National Football League

Packers-Giants: Three things to watch - & prediction

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

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Fresh off their early bye week, the Green Bay Packers face the New York Giants at Lambeau Field tonigh.

There are so many questions hanging out there about the Packers after their week 4 hiatus.

The defensive backfield; Randall Cobb;Jared Cook are among those question.

So without further ado, here’s three things to watch and my prediction for the game.

Can Cobb Break Out?

After a disappointing 2015 campaign, Randall Cobb is again off to a slow start in 2016. He’s averaging just 4 catches and 44 yards per game, and he had just a single reception in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions. Cobb also does not have a single touchdown on the season.

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The common rationale for Cobb’s struggles in 2015 was the lack of Jordy Nelson to draw coverage. But now, Nelson is back, and every week he looks more and more like his old self.

There’s no more excuses for the all-purpose threat. The Packers are paying Cobb $40 million over 4 years. He’s long overdue for a breakout game that shows everyone why he deserves it.

Jared Cook’s Absence

Jared Cook was the only significant addition to the Packers’ offense this offseason. After suffering an ankle injury against Detroit, the new weapon is out for several weeks.

Cook hadn’t made too much of an impact statistically through his first three games with Green Bay, but Mike McCarthy was able to use him in unique ways, including as a wide receiver. He presents mismatches that the plodding Richard Rodgers will never be able to.

How will the Packers’ offense deal with this absence? With a full bye week to prepare, McCarthy should be able to make the necessary adjustments, unlike when Cook unexpectedly went down in Detroit.

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Still, Cook’s absence puts more stress on the entire passing game and especially the wide receivers. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and whoever else receives snaps will need to elevate their game to compensate.

Struggling Secondary

Through three games, the biggest issue the Packers have is their pass defense. Though they have the league’s best run defense, the Green Bay secondary has been devastated by receivers such as Stefon Diggs and Marvin Jones.

This week, the mercurial Odell Beckham Jr. comes to town. He’s an incredible talent, and it will be a challenge for Damarious Randall to stay with him and not get beat deep.

With Sam Shields out, Dom Capers should give Randall and the other young corners plenty of help from the safeties. Beckham and the other Giants receivers will likely have a few big plays. But if the secondary can keep the damage relatively contained and come up with a turnover or two, the Packers should be able to come away with a victory.

Prediction

Packers 31, Giants 28

Green Bay fans should be very worried about their secondary against the Giants’ explosive receivers. But coming off a bye week and with so many players returning from injury, I think the Packers should be able to pull off the win at home. I expect a sizable halftime lead and a defensive stand at the game’s end, as well as a timely interception from Eli Manning, to lead the Packers to victory.