The New York Giants will look to avenge their 23-16 Week 5 loss to the Green Bay Packers and win their first playoff game since Super Bowl XLVI as they face each other in the Wildcard round this Sunday.
Both teams are much better than they were in Week 5, as they are two of the hottest teams in the league. The New York Giants have won nine out of their last 11 games and the Packers have won six games in a row.Make no mistake about it, the Giants fought hard in Week 5, but came up just short of victory. There are several things the Giants will have to execute in order to defeat the Packers this time around and move onto the Divisional Round next weekend.
Here are three keys to victory for both Big Blue’s offense and defense:
Keys for the offense
1. Establish the run
The Packers secondary is banged up and will have the safeties playing deep to avoid giving up a big play to Odell Beckham Jr and the rest of the Giants receivers.
What else is new? This is what Eli faces every time out.
This should give the Giants the ability to run the ball with Paul Perkins and Rashad Jennings. against the Packers front seven. Over the last three games, Perkins has averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry. If he can sustain that average while carrying the ball around 20 times, it will force the Packers safeties to play closer to the line of scrimmage which will open things up for the passing game down field.
Perkins only ran the ball twice for nine yards in the Week 5 matchup, so the Packers are not familiar with dealing with his quick and powerful running style.
2. Be patient with the passing attack
As we mentioned previously, the Packers secondary has been banged up all season, and last week against the Lions, three of their cornerbacks were injured, Quinten Rollins (neck), Damarious Randall (knee), and rookie Makinton Dorleant (knee). Due to these injuries, the Packers might be forced to have safety Micah Hyde to play corner. So you know the Packers are going to play soft zones and have their safeties play deep to avoid giving up big plays.
This will make it easier for the Giants to connect on intermediate routes such as crossing routes, curls, and slants. In particular, Sterling Shepard should see a high volume of passes coming his way with the Packers eyeing Odell Beckham Jr.
Eli Manning must be patient in his attack and take what the Packers give him. Then when the Packers safeties move up closer and try to take away the underneath routes, try to attack them deep as he did last week connecting on a 44-yard pass to Tavarres King.
3. Don’t turn the ball over
The Giants are 5-0 this season in games where Eli Manning does not turn the ball over. His counterpart, Aaron Rodgers, hasn’t thrown an interception in the last seven games.
It’s imperative that Manning doesn’t turn the ball over. In their Week 5 matchup with the Giants trailing 14-6, he had a critical fumble right before halftime that resulted in the Packers kicking a field goal. If Manning can have a turnover free game, it bodes well for a Giants victory.
Keys for the defense:
1. Have Janoris Jenkins follow Jordy Nelson
Pro Bowl cornerback Janoris Jenkins has said he will play despite his bruised back. So the Giants need to matchup him up with the Packers best receiver Jordy Nelson. Nelson led the NFL in receiving touchdowns this season with 14 and has caught 63.81 percent of his targets this season.
Jenkins has already shut down a receiver with a similar build to Nelson in Dez Bryant twice this season (two catches for 18 yards). If he can do to Nelson what he did to Bryant, it will allow the Giants to blitz more often which would give the Giants defense will be at a huge advantage over the Packers offense.
2. Dial up the blitz
The Packers offensive line is one of the best at protecting the quarterback especially Pro Bowl right guard T.J. Lang and tackles Bryan Bulaga and David Bakhtiari. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves to dial up the blitz and he’ll need to on Sunday.
As well as the Giants secondary is playing even they will have difficulties covering Packers receivers for five to seven seconds if Olivier Vernon and the rest of the front four can’t pressure Aaron Rodgers. So look for the Giants to blitz often with their linebackers and even their corners and safeties.
Last week against the Redskins three of the Giants four sacks were by defensive backs (Landon Collins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Leon Hall). Each man will have an opportunity at sacking Rodgers on Sunday. In the Week 5 matchup, the Giants were unable to sack Rodgers and sometimes he had all day to throw the football.
Getting to Rodgers with the blitz will be a vital.
3. Stop the run
The Giants defense has been great against the run all year as they are tied for third in rushing defense giving up just 88.6 yards per game. The Packers are 20th and rushing offense, but have had success as of late running the ball with Ty Montgomery. If the Giants can shut down Montgomery and the Packers running game and keep them one dimensional, the Giants will win the game.