Ahhhh......it's a beautiful thing.
The NFC championship game at Lambeau Field on the frozen tundra with sub-zero temperatures expected by game time. All is right with the world.
GB smoked the Giants in NJ by 21 but that was very early in the season (week 3 maybe?) I expect a much closer game this time around.
Hard to find a weak spot on the Packers right now though other than they are almost too young to find themselves in this position. The one worry is a banged up O line against a very good defense on the Giants.
Im just not sure that Manning and his receivers can be real effective against the Packers pass defence, and the run defense has been lights out as of late as well.
If I do checklist this is how it boils down to me.
Offense....the Packers. Ryan Grant ran for more yards than anyone else in the NFL without the initial LT the last half of the season. Then again this weekend. The resurrection of thinder and lightning in NY has been a very good one, but again the Pack run stop has been nothing short of stellar the last 6 weeks. Only NE averaged more yds on offense per game this season than the Packers while the Giants were 16th. The Packers were 4th in the NFL in pts per game, while the Giants were 14th.
Defense.... Edge to the Packers overall. The Giants front 4 are about as good as it gets in the NFL with Strahan playing like a kid again, although GB's big guys are pretty good as well. When you factor in the CB's and LB's though and the Giants injuries, I think the scales tip over to the Green side. Though the Giants were 7th in the NFL in yds given up per game, the Packers were 11th giving up only 8 more per game. Against the run the G men gave up an average of 98 yd per game, the Packers 103. Aginst the pass the Giants gave up 207 and the Pack 210. Very even.
QB...huge edge GB
Favre completed 66.5% of his passes, Manning 56.1.
Favre threw for 4,155 yds while Manning went for 3,336.
Favre threw for 28 TD's, while Manning managed 23.
Favre was sacked 16 times, Manning 27.
Favre threw 15 INT's, Manning 20.
Plays over 20 yds..Favre 49 Manning 36
Plays over 40 yds ..Favre 16, Manning 6.
QB rating for the year...Favre 95.7 (6th in NFL) Manning 73.9 (25th in NFL)
RB's
Without a doubt the Giants have the edge overall here. Jacobs/Bradshaw is a dynamite combination. The Giants were 4th in the NFL rushing the ball, while GB was a distant 21st. NY avg 134 yds a game while GB goes for 100 a significant difference. NY scored 15 TD's along the ground, GB 13. NY ran the ball 29 times a game, GB only 24.
WR's
Have to give the edge overall to GB here as well just because of depth.
The Packers have Driver/Jennings/Jones/Lee all with over 500 yds on the year. The Giants have Toomer/Burress and an injured Shockey. They do look like they have a player in Steve Smith though.
Kicking...which may be as important in next weeks weather as anything else.
Jon Ryan of GB averages 44.4 yds per kick. Jeff Feagles of NY 40.4
Net averages of 37.6 and 36.0 respectively.
As for the FG kickers.
Mason Crosby of GB was 31 of 39 for an 80% clip. 3-5 from 50+. Didnt miss a PAT.
Lawrence Tynes was 23 of 27 for 85%. 0-0 from 50+ and missed 2 PAT's.
Crosby led the NFL in scoring. Tynes was 20th.
Intangibles...edge to GB in a big way.
Favre in his rennaisance year IN GB on a frozen field for the NFC championship? The whole aura of Lambeau in January, and Favre looking to set yet another record for longest time between starts in a Super Bowl. Yup, I think they have this category locked up.
The Giants though have won 9 straight road games since losing to Dallas in week 1. Awesome stuff.
GB has 6 straight wins at home and winning by an average score of 32-11 during that time. Pretty good as well.
Early prediction. Green Bay 27 NY Giants 23.
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