After winning two out of their last two nationally televised games against the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs, the Green Bay Packers (6-6) gear up to face the New York Giants (4-8) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, this Monday night.
The Packers have managed to reposition themselves in the playoff race over the past month. They aim to capitalize on a favorable schedule in the final five weeks of the regular season.
Notably, the match against the Giants will be the first time the Packers and Giants face each other in the "Monday Night Football" since 1983.
"As soon as you start feeling yourself and feeling like you've arrived, this league has a way of knocking you out," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.
"The bottom line is we're a .500 football team."
This season was expected to be a transitional phase for the Packers, with the departure of legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the introduction of Jordan Love, who was scouted in 2020. Despite the challenges of adapting to a new quarterback and playing in a tough division, the team has navigated the season with unexpected success.
Love, Green Bay's first-year starter, faced some initial growing pains this season but has recently emerged as one of the NFL's hottest quarterbacks. Over the last three games, Love has completed an impressive 68.5 percent of his passes, throwing for eight touchdowns without an interception.
Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys was the only quarterback in the current season to have achieved a streak of three consecutive games with a passing completion rate exceeding 65 percent, coupled with multiple touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Love's journey to becoming the starting quarterback for the Packers began last season when he stepped in for an injured Rodgers against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12 of 2022. In that game, Love showcased his skills by completing 6 of 9 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown against a Super Bowl-bound team, influencing the Packers' decision to entrust him with the quarterback position for 2023.
Giants' injury setback
The Giants, coming off a bye week, have secured consecutive wins for the first time this season. However, despite the break offering a chance to recuperate, the team faces challenges, with quarterback Daniel Jones sidelined due to a season-ending knee injury.
The Giants' injury woes extend to other key players, including running back Saquon Barkley, who is working to bounce back from an early-season ankle ailment and aims for his first rushing touchdown since Week 2.
"Don't want to make any excuses," said Giants general manager Joe Schoen. "We've had some injuries. We've just got to continue to build the depth and we've got to continue to build the team all around so when injuries do occur, we can overcome those and still be competitive when injuries happen.
Despite the setbacks, Giants general manager Joe Schoen emphasized the need to build depth and fortify the team to withstand injuries and maintain competitiveness.
"It's going to happen every year. It's football. It's a contact sport. There's going to be injuries, and we've got to be able to overcome any type of adversity that presents itself," said Schoen.
Rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito is set to make his fourth start for the Giants, having showcased promise with a 191-yard, one-touchdown performance in a recent 10-7 victory against the New England Patriots. In the previous week, he recorded 246 yards and three touchdowns against the Washington Commanders.
