The Green Bay Packers and New York Giants will face off Sunday in a battle between NFC teams going in different directions in 2019.
The Packers, at 8-3 and in the lead in the NFC North, will attempt to take another step toward clinching a spot in the playoffs, while the Giants, now at 2-9 after Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears, are playing for pride and draft positioning.
The big question for Sunday: Do the Giants have the personnel to take advantage of the Packers’ weaknesses?
To preview Sunday’s matchup, Packers Wire asked five questions of Dan Benton, the managing editor of Giants Wire:
Packers Wire: Daniel Jones, like many rookie quarterbacks, has had ups and downs. What good traits are emerging, and what problem areas need to be fixed as he enters the final month of the season?
Giants Wire: When I watched college film on Daniel Jones, one of the things that stood out was his footwork. With almost a full season under his belt, DJ has improved upon that and it’s ironically become one of the most overlooked parts of his game. He also has a much stronger arm than some would have suggested around NFL Draft time, and he’s incredibly accurate with the football, but Jones will still make one or two truly poor reads per game and put the ball in a bad spot. Of course, he also struggles holding onto the football, which is a pronounced problem due to a – surprise, surprise – poor offensive line. More than anything he has to improve upon or perfect, Jones has to learn to curve the fumbles.
Packers Wire: Saquon Barkley got hurt and hasn’t been nearly as productive this season. What’s been the cause? Just the injury? Is he due for a breakout game?
Giants Wire: Barkley was given a 4-to-8 week recovery timetable for his high ankle sprain and he returned in a month. Statistically, there’s no mistaking the contrast between his pre-injury production and post-injury production. He absolutely refuses to accept that as an excuse and insists that it’s not. In that case, there’s one of two arguments to be made: a) Barkley is mired in a legitimate sophomore slump or b) Barkley is suffering from the absence of Eli Manning. Yes, that’s a crazy notion to many, but we covered it here.
Packers Wire: The Giants have some real talent on the interior of the defensive line. Are those guys starting to emerge as a cornerstone of the defense?
Giants Wire: The entire defensive line has been extremely impressive this year. When people look at the statistics alone, it doesn’t reflect well, but when considering the 3-4 alignment and their specific assignment, Dalvin Tomlinson, Dexter Lawrence and B.J. Hill are all doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. Hill’s pass-rushing numbers are notably down, but the unit has collectively played quite well. The addition of Leonard Williams has shaken things up a bit in recent weeks, and he didn’t play well in a loss to the Chicago Bears last Sunday, but I think he fits long-term. The biggest issue, as Packers fans will witness on Sunday, is that the Giants have literally nothing behind those three down linemen in the middle of the field.
Packers Wire: The Packers have really struggled to defend the middle of the field. Do the Giants have any weapons capable of exploiting the defense’s biggest issue?
Giants Wire: The simple answer is no. With Evan Engram and Rhett Ellison out on Sunday, the Giants will lean on Scott Simonson and Kaden Smith. Both are consistent talents, but they don’t have the game-breaking ability of Engram. Smith has some potential to create headaches, but he’s still young and unproven. Meanwhile, the Giants have made a habit of using Saquon Barkley incorrectly, so while he may seem like an obvious counter to isolate on some inside guys, you can expect Pat Shurmur to do the opposite of all of that. And for anyone who thinks that’s hyperbole or some sort of sarcasm, sadly… it’s not.
Packers Wire: The Packers haven’t been efficient getting the ball to the WR position since Davante Adams returned. What’s the state of the Giants CB situation entering Sunday?
Giants Wire: The state of the Giants secondary? Specifically the cornerbacks? How would I describe that? Have you seen the dumpster fire meme? Insert that here. Rookie DeAndre Baker is among the lowest-graded cornerbacks in all of football and up until last week, was getting himself called out in front of the team for his – and I directly quote – “unacceptable” play. He’s now in a rotation with sophomore Sam Beal, who had missed more than a year and a half due to injury. Rookie Corey Ballentine replaced Grant Haley at nickel due to poor play, and Ballentine responded by giving up five consecutive receptions for over 100 yards last week. Veteran Janoris Jenkins is a wildcard – he can either be as invisible and futile as the rest or a complete lockdown corner. Thankfully, he sounds motivated for the Packers. Either way, Aaron Rodgers should put up about 500 yards.
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