Jameis Winston's late INT ensures Giants' loss to Packers in Mike Kafka's head-coaching debut
Jameis Winston of the Giants looks on after throwing an interception late in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Giants changed their coach and quarterback this past week. It couldn’t change the familiar feeling of defeat.
Another fourth-quarter lead slipped away as the Giants lost Mike Kafka’s debut as interim head coach on Sunday, falling to the Green Bay Packers, 27-20, at MetLife Stadium.
For the fourth time this season, the Giants (2-9) lost after holding a fourth-quarter lead. It was their fifth straight loss and guaranteed a third straight losing season. They have lost 20 of their last 23 games and have had eight losing seasons in the past nine years.
The Giants again couldn’t get the stops or critical plays they’ve lacked all season. Jameis Winston’s first start at quarterback ended with turnovers on his final two snaps, including an interception by Evan Williams in the end zone with 36 seconds left.
Kafka took risks going for it on fourth down four times in the second half, and the Giants converted three times. Yet they couldn’t preserve a 20-19 lead as Jordan Love threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson and a two-point conversion pass to Emanuel Wilson with 4:02 remaining.
“Our defense was battling, playing their butts off,” Kafka said. “Just at the end of it, we gotta make a couple more plays. I really like how we approached it today, aggressive mentality across the board.”
With Jaxson Dart sidelined by a concussion, Winston led the Giants to a touchdown on their opening drive, a nine-play, 65-yard march capped by Devin Singletary’s 5-yard run.
Winston took some chances, as he’s done throughout his 11-year career. Four passes nearly were intercepted. But he also scored on a 1-yard run as the Giants took a 20-19 lead with 7:22 remaining.
After the Packers (6-3-1) went ahead 27-20, Winston drove the Giants to the Green Bay 14, but his pass intended for Jalin Hyatt was picked off by Williams when Hyatt appeared to cut his route short.
“I believe timing and execution is so important when you’re in crucial moments,” Winston said. “When defenses see routes, you and the receiver have to be elite in timing and execution. I believe Jalin and I, our timing and execution could’ve been a lot better.”
Winston finished 19-for-29 for 201 yards. Dart was present at the game, but Kafka declined to elaborate on his status for next week at Detroit.
The defense held the Packers to 296 yards, the fewest by a Giants opponent this season, but
couldn’t make big plays when they were needed.
When Love exited in the first quarter because of a left shoulder injury, backup quarterback Malik Willis ran 16 yards on his second play from scrimmage. Willis ended that drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Watson — Lucas Havrisik’s kick was wide right, leaving the Giants ahead 7-6 — and Love returned to start the next series.
The Packers went ahead 13-7 on their next possession as Wilson scored on an 11-yard run. He replaced Josh Jacobs, who was ruled out with a knee injury in the second quarter.
On the Packers’ go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter, the Giants allowed a 33-yard pass on third-and-10 from Love to Savion Williams, which put the ball at the Giants’ 20. Love (13-for-24, 174 yards, two touchdowns) then found Watson in the end zone although he was double-covered.
“When you see [Love] patting the ball, something ridiculous is about to happen,” said Giants right guard Jon Runyan Jr., who played four seasons with him. “I saw him doing that and throw it up. They had a lot of good young receivers out there and they made a play when they needed it.
“If we want to win games, we have to make those kinds of plays.”
Giants linebacker Brian Burns had two sacks to increase his total to 13 — which set a career high and was his fourth multi-sack game this season — but he didn’t care about personal accomplishments. He was more bothered by the loss and the defense not getting to Love sooner on that crucial third-down play.
“We had three one-on-ones we didn’t win. Can’t leave the coverage covering that long,” Burns said. “[Cor’Dale] Flott was in position, that’s a hard down for him, and you’ve got to help him out on that. So that’s on the D-line, in my opinion.”
Singletary scored two touchdowns, his first two-score game since 2022. Tyrone Tracy Jr. had season highs in rushing (88) and receiving yards (51).
Isaiah Hodgins, a former Giant who was signed from the Steelers’ practice squad Thursday, led the team with five catches for 57 yards in his return.
The result, however, felt familiar. A third quarterback this season and a new coach couldn’t change the outcome.
“It’s all of us,” Kafka said of evaluating everything. “It’s all of us together on it and we’re going to get arm-in-arm and go get back to work.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
