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Banged-up Green Bay defense dumps Giants

[October 10, 2016] GREEN BAY, Wis. -- There were no theatrics from Odell Beckham Jr. No fireworks by Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning.

Just a surprising defensive effort from the Green Bay Packers.

With starting cornerbacks Sam Shields and Damarious Randall inactive, the Packers and their 29th-ranked pass defense held the New York Giants' offense in check most of the way en route to a 23-16 victory Sunday.

The short-handed Green Bay defense had the daunting challenge of slowing the veteran Manning, the explosive Beckham and a powerful New York offense. However, the Packers' stout defensive play made up for Green Bay's inconsistent offense and stumbling special teams.

"I thought our defense just really keeping them out of the end zone and especially with the field position (was good)," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think you start with the young secondary, those young corners did a heck of a job. As always, it starts up front. I thought our D-line and our run defense was what it needed to be, trying to slow down that no-huddle offense. They do a very good job at the line of scrimmage with pass selection. I thought our defense played very well."

The Giants (2-3) had possessions starting at their 45-yard line, their 41, the Packers 40, their 39, their 47 and their 49 in the first three quarters. New York managed three field goals, including a 30-yarder by Josh Brown on the sixth of those possessions that cut Green Bay's lead to 17-9 with 5:26 left in the third quarter.

"I have confidence in the guys," Giants coach Ben McAdoo said. "We didn't block well enough, didn't make enough throws, didn't make enough contested catches. We need to play better. We need to execute better."

New York's defense kept the Giants in the game. The Packers (3-1) went four consecutive possessions without getting a first down before extending their lead to 20-9 on Mason Crosby's 33-yard field goal with 13:46 remaining in the game. Completions of 20 yards to Davante Adams and 21 yards to Randall Cobb fueled that scoring drive.

Green Bay mounted a key drive to build its lead to 23-9. Thanks to an early third-and-9 conversion by Cobb in which he broke four tackles to get the first down, Green Bay burned 6:22 and got a 25-yard Crosby field goal. That left Manning just 6:39 to overcome a two-touchdown deficit.

Manning finally led the Giants into the end zone with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Beckham with 2:54 remaining. Manning got hit by outside linebacker Nick Perry just as he threw the ball, and Beckham managed to keep both feet inbounds as he made the catch in front of the goal post.

Green Bay was able to run out the clock, but not without a scare. Running back James Starks fumbled on a second-down catch but recovered. On third-and-10, Rodgers hit Cobb for a gain of 13. Rodgers took a knee to run out the final two minutes.

Manning went 18 of 35 for 199 yards and the one touchdown.

"They had a good game plan," Manning said. "They did a good job trying to take away our receivers and force us to run the ball. They did a good job of disguising a few things. They played well. They got good pressure just bringing four guys a lot of times. We're playing some coverages where it'll take a little time for something things to develop. We had some opportunities, missed a few throws, didn't capitalize on a few opportunities, had some guys open."

Rodgers wasn't much better. He went 23 of 45 for 259 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

"It's been ugly at times, but we'll take it," Rodgers said. "It's tough to win in this league. We're our biggest critic, myself included. I've got to play a lot better, but we've got to execute in the passing game as well as we're doing up front and in the run game. We feel good about the yards and the third-down percentage, but we'd like to score a few more points to help our defense out when they're playing so well."

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Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) is tackled by New York Giants cornerback Leon Hall (25) after catching a pass during the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Packers running back Eddie Lacy gained 81 yards on 11 carries but couldn't finish the game due to an injured ankle. Cobb made nine receptions for 108 yards.

Beckham caught five passes for 56 yards but was targeted 12 times.

Green Bay mostly dominated the first half, outgaining the Giants 251-93 and picking up 15 first downs to New York's four to lead 17-6.

The Packers struck first with a 16-play, game-opening drive that consumed almost nine minutes. Green Bay converted four third-down plays and scored on Rodgers' 2-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson, who stumbled out of his break but caught the ball while falling to the turf.

The Packers momentarily took a 14-0 lead, but Rodgers' touchdown pass to Cobb was overturned by offsetting penalties -- 12 men on the field by the Giants and an illegal shift on the Packers that left Rodgers fuming. On the next play, the final play of the first quarter, Rodgers' pass went through Nelson's hands and was intercepted by Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins.

After the Giants' Josh Brown kicked a 47-yard field goal, Green Bay answered quickly. First, it was Lacy plowing through the Giants for a gain of 31. Then, with cornerback Eli Apple lost to a groin injury, Rodgers went after his replacement, Michael Hunter, for a 29-yard touchdown pass to Adams.

Jenkins struck again, stepping in front of a third-down pass to Adams for another interception to give the Giants the ball at the Green Bay 40. Brown's 41-yard field goal made it 14-6 with 1:51 left in the half.

Then came another big swing. After Green Bay's three-and-out brought out some boo-birds, Manning had tight end Will Tye wide open for a 61-yard touchdown but he couldn't make the catch. On the next play, Manning was sacked and stripped by linebacker Kyler Fackrell, with defensive tackle Kenny Clark recovering at the Giants' 31. Crosby booted a 44-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

NOTES: The Giants were without RB Rashad Jennings (finger), TE Larry Donnell (concussion), S Nat Berhe (concussion) and S Darian Thompson (foot). ... Early in the second quarter, Giants CB Eli Apple was ruled out with an injured groin. He missed last week's game at Minnesota with a hamstring ailment. ... Green Bay had the ball for 13:03 of the first quarter and finished with 36:38. It averaged a 27th-ranked 27:44 entering the game. ... The Giants' defense hadn't forced a turnover all season before CB Janoris Jenkins had two interceptions in the first half. ... WR Jordy Nelson has a touchdown in each of the first four games, the first Packer to accomplish the feat since Bill Schroeder in 2001. ... Green Bay led 7-0 after the first quarter. The Packers have outscored their opponents 179-19 in the first quarter of the past 17 regular-season home games. ... Giants QB Eli Manning threw one touchdown pass, giving him 299 for his career.

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