WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE

Mike Kafka, who was the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator before the Giants relieved Brian Daboll of his duties, continued call plays among his new responsibilities as interim head coach.

Kafka elevated tight ends coach to offensive coordinator in what is expected to be his only staff change. Kelly has twice before served as an offensive coordinator for the Texans and Titans. After focusing mostly on the rushing attack, Kelly will be more involved with the totality of the plan for the final seven games.

With record-breaking rookie Jaxson Dart in the concussion protocol, Jameis Winston made his Giants debut while Russell Wilson served as the backup.

The Giants won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. Wide receivers Wan’Dale Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins, who returned to the Giants three days earlier, had 20-yard receptions on the first drive, which Devin Singletary punctuated with a five-yard touchdown run. It was the veteran’s first touchdown of the season.

Singletary scored again on a two-yard run to tie the game late in the first half. It was Singletary’s first game with multiple rushing touchdowns since Nov. 13, 2022, when he played for the Bills. Defensive lineman Elijah Chatman, who was elevated from the practice squad, helped pave the way from the backfield.

Overall, Winston completed 19 of 29 passes for 201 yards and an interception by Evan Williams on third-and-six from the Packers 14-yard line with 36 seconds remaining in the game. Winston was looking for Jalin Hyatt in the end zone while the Packers held a seven-point lead. On the next possession, Winston was strip-sacked by Micah Parsons as time expired on a desperation play.

Hodgins’ return included a game-high five receptions for 57 yards on five targets.

Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. added a pair of 20-yard catch-and-run plays in addition to 19 carries for 88 yards. Singletary ran 16 times for 44 yards and the two scores.

The Packers entered Week 11 having allowed the fewest 20-yard plays and 10-yard plays in the NFL. Green Bay had also allowed a league-low six points on opponents’ first offensive possession. The Giants had scored 31 such points, tied for sixth in the league. Now they have 38.

The Giants returned to full health on the starting offensive line after right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (Week 9) and center John Michael Schmitz (Week 10) each missed a game. Guard Evan Neal, who did not appear in a game this season, was placed on injured reserve over the weekend due to a hamstring.

The Giants reunited earlier in the week with Hodgins, signing the veteran off the Steelers’ practice squad. Hodgins, 6-3 and 200 pounds, had played 28 of his 31 career games with the Giants and made all 14 starts with them. In 2022, he became the first Giants player to eclipse 100 receiving yards in a postseason game since Hakeem Nicks in Super Bowl XLVI.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE

On track to make his return, starting cornerback Paulson Adebo felt some discomfort in his knee after pregame warmups and was downgraded to out just before kickoff. Adebo has not played since Week 7 in Denver due to a knee injury.

The secondary had already prepared to play without safety Tyler Nubin, who was ruled out with a neck injury. In their places, Deonte Banks started opposite Cor’Dale Flott at cornerback while Dane Belton lined up at safety opposite Jevón Holland.

Outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder) and defensive linemen Chauncey Golston (neck) and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr. (toe) did not play on Sunday.

Quarterback Malik Willis momentarily replaced Jordan Love midway through the Packers’ second drive, which ended with a one-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson on third-and-goal. Love had previously suffered a shoulder injury on a hard hit by linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles on a scramble. Running back Josh Jacobs also left with a knee injury and was ruled out.

Love did return on the ensuing possession and led Green Bay on a 10-play, 84-yard drive that resulted in a an 11-yard touchdown run by Emanuel Wilson. The Packers took their first lead of the game with 7:39 remaining in the second quarter.

Brian Burns entered Week 11 tied with Cleveland’s Myles Garrett for the NFL lead in sacks and added two to his tally on Sunday. Burns now has 13 sacks in 11 games.

The Packers converted seven of 11 third downs and scored touchdowns on all four trips to the red zone, including a 17-yard jump ball from Love to Christian Watson in the end zone to give Green Bay a 27-20 lead (plus a two-point conversion) with 4:02 left in the game.

The Packers had scored a league-high 103 points in the fourth quarter entering Week 11. The Giants had allowed a league-high 115 points in the fourth quarter.

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker Graham Gano (neck) was placed on injured reserve this week, which led to the signing of Younghoe Koo to the active roster. Koo was elevated from the practice squad last week in Chicago, where he made both of his field goal attempts and two extra points in his Giants debut.

On a windy Sunday in East Rutherford, Koo missed a 48-yard extra point attempt late in the first half, wide left, that would have retaken the lead for the Giants. It was extended after Austin Schlottmann was penalized for a chop block on the original extra point attempt. Instead of going ahead by one point, the game was tied 13-13 before halftime.

Green Bay also played without its usual kicker, Brandon McManus, who was added to the injury report on Saturday with a right quad injury. Lucas Havrisik kicked for the Packers and missed two of his three extra point attempts.

Neither kicker attempted a field goal in the conditions.

NYG: CB Paulson Adebo (knee), CB Korie Black (hand)

GB: QB Jordan Love (shoulder/returned), RB Josh Jacobs (knee), LB Quay Walker (stinger)

NYG: OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder), QB Jaxson Dart (concussion), WR Darius Slayton (hamstring), S Tyler Nubin (neck), DL Chauncey Golston (neck), DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr. (toe), OT James Hudson III Hudson

GB: K Brandon McManus (right quad), WR Malik Heath (coach’s decision), CB Nate Hobbs (knee), G Donovan Jennings, DE Lukas Van Ness (foot)

NYG: WR Dalen Cambre (standard elevation), DL Elijah Chatman (standard elevation), K Younghoe Koo (free agent signing from NYG practice squad), WR Isaiah Hodgins (free agent signing from PIT practice squad), OL Evan Neal (placed on injured reserve/hamstring)

GB: G/C Lecitus Smith (signed to the practice squad), C/G Elgton Jenkins (placed on injured reserve), LB Kristian Welch (signed to the active roster)