During Monday Night Football in Week 14, the Green Bay Packers’ glorious three-game winning streak came to an abrupt end against the New York Giants. The Packers did not play their best game of the season, but they did set themselves up for victory in the closing moments of the match.
Jordan Love and the offense put together a drive down the field with just 1:33 left to score the game-winning touchdown. They had a slim one-point lead at 22-21 after a botched two-point attempt, and they were depending on their defense to win.
Unfortunately, as Packers fans have witnessed all too frequently, the defense fell short when it mattered most. The Giants, guided by undrafted rookie free agent Tommy DeVito, swiftly advanced down the field. Randy Bullock then sealed the game with a 37-yard field goal as time expired.
Criticism has been directed at defensive coordinator Joe Barry for the scheme employed during the critical final drive. The Packers opted for a lot of soft zone and off coverage, allowing the Giants to move freely and position themselves for the decisive field goal.
While defensive inconsistencies have been a source of frustration, the offense also faced challenges against New York. Jordan Love, who had been hitting his stride in recent weeks, experienced setbacks due to the absence of wide receiver Christian Watson.
Although Love and the team have refrained from attributing their struggles to injuries, it’s challenging to overlook the impact of Watson’s absence. The starting quarterback addressed the absence of his No. 1 receiver this week, acknowledging the timing of the injury as particularly unfortunate.
“I think any time you don’t have your best guys out there, it is tough. But we have had so many reps with other guys in our offense that, I’m comfortable, those guys are comfortable. But like you said, it is really that next man up mentality. But obviously, it’s tough. You always want to have your best guys out there. But things happen. It’s football. Injuries happen. You just have to move on, not make excuses about anything. Obviously, get as comfortable as you can throughout the week, repetitions, things like that. Make sure we’re going out there to perform our best.”
Watson had been performing exceptionally well, scoring touchdowns in three consecutive games and delivering his two best performances of the season.
Adding to the adversity, the Packers were still without starting running back Aaron Jones, sidelined by an MCL injury for three consecutive games. The absence of both Jones and Watson from the lineup has curtailed the potential of Green Bay’s offensive attack this season.
As the Packers gear up for Week 15 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the status of key players in the skill position groups becomes a critical concern. Alongside Watson and Jones, wide receivers Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed are nursing injuries, and tight end Luke Musgrave is already on the injured reserve list. That leaves the Packers potentially undermanned in a crucial must-win game against Tampa Bay.
