National Football League

Bye week gives Packers a Giant advantage

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Returning from their bye, the Green Bay Packers enter Sunday’s game with the New York Giants following 14 days of rest and preparation.

Their opponents, in contrast, enter Lambeau Field just six days removed from their road loss to Minnesota. How it’s fair for a team off the bye to meet an opponent on a short week is beyond me, but the advantage is firmly in Green Bay’s corner.

Injuries wreaked havoc on the Packers ahead of their bye, namely on defense. Cornerback Sam Shields remains out with a concussion, although Morgan Burnett, Datone Jones and Letroy Guion are expected to return. Clay Matthews is also on the right track to feature Sunday.

Home field advantage is important in the NFL. While the Packers rest easy at home, the Giants are forced to make the trip to Wisconsin. Throw in the added fatigue from playing Monday night and that it’s a second consecutive road game stacks the deck in the Packers’ favor even more.

Ultimately it will come down to the play on the field as it always does, and New York presents a challenging test for a struggling Packers secondary.

Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins need to sharpen up sans Sam Shields fast, or a torching is on the cards courtesy of Odell Beckham, Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz, one of the league’s most talented wide receiver trios.

Much has been made of Beckham’s early-season struggles, but this has been overblown. Through four games, he has caught 22 passes for 303 yards. At this point last year, Beckham had 24 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns. He’s yet to find the end zone in 2016, but this could all change under the Lambeau lights.

Unlike in his first two NFL seasons, Beckham is no longer alone. Rookie Shepard has 20 receptions for 263 yards and two touchdowns, while a finally-healthy Cruz has hauled in 16 passes for 245 yards and a score.

To say the Packers secondary has its work cut out would be an understatement.

This game will be won or lost on the back of Green Bay’s offense. Entering the game fresh off a bye helps, tipping the advantage the Packers’ way.

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