Packers safety Xavier McKinney snuck in a shot at NFL refs for not calling pass interference on wide receivers enough.
The Green Bay Packers have been one of the more frustrating teams in the NFL so far this season, but they are still right in the middle of the playoff picture after a
27-20 win over the New York Giants in Week 11. Now, the Packers are sitting at 6-3-1 through 10 games, just a half-game back of the Chicago Bears for the top spot in the NFC North.
The Giants, led by Jameis Winston in his first start of the season, nearly were able to pull off the upset of Green Bay, but couldn’t quite get the job done. New York’s upset chances ended late in the fourth quarter when Evan Williams picked Winston off in the end zone to salt the win away for Green Bay.
Star safety Xavier McKinney nearly got his hands on an interception of his own during the game, but the ball was just out of reach. The former Giant blamed the miss on offensive pass interference
before throwing a dig at NFL refs about the lack of calls, via Ryan Wood of USA Today.
Xavier McKinney says #Packers secondary discussed not “leaving too much meat on the bone” with chances to finish INTs. As for what happened on his near pick of Jameis Winston:
“First of all, it was offensive pass interference. They don’t call this shit for some reason.” pic.twitter.com/PRNw59yi6p — Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) November 19, 2025
“First of all, it was offensive pass interference,” McKinney said. “They don’t call this s**t for some reason.”
McKinney has become a ball hawk since heading over to Green Bay and is now regarded as one of the tops safeties in the game. He is a part of a Packers defense that has taken a major step forward this season after
trading for Micah Parsons just before the regular season started. So far this season, McKinney has 64 tackles and two interceptions to go with five pass breakups.
Unfortunately, the Green Bay offense has not been able to hold up its end of the bargain at all times this year. Part of those inconsistencies come down to injuries to key players like Tucker Kraft, Jayden Reed and now Josh Jacobs, but this unit is playing below the standard that fans have come to expect from it since Matt LaFleur became the head coach.
If the offense can get going over the home stretch of the regular season, Green Bay can still be a tough out in the playoffs with a defense led by McKinney and Parsons.
Eagles make statement on defense, shut down Jared Goff, Lions
PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles‘ defense “made a statement” Sunday night, shutting down quarterback Jared Goff and the normally high-powered
Detroit Lions‘ attack in a 16-9 win that swings the conference odds in Philly’s favor.
“We talked about it all week, going out there, being physical, playing our style of game. They’ve got to come through us. They’ve got to come through Philly if they want to advance,” Eagles defensive tackle
Jordan Davis said. “We went out there and made a stand, made a statement on defense, and I’m very proud of the guys.”
Davis had three batted passes, one of which resulted in a
Cooper DeJean interception. Davis’ former Georgia teammate, Jalen Carter, added two batted passes.
Their success wasn’t by accident. The Eagles gleaned from tape study that they would have opportunities to swat down some of Goff’s passes because he throws at an angle, Davis said. They had a dedicated drill this week, simulating batted passes, with a defender behind them to haul in the interception.
Goff had a rough day, completing just 38% of his throws — the lowest by any QB this season — while being pressured 20 times and absorbing seven QB hits.
“Just little stuff like [batted passes] messes with a QB’s mind, messes with his mindset, how he passes the ball, and it showed in the game,” Davis said. “Fortunately for us, we made it very hard on him, from the pressures to the batted balls to everything.”
Goff was 0-of-12 passing while under duress, his second-most such incompletions in a game in his career. The last QB with 12 attempts and zero completions under duress was Blake Bortles
in 2017.
The defense was especially disruptive in high-leverage situations. The Lions went 0-for-5 on fourth down, effectively turning coach Dan Campbell’s aggressiveness against him.
“The defense was playing lights-out; it was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said. “So a really, really big-time game on that side of the ball. To be able to do what they did on fourth down against a really good offense … a potent offense that’s capable of doing really special things … I have a lot of respect for that.”
Over the past two weeks, Philadelphia has held the Green Bay Packers and Lions — both NFC title contenders — to a total of 16 points. It is the Eagles’ first time holding back-to-back opponents under 10 points since Weeks 2-3 of the 2022 season.
It’s no coincidence that the performances have come since edge Jaelan Phillips was acquired from the Miami Dolphins ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. Phillips had six pressures and a sack Sunday after an equally dominant debut against Green Bay.
“He fit in right away,” Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean said. “His personality, the way he plays, the physicality he brings.”
The Eagles have needed that kind of defensive effort because the offense has scored 26 points, its fewest during a two-game win streak since 1997 (also 26) and tied for its second fewest over a two-game win streak in franchise history (19 in 1934).
The Eagles (8-2) continue to find ways to win. According to ESPN Analytics, Philadelphia has a 47% chance to claim the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Those odds would have dropped to 17% with a loss.
“I think we take a lot of pride in just winning, period,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “As I watched football today [around the league], I feel like I saw a lot of teams waiting to lose. Our team’s waiting to win because they know how to win. There’s something to be said for knowing how to win and knowing how to figure out ways to win.”