Packers versus Giants: The official Week 5 prediction
By Tim Muma
As Sam Shields continues to sit due to his concussion, Jamarious Randall and the Packers’ defense need to find a way to slow down the passing game.
Opposing quarterbacks have posted a 105.3 passer rating so far. That is the 4th-highest mark in the NFL this season.
Perhaps even more concerning is that they’re allowing 8.9 yards per pass attempt, ranking them 31st out of 32 teams in the league. The stat is buoyed by the defense giving up 15 pass plays of 20 yards or more, the 8th-most this year.
All the teams who have given up more than the Packers have played one more game.
Manning is prone to turnovers – both picks and fumbles – so that will be the emphasis.
With Eli Manning among the leaders in yards passing, along with game-breaking wideouts to throw to, this could be a seriously ugly contest from the defense’s perspective.
How will Dom Capers plan to limit the damage through the air? The Packers struggle to utilize a zone defense and they may not have the overall talent to stick with man-to-man for most of the day.
Pressure from the front seven will likely need to be the savior. Manning is prone to turnovers – both picks and fumbles – so that will be the emphasis.
Plus, if the Packers can get to him quickly with blitzes and unique looks, the defensive backs won’t have to worry about covering the receivers for too long.
For the most part, however, the Giants have stuck with a shorter passing game early on. That means the Packers need to make tackles immediately to prevent huge gains after the catch.
I’m not confident the defense will be able to shut down the Giants for most of the game.