Is Giants-Packers London game headed toward a shootout?

As had been expected since earlier in the week, it was learned on Friday that the 3-1 New York Giants should have starting quarterback Daniel Jones in the lineup for Sunday's game against the 3-1 Green Bay Packers even though Jones was temporarily sidelined last Sunday with a sprained left ankle. 

Even before Jones' status was seemingly confirmed ahead of the weekend, ESPN's Rob Demovsky and Jordan Raanan noted in a piece published Friday that fans could be in for a high-scoring affair when the Giants and Packers meet at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

"This could be a nightmare matchup for the Packers' defense," Demovsky explained. "It ranks in the bottom third of the NFL in yards allowed per carry (5.0), and the Giants — with the NFL's leading rusher, Saquon Barkley — run it at the second-best clip in the league (5.8 yards per carry). It prompted Packers coach Matt LaFleur to say this week that defensive coordinator Joe Barry needs to have his players 'play more physical' and 'in certain situations you might have to put an extra defender in the box.'"

Barkley leads the league with 463 rushing yards and 84 attempts, numbers that seem to suggest he can carry the offensive load if Jones can't make plays with his legs or plant properly to throw due to his ankle. Meanwhile, Raanan thinks Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be in for a big outing against the Giants. 

"Rodgers hasn't topped 255 yards passing this season, and the Giants have the eighth-ranked pass defense," Raanan pointed out. "But New York also hasn't faced a quarterback like Rodgers and has a pedestrian 9.0 sacks and a 29.0% pressure rate, per NFL Next Gen Stats. This could be Rodgers' breakout game." 

ESPN stats show that Rodgers, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, will enter the weekend 12th among eligible quarterbacks with a 95.6 passer rating, 19th with a 44.8 total QBR, fourth in completion percentage at 69.0%, and 15th with 7.2 yards per pass attempt. The 38-year-old has tallied six touchdown passes with three interceptions.