Injury updates
Kafka announced that Winston would start at quarterback this Sunday while Jaxson Dart progresses through the concussion protocol. While the rookie will miss his first game of the season on Sunday, the interim head coach said Dart is "right on track."
"He's in the middle of it," Kafka said of Dart in the concussion protocol. "And to be honest with you, I have a lot of trust in our medical staff and our medical team, and they're taking great care of him. So, each day I get a little bit of an update, he's right on track and right on pace in the program."
Dart was one of 10 players to not participate in Wednesday's practice. The others include kicker Graham Gano (neck), defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck), linebacker Neville Hewitt (foot), guard Evan Neal (hamstring), safety Tyler Nubin (neck), defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (toe), linebacker Bobby Okereke (shoulder), wide receiver Darius Slayton (hamstring) and outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeux (shoulder).
Gano was later placed on injured reserve due to his neck injury.
The Giants did get some positive injury news, as well, with cornerback Paulson Adebo returning to practice as a limited participant. Adebo has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in the Week 7 loss in Denver, with Wednesday being the first time the veteran has made it back onto the practice field. It remains to be seen if he'll be fully cleared by Sunday, but returning to practice is certainly a step in the right direction.
Scouting the Packers
The Packers have leaned on the defense in helping them jump out to their 5-3-1 start. The unit ranks seventh in points and fifth in yards allowed, led by their run defense that ranks sixth in yards and yards per attempt allowed. The Green Bay defense has held its opponents to under 20 points in six of nine games, with the Eagles and Panthers combing for a total of 26 points over the last two weeks.
Green Bay made a big splash right before the season started when they traded for Micah Parsons. The talented defensive lineman ranks third in the NFL with 50 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, while his 14 quarterback hits are the most on the Packers. He's also tied with defensive lineman Rashan Gary with a team-high seven tackles for loss, while Gary's 7.5 sacks on the season are one more than Parsons (6.5).
The Packers have immense talent on all three levels of the defense, including their linebacker duo of Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper, who rank first and second on the team, respectively, in total tackles. Cornerback Keisean Nixon leads the unit in passes defensed by a wide margin with 12, while former Giant safety Xavier McKinney is tied with Walker for the second-most with four pass breakups. McKinney also has two interceptions, one forced fumble and one sack on the season.
"It's a great unit," Kafka said about the Packers defense. "Really, all three phases, they have talented players everywhere. Micah particularly, Gary. Those guys stand out because of their sack production, but their defense, they're well coached. They're very aggressive, and they know how to rush the passer. It's a tough crew. I think it's a great challenge for us and our offensive staff. It will be a great challenge for our special teams unit and our defensive unit as well. I know our coaches are doing a hell of a job prepping for this and getting our guys ready."
Moving over to the offense, quarterback Jordan Love is putting together a solid campaign. Love has completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 2,247 yards, 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions for a 103.0 passer rating. But the quarterback recently lost his favorite target, tight end Tucker Kraft, to a season-ending knee injury. Kraft had caught 32 passes for a team-high 489 yards and six touchdowns through the first eight games of the season.
Wide receiver Romeo Doubs, Love's other top target, got banged up in the Packers' loss to the Eagles on Monday. Doubs suffered a chest injury in the defeat, so his status for this Sunday will have to be monitored. The wideout leads the Packers with 35 receptions, while his 446 yards and four touchdowns rank second behind Kraft.
The focal point of the Green Bay offense is running back Josh Jacobs, who is already up to 11 rushing touchdowns through nine games. Jacobs has seen his efficiency take a bit of a hit this year, down to 3.8 yards per carry compared to his 4.4 avg. last year. But the talented running back has still found a way to make a major impact for the Packers offense. In addition to his 608 rushing yards, Jacobs has also caught 28 passes for 237 yards, with his 845 total yards from scrimmage ranking 10th in the NFL.