Green Bay Packers: Why they win, why they lose vs. NY Giants

“Perk”ing Up the Ground Game: In New York’s Week-17 19-10 rout over Washington, rookie Paul Perkins became the first Giants’ running back to go over the century mark since 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 208-pound jitterbug’s feat was especially noteworthy considering the anemic nature of the Giants’ ground game that has produced a league-worst six touchdowns and a scant 88.3 yards per contest with only three offenses (Minnesota, Los Angeles and Detroit) below them in that category.

Perkins has steadily become the team’s best option carrying the football. In his last three games, in fact, he’s averaged 16 totes and registered over 4.5 yards per carry each time.

The UCLA product won’t remind anyone of Marshawn Lynch since he lacks the size and power to be a sustaining bellcow that runs through contact; but what he does bring is a sudden burst to quickly eat up yards that has sorely been missing from this offense.

Unlike the plodding Rashad Jennings, Perkins can actually make people miss and behind an offensive line featuring a healthy Justin Pugh at left guard and Weston Richburg at center—both of whom delivered strong performances last Sunday—the Giants may be able to slow down Green Bay’s pass rush by letting their young back move the chains.

Recent games have proven that the Packers can be run on given how thin they are along the interior where only Mike Daniels stands out as the lone trenchman that consistently wins his battles with leverage.