What We Saw: Week 5

The What We Saw team recaps everything you missed from Sunday's games

Ben Brown
What We Saw 2 Years Ago
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Introduction
Colts @ Broncos
Giants @ Packers
Steelers @ Bills
Chargers @ Browns
Texans @ Jaguars
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Lions @ Patriots
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Dolphins @ Jets
Falcons @ Buccaneers
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49ers @ Panthers
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Cowboys @ Rams
Bengals @ Ravens

Giants @ Packers

Final Score: Giants 27, Packers 22

Writer: Justin Havelock (@HavelockJustin on Twitter)

 

Both teams were away from home this week as the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants faced off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. Surprisingly, this was the first of 32 games played in London that saw two teams with winning records go head-to-head and the surprises continued out onto the football field as Daniel Jones and the Giants improved to 4-1 on the season and 3-0 overseas. While there will be many excuses made for the Packers between the time difference, the playcalling in the second half, and being the last team in the NFL to play an international game, the fact is that the Giants were simply the better team in this matchup.

 

New York Giants

 

Quarterback

 

Daniel Jones: 21/27, 217 Yards | 10 Carries, 37 Yards

 

Daniel Jones has slowly started to come into his own as a starting quarterback under new head coach Brian Daboll. The Long and Winding Road for Jones may have finally paid off, as his 217 passing yards this week were a season-high and despite a third consecutive week without a passing touchdown, Jones looked pretty solid in this game across the pond.

 

 

 

His 77.7% completion percentage and 8.0 YPA this week were well above his career 62.9% completion percentage and 6.6 YPA. While it’s unlikely that Jones will keep performing at precisely this high of a level, as long as Jones and Daboll decide to Let It Be with this offensive scheme, he should be able to set new career highs across the board and give Giants fans a reason to watch all four quarters this year.

 

Running Back

 

Saquon Barkley: 13 Carries, 70 Yards, TD | 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 36 Yards

Matt Breida: 4 Carries, 14 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards

Gary Brightwell: 2 Carries, 5 Yards, TD

 

Despite a solid overall box score, Saquon Barkley didn’t look like his usual Rocket Man self for most of this game. The Packers’ run defense managed to hold him to 5 yards or less for 89% of his touches this week. The majority of his production came on two big plays, a 40-yard run in the second quarter and- after briefly exiting with a shoulder injury- a 41-yard catch in the fourth quarter. Barkley also rushed for a game-winning 2-yard touchdown after coming back into the game.

 

https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1579140661135085568?s=20&t=uHXj9mmO39E7bhbytdF_VQ

 

Matt Breida looked like a perfectly adequate backup, serving mostly as a change-of-pace running back in the Giants’ backfield. Gary Brightwell also came into the game for two carries with Barkley out for a part of the fourth quarter, rushing for 3-yards and then scoring a 2-yard touchdown.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Darius Slayton: 7 Targets, 6 Receptions, 79 Yards

Marcus Johnson: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 35 Yards

Daniel Bellinger: 1 Carry, 2 Yards, TD | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 22 Yards

Richie James: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 16 Yards

David Sills V: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 12 Yards

Chris Myarick: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards

 

Coming into Week 5, the Giants receiving corps was so banged up that many wouldn’t have been surprised to see Odell Beckham Jr.– or perhaps even English footballer David Beckham, signed to the practice squad. Kenny Golladay (knee), Wan’Dale Robinson (knee), and Kadarius Toney (hamstring) were all inactive this week. Daniel Jones and Brian Daboll decided We Can Work It Out though, leaning heavily once again on the play-action game to get the job done against the Packers.

Darius Slayton was the primary beneficiary of all of the injuries to the Giants’ passing game and he re-ignited the chemistry he has shown at times with Jones. Five of Slayton’s six receptions were for at least 10-yards and he’s seen his snap percentage rise steadily each week. Slayton may have earned himself a longer look.

Marcus Johnson showed signs of promise in this offense with all three of his receptions coming on 2nd & long passes and all on scoring drives. There may not be much of a role for Johnson in a healthy wide receiver room, but he appears to be worth monitoring going forward. Meanwhile, Daniel Bellinger picked up a rushing touchdown on a double reverse trick play.

 

 

Richie James, David Sills, and Chris Myarick rounded out the passing game for the Giants here, however, even in a depleted receiving corps none of the three managed to impress.

 

Green Bay Packers

 

Quarterback

 

Aaron Rodgers: 25/39, 222 Yards, 2 TD, Fumble (Recovered)

 

In a game script virtually nobody would have predicted, Aaron Rodgers was outplayed by the Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. Rodgers finished the day with a 64.1% completion percentage and only 5.7 YPA.

The Packers managed to get to the Giants early, going into the locker room at halftime up to 20-10.

 

 

 

Everything unraveled in the second half for Green Bay, however, as the Packers were outscored 17-0. They were rewarded with two points for an intentional safety in the final minute of play as the Giants chose not to risk punting backed up in their own endzone.

Big Ben must have been malfunctioning across town, as well as there were some issues with the play clock late that may have contributed to Rodgers fumbling on a hail-mary attempt on the final play of the game.

 

Running Back

 

Aaron Jones: 13 Carries, 63 Yards | 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 17 Yards

AJ Dillon: 6 Carries, 34 Yards

 

Aaron Jones reasserted his status as the Packers’ lead back, out-carrying AJ Dillon for the first time this season. Jones rushed for 4.8 YPC in this contest, but it somehow wasn’t enough to get him more involved in the offense. Dillon saw a season-low of six carries and was completely uninvolved in the passing game, despite rushing for 5.6 YPC when he was on the field. Head coach Matt LaFleur may have been under the false impression that they rush the football on the other side of the street in England, as the Packers abandoned the running game when they needed it most.

 

 

Through Week 4, only once this season have the Packers had less than four rush attempts on a touchdown drive. Yet in the second half of this game, the Packers ran the football only eight times- even with both running backs moving the sticks well. The Packers looked like they could’ve run the ball Eight Days a Week against the Giants if they wanted.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Randall Cobb: 13 Targets, 7 Receptions, 99 Yards

Allen Lazard: 8 Targets, 4 Receptions, 35 Yards, TD

Romeo Doubs: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 29 Yards

Robert Tonyan: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 23 Yards

Josiah Deguara: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards

Marcedes Lewis: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards, TD

Christian Watson: 1 Carry, -3 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 1 Yard

Tyler Davis: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, -3 Yards

 

Randall Cobb came up big for the Packers in London as Aaron Rodgers zeroed in on his longtime teammate to step up and Cobb delivered in a big way. Big Ben may have helped turn back time as Cobb came up with a 35-yard catch on the opening drive of the game, before showing off some toe drag swag for the crowd overseas.

 

 

 

Rookie wide receiver Romeo Doubs took a step back this week with only five targets, but Aaron Rodgers has always been known for leaning on a trusted veteran in uncomfortable situations and Rodgers certainly looked uncomfortable here. There’s plenty of room for Doubs to bounce back quickly as the Packers have a true home game at Lambeau Field in Week 6 against the New York Jets.

Marcedes Lewis scored a touchdown in this one, cementing his legendary status as the only first-round pick to ever catch a pass from Aaron Rodgers. Not a bad accolade for a blocking tight end.

Series Navigation
Introduction
Colts @ Broncos
Giants @ Packers
Steelers @ Bills
Chargers @ Browns
Texans @ Jaguars
Bears @ Vikings
Lions @ Patriots
Seahawks @ Saints
Dolphins @ Jets
Falcons @ Buccaneers
Titans @ Commanders
49ers @ Panthers
Eagles @ Cardinals
Cowboys @ Rams
Bengals @ Ravens

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