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Losers of 2 in a row, Packers visit Giants

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell (30) commits a pass interference penalty on Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave (88) during the second half Monday in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

The Green Bay Packers on Sunday visit the New York Giants, who will have Mike Kafka coaching them after he took over as the interim replacement for Brian Daboll. The Packers are 5-3-1 after losing their past two games.

The Giants have dropped four in a row to drop to 2-8 and are planning to start Jameis Winston at quarterback with rookie Jaxson Dart in concussion protocol. Green Bay has allowed 39 total points over its three losses. The Giants’ run defense ranks 31st out of the NFL’s 32 teams.

Green Bay (5-3-1) at NY Giants (2-8), Sunday, noon, Fox

BetMGM line: Packers by 7

Against the spread: Packers 3-6; Giants 5-5

Series record: Packers lead 34-28-2.

Last meeting: Giants beat Packers 24-22 on Dec. 11, 2023, at New York.

Last week: Giants lost to Bears 24-20; Packers lost to Eagles 10-7.

Packers offense: overall (12), rush (20), pass (9), scoring (14)

Packers defense: overall (5), rush (6), pass (11), scoring (7)

Giants offense: overall (14), rush (11), pass (17), scoring (t24)

Giants defense: overall (29), rush (31), pass (23), scoring (27)

Turnover differential: Packers minus-1; Giants minus-4

Packers player to watch

QB Jordan Love hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass during Green Bay’s current two-game skid, and the Packers need him to showcase the playmaking ability he displayed in three-TD performances at Dallas and at Pittsburgh earlier this season. He completed a season-low 55.6% of his passes against the Eagles. Love had 13 touchdown passes with only two interceptions in Green Bay’s first seven games.

Giants player to watch

DT Dexter Lawrence has been maligned for his lack of production this season, including criticism from retired linebacker-turned-radio analyst Carl Banks. Lawrence turned 28 this week and gets to faced a banged-up Packers offensive line missing starting center Elgton Jenkins. The time is now for one of the organization’s longest-tenured players to make an impact.

Key matchup

Giants QB Jameis Winston vs. Packers defense. With rookie Jaxson Dart in concussion protocol and not expected to be available, interim coach Mike Kafka named Winston the starter over Russell Wilson to spark the offense. Green Bay’s defense is like starting with the difficulty level turned all the way up, especially after allowing just 10 points to defending champion Philadelphia.

Key injuries

Packers: Jenkins (ankle) went on injured reserve this week. … DL Lukas Van Ness (foot) has missed four straight games. … CB Nathan Hobbs (knee) and WR Matthew Golden (shoulder) didn’t play Monday night.

Giants: Several starters have their availability up in the air: WR Darius Slayton (hamstring), EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux and LB Bobby Okereke (shoulder), DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches (toe) and S Tyler Nubin (neck).

Series notes

The Giants have won the previous two games against the Packers, who last beat them in 2019 in coach Matt LaFleur’s first season as coach. Packers DE Micah Parsons, who previously played with Dallas, has been on the winning team in each of his eight career matchups with the Giants. … Kafka is making his NFL head-coaching debut following the firing of Brian Daboll on Monday. … New York has lost four in a row.

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