Halftime is for concessions refills, bathroom breaks and — in the case of the Giants — game-altering adjustments. 

Pitching a defensive shutout and outgaining the Packers, 198-101, after halftime Sunday continued an early-season theme for the Giants, who have outscored their first five opponents by a combined total of 70-39 over the final two quarters. Their average second-half point differential of +6.2 per game is the third-best in the NFL, trailing only the Bills and the Bengals. 

“You’re constantly communicating,” head coach Brian Daboll said. “It’s not, ‘Hey, let’s just wait until the half to get these things fixed. [It’s] let’s try to fix them now.’ And then maybe you got a few more ideas, and you can be composed at halftime.” 

Second-half performance generally is attributed to coaching impact. With three second-half comeback wins, the Giants (4-1) are maximizing the 10-minute locker-room window when coaches from the sideline, coaches from the booth and players are face-to-face. 

“At halftime you have a little bit more time to talk about it and to really [tell] the guys, ‘This is how the game has kind of unfolded. This is what we want to get to,’ ” Daboll said. “It’s not like a mass overhaul of 20 new plays, but there might be a few things that we’re stressing that, ‘This is how we think they’re attacking us from a coaching side. Here’s how we think we can counter that. So, I’d be alert for this, this and this.’ Here’s a few plays we want to start out with the second half.’ ” 

Two examples of adjustments from Sunday: On offense, the Giants “waited until the second half” to call zone-reads and designed draws after lulling the Packers into thinking Daniel Jones’ sprained ankle was more debilitating than was the case. Nine of Jones’ 10 rushes came after the “halftime communication.” On defense, coordinator Wink Martindale took away Aaron Rodgers’ easy catch-and-run completions into the flat. 

“They did a few of them in the second half, but far less of them,” Daboll said. “I just think our players executed the defenses Wink and the defensive coaches called. It was good communication. We knew that during those first few drives that was something that they were getting to.” 

The Giants also ended a dubious streak with a touchdown late in the first half. Before then, they had been outscored 88-0 in the final two minutes of the first half since the start of the 2021 season. 

“The guys came in the locker room saying they were giving us their best shot,” defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence said. “It was a good football team, and we weren’t playing up to how we know we can play. We just said, ‘OK, time to turn it on, and we kind of turned it on.’ ” 

Daboll did not update the status of any players injured during the game, including cornberbacks Fabian Moreau and Adoree’ Jackson. 

DT D.J. Davidson suffered a MCL sprain when he was carted off the field, according to NFL Network. He would be at least the fourth Giant to suffer that specific injury this season. 

RB Saquon Barkley returned to the game after injuring his shoulder but could require further testing this week. 

“Whatever we need to do for him, we’ll do,” Daboll said. “And hopefully he’ll be ready to go.” 

The Giants re-signed WR Robert Foster to the practice squad. Foster was with the team from March 14 until he was released on Aug. 25 but goes back with Daboll to stints together as player and coach at Alabama in 2017 and with the Bills in 2018-19. Foster, who has 32 catches in 26 career games (five starts), remained a free agent after his release with a hamstring injury in training camp.