An expert foresees Jameis Winston leading a depleted New York Giants team to an improbable victory over the Green Bay Packers. That just can't happen.
A win against the New York Giants would be big for the Green Bay Packers. No, it wouldn't put them back in the running with the top Super Bowl contenders in the NFL and no, it won't really be all that impressive. Keep in mind, the Giants are 2-8, they just fired their head coach and they're down their starting quarterback, top running back and top wide receiver.
This is a team the Packers should have no problem beating if they really want to be taken seriously. Never mind that it's on the road. Never mind what has happened over the past two weeks of play. Never mind the devastating and season-ending injuries to Tucker Kraft and Elgton Jenkins.
If the Packers are a serious team, they'll win this game. A win won't put their season right back on track, but it will stave off a three-game losing streak and continue talks of a hot seat for head coach Matt LaFleur, at least for a week.
A loss, though? Simply put, a loss would be devastating to the Packers. Unfortunately for them, that's exactly what NFL.com expert Marc Ross is predicting for them this weekend.
He believes the Packers will fall at the hands of Jameis Winston, a former No. 1 overall pick turned career backup quarterback, and the Giants.
"No Jaxson Dart, no problem. Winston is getting his first start this season, and you know it will be a roller coaster ride -- remember last year's outing against Denver, when he threw for 497 yards, four touchdowns and three INTs for the Browns? Don't worry; the Giants will get good Jameis on Sunday. He'll put up 300 passing yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay's seventh-ranked scoring defense, which just stifled the Eagles. New York gets its first win since Week 6, and Green Bay loses its third straight," Ross wrote.
If this happens, it would be an abject failure by the Packers. It would be a fire-able offense by LaFleur, and if defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley's defense really gives up nearly 500 yards and four touchdowns to Winston, he should be fired as well.
The good news for the Pack is that this scenario is unlikely to happen. The Packers have the fifth-best total defense in the NFL in yards given up per game at 287.2 and they're Top 10 in points per game given up at 19.6.
Notably, Ross doesn't give any reasons for this epic performance by Winston. Yes, he's a gunslinger and will throw it with reckless abandon (which is perhaps why Ross also predicted three interceptions), but he hasn't played a game this season. Last season with the Browns, he threw for 13 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions in 12 games, so it's not like this is prime Florida State Winston coming out of the tunnel on Sunday.
Throw in the fact that the Giants' offense doesn't have Malik Nabers (ACL), Cam Skattebo (ankle) or Darius Slayton (hamstring), and there's just no world in which this prediction is realistic.
If it happens, it would be shocking. It would also lead to heads rolling in Green Bay, so let's hope it really doesn't happen.