LONDON – The Packers played a strong first half but couldn’t score offensively in the second half and let a lead get away in losing a very disappointing game to the Giants, 27-22, on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With the loss, the Packers fell to 3-2. The Giants improved to 4-1.
Green Bay led 17-3 in the second quarter on two Aaron Rodgers TD passes to TE Marcedes Lewis and WR Allen Lazard, and the Packers led 20-10 at the half when K Mason Crosby was good from 48 yards on the final play of the first half.
But the Giants put together methodical scoring drives in the second half to score 17 unanswered points for a 27-20 lead, and the Packers last chance died inside the New York 10-yard line. Facing third-and-2 from the 7, Rodgers had back-to-back passes batted away at the line of scrimmage to turn the ball over on downs with just over a minute left.
The Giants ran as much time as possible before taking a safety out of punt formation, and then after the free kick the Packers couldn’t get the Hail Mary off as Rodgers’ arm was hit while trying to heave it.
Rodgers finished 25-of-39 for 222 yards with two TDs and a 96.3 rating. WR Randall Cobb had seven catches for 99 yards, with Lazard adding four grabs for 35 yards and a TD. RB Aaron Jones had 13 carries for 63 yards, and RB AJ Dillon had six carries for 34 yards.
For the Giants, QB Daniel Jones was 21-of-27 for 217 yards with no TDs, no INTs and a 100.2 passer rating. He also had RB Saquon Barkley had 13 carries for 70 yards with the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. He added three catches for 36 yards. The Giants’ leading receiver was Darius Slayton with six catches for 79 yards.
Here’s a recap of all the action:
Packers lead Giants 10-3 after first quarter
The Giants won the opening coin toss and deferred. Rookie receiver Christian Watson returned the opening kickoff for 18 yards.
Facing a third-and-8, quarterback Aaron Rodgers bought time in the pocket before delivering a rocket down the middle to Randall Cobb for a 35-yard completion.
Green Bay marched into New York territory behind three runs by AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones for 14 yards. The Packers eventually settled for a 46-yard field goal by Mason Crosby to take a 3-0 lead with 11 minutes, 5 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Packers’ defense forced a three-and-out after Kenny Clark tackled Saquon Barkley on both first and second down, and then helped force the pressure on Daniels Jones his incomplete screen pass intended for Barkley.
Yosh Nijman rotated in at left tackle for the Packers’ second offensive series. Green Bay and New York traded three-and-outs, with the Giants losing seven yards on their second possession after a delay of game penalty and 2-yard screen to Barkley for a loss.
Game of Thrones actor Kit Harrington was pictured on the video board midway through the first quarter.
The offensive line gave Rodgers all kinds of time on the next offensive series, enabling the reigning MVP to deliver a 22-yard pass to Romeo Doubs to get the drive going.
Tight end Robert Tonyan drew a 33-yard defensive pass interference call against Xavier McKinney to give Green Bay a first-and-goal at the New York 4.
Two plays later, Rodgers flicked a 4-yard TD to Allen Lazard to push the Packers’ lead to 10-0 with 3:19 left in the first quarter.
Jones completed a 26-yard pass to Darius Slayton to earn the Giants’ first down. A 12-yard pass to Marcus Johnson set up Graham Gano’s 48-yard field goal that put New York on the board.
Packers lead Giants 20-10 at halftime
The second quarter began with an 8-yard pass to Aaron Jones for a first down and a pass to tight end Josiah Deguara that he took for 12 yards to midfield.
Green Bay kept the chains moving through runs by Jones and Dillon and a 5-yard pitch to Watson on a jet motion. The Packers converted on third-and-5 at the New York 19 after an 8-yard draw by Jones out of a shotgun.
Cobb picked up nine yards to the Giants’ 2 while following Doubs’ block on a receiver screen. After setting up the motions with Watson, Rodgers faked a handoff and found a wide-open Marcedes Lewis in the end zone for the 2-yard touchdown to extend Green Bay’s lead to 17-3 with 7:25 left in the half.
Gary Brightwell caught Mason Crosby‘s kickoff off a one hop and was tackled at the Giants’ 14 by Rudy Ford. After generating just 14 yards on his first five carries, Barkley busted a 40-yard run before being taken down midfield by Adrian Amos and Eric Stokes.
Preston Smith sacked Jones for a loss of four, but the Giants kept the series going with a 15-yard pass to Richie Jones on third-and-3. New York converted another third-and-long with 9-yard pass to Slayton on third-and-9.
New York found the end zone for the first time off a reversal to Daniel Bellinger to cut the Packers’ lead to 17-10 with 1:15 left in the first half.
The Packers took over at their own 25 with all three timeouts remaining. Jones gained 11 yards on first down. Green Bay used its first timeout after a quick out to Cobb for eight yards. Rodgers converted the first down with a 6-yard pass to Tonyan before using the second timeout.
With 43 seconds remaining, Cobb gained 22 yards on a pass across the middle to the New York 29. Crosby made a 48-yard field goal as time expired to put Green Bay up 20-10 at halftime.
Packers lead Giants 20-13 after three
Rashan Gary started the second half with a sack but it was wiped up due to a defensive holding call on Darnell Savage. Slaton converted another third down for the Giants with a 13-yard catch to midfield on third-and-3.
Jones picked up the next third down with his feet, gaining six yards on third-and-4. Preston Smith tackled Barkley for a 1-yard loss on first down at the Green Bay 24 and Gary tackled Jones on a third-and-8 draw to force the 37-yard Gano field goal.
Rodgers fired a 17-yard pass to Lazard on a playaction slant to start the next series. A defensive illegal contact call and an 11-yard run by Dillon moved the Packers to midfield.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur successfully challenged a Cobb catch that was initially ruled an incompletion. It was determined Cobb caught the ball and dragged his toe upon further review for a 14-yard completion.
The drive then stalled with Rodgers being sacked by Dexter Lawrence on third-and-8. The Giants started their next series at their own 9-yard line after a 33-yard punt by Pat O’Donnell. It was the 12th punt O’Donnell has had downed inside the 20 on 19 attempts this year.
It also was announced Watson has a hamstring injury and is questionable to return.
De’Vondre Campbell tackled Barkley for a 1-yard loss on a first-down pass in the flat. The third quarter ended with an 8-yard pass to Bellinger for a first down.
Packers fall to Giants, 27-22
Daniel Jones’ 16-yard pass to Johnson moved the Giants down to the Green Bay 14. On third-and-3 from the Packers’ 7, Jones hit David Sills on a play-action pass for five.
Brightwell powered in for the 2-yard touchdown to tie the game at 20 with 10:08 left in regulation. The Packers had three straight incompletions and went three-and-out.
After briefly exiting the game with a shoulder injury, Barkley returned and caught a 40-yard pass to the Green Bay 20. The Giants took a 27-20 lead with a 2-yard direct snap to Barkley out of a Wildcat formation.
Jones gained six yards on second down before Tonyan converted the first down with a 14-yard catch from the flat. Cobb caught his seventh pass of the game for nine yards, converting a first down and giving the veteran receiver his most receptions in a game since his eight with Houston against Green Bay in 2020.
Rodgers snuck in a 9-yard pass to Lazard over the coverage to convert on third-and-2 to the New York 27. Rodgers then found Tonyan at the two-minute warning to pick up a first down at the New York 15.
Jones picked up six yards on a draw up the middle on first down and another two on second. The Packers turned it over on downs after two incompletions.
The Giants kneeled it three times before taking safety in their own end zone with 11 seconds remaining. Amari Rodgers returned the free kick 18 yards to the Giants’ 41 but it came back to the 36 on a false start. Rodgers was sacked on the final play.
