The New York Giants and Green Bay Packers couldn't appear to be in more different places as they enter their Sunday Night Football matchup in Green Bay. After starting off the season with an uneven performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars and loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers put up more than 30 points in a win against the Detroit Lions heading into their bye week. All of the whispers about Aaron Rodgers possibly being in decline have gone silent –– for now.
Giants vs. Packers 2016 preview: New York is at a crossroads in its season
After two losses and Odell Beckham Jr. meltdowns, the Giants’ season appears to be on the verge of spiraling out of control.
Conversely, the Giants are seemingly at a crossroads. With a 2-2 record, they still have plenty of room to make a playoff push. But they’re coming off two maddening losses to Washington and the Vikings that included multiple explosions from Odell Beckham Jr.
The sequel between OBJ and Josh Norman two weeks ago lived up to the hype, but then Beckham melted down on the sidelines. The Giants were marching into the red zone late in the fourth quarter –– Beckham had two catches on the drive –– and were on the verge of taking the game over. But then Manning threw his first of two interceptions and OBJ decided to get into a fight with a kicking net.
The outburst prodded Giants head coach Ben McAdoo to call him out. “[Beckham] needs to control his emotions better and become less of a distraction to himself and to his teammates,” McAdoo said, via Jordan Raanan of ESPN. “It’s our job to help him with that process and maturing.”
It got worse for Beckham against the Vikings last week. In addition to being held to just three catches and 23 yards, he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after getting in cornerback Xavier Rhodes' face following an exchange between the two players. Beckham, who's been fined five times in less than three seasons, is expected to face discipline for his actions.
“It’s just my fault. It’s all I look at it as, it’s my fault. Whatever you want to call it, I just have to understand, if I sneeze the wrong way, it’ll be a flag, it’ll be a fine,” he said after the game, via Max Meyer of NFL.com “If I tie my shoe the wrong way, it might be a fine or a flag.”
General manager Jerry Reese was seen speaking with Beckham at his locker after the game and Manning said OBJ has brought all of the scrutiny he faces on himself. Beckham will have a chance to turn his perception around in primetime Sunday night, which is where he ascended to superstardom in his rookie season after making a spectacular one-handed touchdown grab against the Dallas Cowboys.
It’s those kind of catches that make the headache worth it for the Giants. Matching up against a relatively inexperienced Packers secondary would seem to be the perfect spot for Beckham to reaffirm his position as one of the game’s best receivers.
On the other side of the field, Rodgers is probably thinking the same thing about a mediocre Giants secondary. Despite signing cornerback Janoris Jenkins in free agency, the Giants defense is 15th in passing yards allowed.
This could be one high scoring affair, featuring creative game plans from Mike McCarthy and his protege, McAdoo. The Giants are currently the more desperate team, but that could all change with a Packers loss. As they’ve already experienced this year, it doesn’t take much of a downturn to incite panic in the streets.
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