3 takeaways from the Giants' loss to the Green Bay Packers
Isaiah Hodgins of the Giants gets off the line during the second half against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
New coach, new quarterback, same old ways to lose. The Giants’ 27-20 loss to the Packers was another defeat in which they failed to finish a game they led late.
Here are three takeaways from their fifth straight loss:
1. A great return for Hodgins
Isaiah Hodgins played 28 games for the Giants in the previous three seasons, so it made sense that the Giants signed him off the Steelers’ practice squad on Thursday.
All Hodgins did was play as if he had never left MetLife Stadium. With Darius Slayton sidelined by injury, Hodgins started and finished with five catches for 57 yards, both team highs. His first catch was a 20-yard gain to set up the Giants’ first touchdown.
Hodgins also had two catches on fourth-down conversions.
“He just put in a lot of work in his preparation and he was prepared for it,” quarterback Jameis Winston said. “I’m grateful that he came in with the attitude that he came in with.”
The Giants hope they finally might have a reliable third receiver. Jalin Hyatt had two catches for 18 yards, but stopping on his route before Winston’s game-sealing interception in the end zone won’t help his case for more reps.
Hodgins played like someone who can be depended on. The Giants will need more of that regardless of whether Slayton returns this week.
2. Carter sits out opening series
With Kayvon Thibodeaux out with a shoulder injury, Abdul Carter was expected to start Sunday. Instead, Tomon Fox started at linebacker for the opening series and Carter played the remainder of the game.
Interim head coach Mike Kafka called it a coach’s decision and declined to elaborate further. Carter told reporters only that he made a mistake.
It appeared to be a new level of public accountability that wasn’t always present under previous coach Brian Daboll. Neither Kafka nor the players seemed to think it was significant, but it could show that players understand there’s a standard to meet.
The discipline didn’t affect Carter’s play. He nearly sacked Jordan Love, and Kafka was pleased with the rookie linebacker.
“He practiced his tail off, played his butt off,” Kafka said. “I’m really happy about Abdul and excited to watch him continue to grow and continue to play a lot more as a pro.’’
3. Giants’ ground game effective
It was fitting that the Giants’ running game got going, given that Cam Skattebo visited the locker room. The rookie running back hadn’t been seen publicly since a season-ending ankle injury in Week 8.
Devin Singletary (16 carries) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. (19 carries) took turns being physical with the Packers’ sixth-ranked run defense. Singletary scored two touchdowns. Tracy showed effort on several runs by dragging additional defenders or fighting for more yards on his way to a season-high 88 yards.
It also was a win for the Giants’ offensive line against the vaunted Packers front. That’s something to be encouraged about when Jaxson Dart returns from concussion protocol. A strong running game will help Dart’s development. It’ll also help him avoid taking too many hits if he can share the running burden with Tracy and Singletary.
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.
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