The New York Giants predictably fell to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, extending their losing streak to eight games — the second-longest such streak in team history — and watching as any lingering NFC playoff hopes went out the window.
The game was a mess from the onset with freezing rain coating the field just prior to kickoff and then snow taking over for the duration.
While the Giants started off cold, going three-and-out on their first offensive series, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were anything but.
Green Bay kicked things off with a seven-play, 72-yard drive that culminated with an eight-yard pass from Rodgers to wide receiver Davante Adams, but that was just the tip of the proverbial (or literal based on the weather) iceberg.
The Packers would score on three of their four offensive series in the first half. After the initial Adams touchdown, they drove 66 yards on five plays on their second possession, punching the ball into the endzone with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to wide receiver Allen Lazard.
Their third series would result in a 47-yard field goal courtesy of Mason Crosby, but they would come up blank on their fourth possession late in the second half, being forced to punt for the first time all day.
On the other side of the ball, the Giants found some footing on their second offensive series, driving 71 yards on 11 plays and capping things off with an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Daniel Jones to wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
Big Blue would also add a later field goal off the leg of Aldrick Rosas, which was a positive he and the team desperately needed, but that was sandwiched in between a Jones interception — his first in 111 pass attempts.
At halftime, the Giants trailed the Packers 17-10.
The second half did not start off as electric as the first half with the Giants and Packers exchanging punts to open things up. It wasn’t until midway through the third quarter that more points were put on the board, once again courtesy of Aldrick Rosas, who trimmed Green Bay’s lead to 17-13 with a 45-yard field goal to cap off a 10-play, 52-yard drive.
But the Packers were quick to answer right back, driving 75 yards on 14 plays culminating with Rodgers’ third touchdown pass of the game, once again to Adams. The drive featured a slew of penalties and a fourth-down conversion for Green Bay.
The Giants had a chance to cut back into that Green Bay lead, but Jones tossed his second interception of the game and the Packers took complete advantage, essentially putting the game on ice with a one-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to tight end Mercedes Lewis, pushing the score to 31-13 with just over 7:00 remaining.
Two plays later, Jones would make another error in judgement, throwing a ball into coverage and having it picked off for the third time on the day.
Good night, ladies and gentlemen.
The two teams went back-and-forth a bit after that, but there would not be another score or moment of substance.
With the loss, the Giants fall to 2-10 on the season and and head into a Monday night game against the Eagles in Philadelphia in Week 14.
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