New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers: Full Report Card Grades for New York

After two consecutive heartbreaking losses, fans of the New York Giants were hoping their team could go to the daunting Lambeau Field and replicate some of their recent playoff success. And with the Green Bay Packers dealing with injuries throughout their secondary, the hope was that the offensive funk would correct itself during the crisp Wisconsin evening.

Unfortunately, however, Mike McCarthy and company had other plans, as Big Blue dropped another nail-biting yet ugly game by the score of 23-16.

The offense was, once again, the key problem behind the Giants struggles. Due to the Packers having one the best run defenses in the league, the team’s rushing attack was non-existent. A combination of a prominent pass rush and keeping two safeties deep didn’t help either, as neither Eli Manning nor his receiving threats made an impact.

On the one hand, the defense did have a good evening as they had the Aaron Rodgers-led offense settle for three field goals. On the other, however, things weren’t as positive. With the pass rush left in New Jersey, the Packers aerial attack helped convert nine of 19 third downs, while Eddie Lacy and James Starks had their way on the ground.

Two weeks into the season, the Giants looked like they could finally take advantage of an inconsistent NFC East. Fast forward to Week 5 and the team, now 2-3, sits at the bottom of the pecking order.

Where did everything go wrong on Sunday? Let’s take a look and see how each position graded out.

Quarterback

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

Sure, Eli Manning was able to register his first touchdown pass since the opening quarter against the Washington Redskins in Week 3. But that was about the only bright spot on Sunday night, as the quarterback struggled mightily for the third straight week.

The offensive line had a tough time against the Packers defensive front (trust me, we'll get to that in a couple of slides), which hindered Manning's potential to succeed. But there were too many times when the veteran didn't hold his end of the bargain, either.

The 35-year-old went a poor 18-for-35 in passing opportunities, good for just one touchdown. While many fans were pleading for the passing attack to focus on Odell Beckham Jr., Manning seemed to take that literally as he had a hard time looking elsewhere on big plays.

There were also times when he under or overthrew his targets, none of which were bigger than the pass to Will Tye in the third quarter, which almost certainly would've resulted in a touchdown. Last but not least, Manning—once again—had trouble holding on to the football, as he lost a fumble as well.

As it was stated last week, the Giants will only go as far as Manning can take them. And by the way he's playing, that won't be very far.

Grade: C-

Running Backs

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With workhorse Rashad Jennings out for the second straight week, Giants head coach Ben McAdoo went with his running back-by-committee approach. And for the second consecutive week, the rushing attack failed to make the defense pay for their extra coverage on the receivers.

Orleans Darkwa led the way with seven carries but totaled just 11 yards over that span. Despite his ability to shed tacklers, McAdoo doesn't seem to view him as much of a threat in the passing game which limits his time on the field.

Bobby Rainey compiled 22 yards on five rushes and, once again, was a force in the passing game, catching a team-high six balls for 52 yards. The fifth-year runner has done an adequate job in replacing Shane Vereen as the third-down back and figures to gain more looks as a pass-catcher as the season progresses.

Despite limited duty, rookie Paul Perkins stood out for the second straight week. The seventh-round pick had two rushes for nine yards and also caught another screen pass, this time for 13 yards.

Perkins is a hard-nosed runner who has flashed an ability to avoid defenders, and there's no reason why McAdoo shouldn't give him more touches out of the backfield.

Poor play by the offensive line combined with the league's top rushing defense were the main reasons behind the lackluster numbers. All in all, though, the trio ran hard, played tough and did their best to fill in for the injured veterans.

Grade: B-

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

With the Packers secondary ravaged with injuries, Sunday night looked to be the perfect recipe for Manning, Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, Sterling Shepard and Will Tye to show why the Giants have the best receiving corps in the NFL. 

Instead, they were one of the focal points behind the Giants' third loss of the season. 

After weeks of scrutiny, Beckham had one of his best games in 2016. Although his numbers pale in comparison to some of his top displays in previous seasons, the star did lead the way with 56 receiving yards on five catches while also hauling in his first touchdown of the year. 

With all eyes on Beckham, both Shepard and Cruz figured to be huge parts of the passing game in Week 5. Instead, Manning, too, spent a majority of his time looking at No. 13, as Shepard caught just two passes for 14 yards, while Cruz failed to register any statistics. 

A one-time prominent staple of Big Blue's passing games, the tight ends had another modest game. Tye had just 37 receiving yards on two catches, while rookie Jerell Adams caught his first two professional passes, which combined for 27 yards.

Manning was right in trying to get to Beckham early and often, but he also has to realize that spreading the ball would do the team wonders. This unit had to take advantage of a banged-up defensive backs unit, but they failed to do so. 

Grade: C+

Offensive Line

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You'll never confuse the 2016 version of the Giants offensive line with the group that blocked for Manning during the late 2000s, that's for sure.

Going up against one of the top defensive sevens in football, many knew it was going to be a tough night for the O-Line. Unfortunately, tough is an understatement.

There continues to be a huge difference in play between the interior linemen and the exterior linemen. Once again, Weston Richburg and Justin Pugh were the most consistent of the group, while John Jerry had a below-average game—a rare sight this season.

The biggest problem, however, was with the tackle positions, as Ereck Flowers and Bobby Hart had a hard time defending edge rushers Clay Matthews and Nick Perry.

Flowers continues to struggle in securing Manning's blind side, as he allowed two sacks while also receiving a penalty as well. Starting in his third NFL game, Hart ran into his first troubles, as the sack he allowed resulted in three points for the Packers offense.

It's clear that Manning doesn't trust his offensive, line and that's hurting the team's offense overall. But with a lack of options to improve, it looks like this unit will be intact for the foreseeable future.

Grade: D

Defensive Line

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Remember when the Giants gave Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul millions of dollars to replicate the memories of when Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck were lining up at defensive end? Remember when they gave Damon Harrison millions of dollars to join Johnathan Hankins as immovable objects up the middle?

Unfortunately, the front four didn't play like they were making that much money.

As a whole, the offensive line had their way with the Giants D-Line, as Aaron Rodgers averaged nearly five seconds per passing attempt, while the Packers running backs gained 131 yards on just 25 carries.

While Hankins had just one solo tackle, he did a pretty good job going up against Lane Taylor. Harrison, however, did not have a strong evening, as T.J. Lang had no problems pushing him beyond the line of scrimmage to open up holes for Lacy, Starks and fullback Aaron Ripkowski.

In what has become a positive trend, both Vernon and Pierre-Paul have been stout against the running game, as they have no issues establishing the edges. Their problem, however, relies on their pass-rushing efforts, as neither end had a chance at getting to Rodgers. Pierre-Paul did have a standout night in the tackles column, as he was tied for the lead with seven (six solo).

The Giants thought they solved their sack woes on the free-agent market. There's definitely still time to make an impact, but the unit's struggles to get to the quarterback have hurt their stock and their team.

Grade: C+

Linebackers

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

Another football game, another inconsistent performance from the linebacker corps. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo continued the theme of using four different linebackers in different schemes and the results varied.

Keenan Robinson continues to prove that he was a vital free-agent signing, as his coverage ability and speed at the line of scrimmage have become valuable assets. The 27-year-old didn't only make his presence felt in blitzing situations, but he also broke up two vital passes, one of which would have resulted in a touchdown.

Devon Kennard slowly but surely climbs his way back into the picture, as the third-year linebacker had his second consecutive positive showing. Not only did he have a combined five tackles, but he also displayed versatility as he put his hand in the dirt and lined up at defensive end in some passing situations.

Jonathan Casillas and Kelvin Sheppard, however, didn't have such good outings.

Although he was tied for the lead with seven combined tackles, Casillas' failed tackle against Randall Cobb on third down was one of the poorest plays of the game. What was the final blow, however, was Sheppard not hanging on to a ball that was fumbled by James Starks. If he had been able to haul in the interception or recover the ball on the ground, the Giants would have had possession in Packers territory with a little more than two minutes to play.

If the linebackers can find consistency, they will be one of the most underrated groups in the NFL. Until then, though, they will struggle to succeed.

Grade: C+

Defensive Backs

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

Despite being riddled with injuries, the Giants secondary had a rather solid evening against Aaron Rodgers and his crop of talented receivers, as they held the all-world quarterback to 259 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Getting into the game early, Eli Apple was still dealing with injuries from weeks prior and was ruled out in the second quarter. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie also had injury concerns but fought through the pain and stayed on the field for the majority of the night. Despite noticeably limping, DRC's heart was on full display on Sunday. 

While he did allow a touchdown, rookie Michael Hunter had a decent showing in his first true test of NFL action, and safety Andrew Adams—another rookie—looked a lot more comfortable in his second career start.

Cornerback Trevin Wade appeared to have left his woes against the Minnesota Vikings behind him, as he had two pass breakups throughout the game. He reverted back to his old ways, however, as he allowed Randall Cobb to get a first down, sealing the victory for the Packers. 

Landon Collins struggled in pass coverage, but that's what happens when you put a safety against Cobb and Jordy Nelson in the slot. He did, once again, contribute at the line of scrimmage, as he was tied for the lead with seven combined tackles. 

The star of the defensive backfield was Janoris Jenkins, as he collected the first two interceptions of the season. The man known as Jackrabbit continues to live up to his five-year, $62 million deal as he has no problem going against the opponent's top receivers. 

Although the defensive backs were far from full strength, they did their best against the Packers' aerial attack. And their efforts helped keep the Giants close. 

Grade: B

Special Teams

Andy Clayton-King/Associated Press

For the first time this season, it looked as though coach Tom Quinn had his special teams units clicking on all cylinders.

Dwayne Harris had a great game in both kick and punt return situations, as he continuously put the offense in a position to excel. The blocking was exceptional as well, as both units opened up holes for Harris to make his way toward midfield.

In addition to blocking and returning, the coverage teams had a strong game. Both the kickoff and punt groups held the Packers returners in check as they never gained more than 24 yards in kickoff situations and three yards on punts.

And you can't forget about the efforts of Brad Wing and Josh Brown, as the former pinned the Packers inside of the 20 on three separate occasions, while the latter went 3-for-3 in field-goal opportunities.

Grade: A-