The image of Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka taking down Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers — resulting in the reigning MVP of the league lying face-down on the MetLife Stadium turf and then slamming the ball down in frustration — told the tale of Big Blue’s 38-10 rout last night just as surely as any gaudy offensive numbers did.
Coming in, the question had been just how defensive coordinator Perry Fewell would pressure Rodgers. The answer was just fine, with the Giants’ five sacks and withering pressure paving the way for a laugher.
“I think we got to him,” Jason Pierre-Paul said. “There were a couple times he made completions, but overall I think we got to him and we did our jobs to win the game. We came out victorious.
“We came out and did what we had to do. The break during the bye week gave guys time to think on how to come out and play.’’
Kiwanuka, playing defensive tackle instead of linebacker, led the relentless charge with six tackles, two sacks and three hits on Rodgers.
“It starts with us,’’ Kiwanuka said. “Up front we have the ability to affect every aspect of the game. We know we have to get it done up front and the rest of the team is going to play off us.’’
That’s exactly what happened. Packers receiver Randall Cobb had come in spouting off about exacting vengeance on the Giants for knocking Green Bay out of the playoffs last season; but if the Packers had been just off their game in the postseason, last night the Giants’ pass rush made their offense look ineffective and impotent.
“This is New York Giants football,’’ defensive lineman Chris Canty said. “I don’t think we rattled [Rodgers], we just hit him. He couldn’t get comfortable … he didn’t have time to go through his progressions, he had to move around more than he wanted to. That’s what we’re supposed to do.
“Everybody’s got a plan until they get hit, whether it’s the first quarter or the last quarter. When you start hitting the quarterback, getting pressure on him consistently, it’s going to change the way they do things. It’s just human nature. It’s just what happens. We were able to get enough hits to make him uncomfortable, to make him rush some of his decisions.’’
Canty squelched a first-quarter drive with a sack on third-and-3, and Chase Blackburn buried Rodgers on the last play of the quarter. Then Osi Umenyiora added a 7-yard strip sack in the second quarter, with the Giants scoring two plays later for a 31-10 lead and never looking back.