3 Takeaways from Packers' Week 5 Loss vs. Giants

The Green Bay Packers suffered a surprising loss in London on Sunday morning against the New York Giants.

Green Bay appeared to be in control of the contest, but then the Giants flipped the result in their favor in the second half.

New York outscored Green Bay 17-2 in the second half, and the Packers made some questionable calls to aid the second-half scoreline.

Green Bay got 97 rushing yards out of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon but decided to throw the ball on its two most important plays of the game in the red zone.

The Packers played well in the first half, and they can build on the things they had success with, but they must be criticized for the lack of late-game execution in a game that they should have won.

Questionable Calls Made on Final Drive

AP Photo/Kin Cheung

Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) carries the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

The Packers got the ball down to the six-yard-line on their final long drive of the game.

Green Bay took the drive 68 yards, but then it stalled out with two incomplete passes thrown by Aaron Rodgers.

The Packers could have opted to use Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon on at least one of the two plays to either create a shorter yardage on the next few downs, or to punch the ball into the end zone.

Green Bay's first two touchdowns came on short passes to Allen Lazard and Marcedes Lewis, so maybe Matt Lafleur thought he could achieve success with that approach again.

Jones had just run for seven and two yards on the two carries that set up 3rd-and-3 on the seven. A successful run play could have also allowed the Packers to pick up a first down and earn a few more opportunities at the end zone with a minute left.

Instead, Rodgers' second incomplete pass allowed the Giants to kill most of the remaining clock and secure the victory.

Shying away from the run on the last two red-zone snaps was one of many second-half problems that plagued the Packers.

Second-Half Performance Was Not Good Enough

Stu Forster/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 09: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers throws a pass in the first half during the NFL match between New York Giants and Green Bay Packers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 09, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Green Bay's 10-point halftime lead was erased by a drastic shift in how both offenses played.

Green Bay punted twice and turned the ball over on downs on its three long second-half drives.

The Packers failed to answer any of the three scoring drives produced by the Giants out of halftime.

Green Bay punted after a seven-play, 46-yard drive stalled out at the Giants' 42-yard-line. An incomplete pass and a sack doomed the Packers on second and third downs on that drive.

The second drive of the second half resulted in a three-and-out. That was the worst possible result for the Packers after the Giants leveled the contest at 20-20.

Aaron Rodgers and the offense marched down the field on the final drive, but the choice not to run the ball to score, or at least extend the drive stopped the Packers at the six.

The lack of success on any second-half drive has to be frustrating because the Giants did whatever they wanted on offense during that span.

Green Bay's only second half points came on a safety late in the fourth quarter. The second half struggles are not new for the Packers, who have not scored more than 10 points in a second half this season.

LaFleur and his coaching staff need to figure out what is causing the second-half struggles and fix them before they cost the team more games it should have won.

Rushing Defense Needs to Improve

Vincent Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 09: Dean Lowry of Green Bay Packers and Saquon Barkley of New York Giants battle for the ball during the NFL match between New York Giants and Green Bay Packers at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 9, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Vincent Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

The Packers gave up 125 rushing yards for the fourth time this season.

Saquon Barkley produced 70 yards on 13 carries and Daniel Jones carved up the Packers on the ground while Barkley was off the field dealing with an injury for parts of the second half.

New York's ability to find success on the ground helped power its comeback and keep the ball out of Rodgers' hands in the second half.

Green Bay was able to deal with the high rushing concessions in wins over the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots, but this could be an issue that comes back to haunt the team later on in the season.

A future opponent could follow a similar game plan as the Giants produced in the second half. New York used a few extended drives and a mobile quarterback to hurt the Packers and not allow them to find a rhythm on offense.

That situation may not occur in the next two weeks against the New York Jets and Washington Commanders, but it could be a major worry vs. the Buffalo Bills in Week 8.