraph and footballgameplan.com.  He has a YouTube channel called "Coach Gene Clemons" where you can find his popular "X&O The Joes" series as well as other football related content. 

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