Sunday, January 20, 2008
NEW YORK GIANTS (12-6)
at GREEN BAY (14-3)
Game time: 6:30 p.m.
TV: (17/62) (8) (53)
Opening line: Packers by 61⁄2. Record vs. spread: Giants 12-6; Packers 13-3-1.
Series history: Packers lead series 29-22-2. (Last meeting: Packers 35, Giants 13, Sept. 16, 2007 at New York.)
Playoff record: Giants 18-23; Packers 25-14.
Giants offense: OVERALL (16), RUSH (4), PASS (21)
Giants defense: OVERALL (7), RUSH (8), PASS (11)
Packers offense: OVERALL (2), RUSH (21), PASS (2)
Packers defense: OVERALL (11), RUSH (14), PASS (12)
Notebook: Early weather forecasts call for high of 8 degrees with 10 percent chance of precipitation on Sunday. ... Teams meet in playoffs for first time since 1962 NFL championship game, which Green Bay won 16-7. Packers have won four straight in postseason vs. Giants and lead series 4-1. They can tie NFL playoff record with fifth straight win over one team (Pittsburgh over Baltimore/Indianapolis). ... New York, 7-1 away from Giants Stadium during regular season, has set franchise single-season record with nine straight road wins. Last road loss was Week 1 at Dallas. ... QB Eli Manning led NFL in turnovers (20 INTs, 7 fumbles lost) but has none in two playoff wins. Manning, who has thrown 19 of his 25 TDs on passes of 1-10 yards, has eight TDs and passer rating of at least 100 in past three outings, including season-best 132.4 last week. Manning was 35-of-84 for 403 yards, two TDs and passer rating of 64.7 when game time temperature was 40 or below. ... CB Kevin Dockery (hip) and CB Sam Madison (shoulder) are questionable. CB Geoffrey Pope, on practice squad all season, played first career snap last week, and would start if both are out. CB Aaron Ross (shoulder) is likely to play after leaving last week’s contest. ... New York gained 277 yards against Tampa Bay in wild-card game and 230 against Dallas. ... RB Brandon Jacobs (202 carries, 1,009 yards) has scored in four straight with six TDs (4 rushing, 2 receiving) in that span. He’s averaging 51.7 yards rushing over past three outings. ... WR Plaxico Burress (70 receptions, 1,025 yards, 12 TDs) has five catches for 43 yards in two playoff games and is averaging 13.3 yards receiving over past four. Burress had two catches for 32 yards and TD in last meeting. ... RB Ahmad Bradshaw has 100 yards rushing on 23 carries in first two rounds. ... P Jeff Feagles, a 20-year veteran, will make first appearance in conference championship game. ... In last two weeks, WR Amani Toomer has 11 receptions for 154 yards and three TDs. Toomer’s averaging 73.5 yards receiving over past four games and is franchise leader in postseason receptions (32) and TDs (7). ... Giants had minus-9 turnover differential in regular season, but are plus-4 in playoffs. ... During regular season, New York led NFL with 53 sacks, while Green Bay allowed 19, tied for third fewest in league. ... S Gibril Wilson tied for team lead with four INTs, and had one in last meeting. ... Green Bay has best playoff winning percentage in league history (.641, 25-14, minimum 10 games). At home in postseason, Packers are 15-2. They finished regular season 7-1 at Lambeau. ... QB Brett Favre (5,075 yards passing in playoffs) threw for 173 yards last week, passing John Elway (4,964) for second most in postseason history. He also stretched NFL record to 17 consecutive postseason games with TD pass after throwing three last week. Favre, who threw for 12 TDs in formations with four or more WRs, had 94.8 passer rating at home. ... RB Ryan Grant was traded by Giants to Packers before season for sixth-round draft pick. Last week, Grant, who lost two early fumbles, scored three TDs and rushed for 204 yards, seventh highest in playoff history. Over last 10 weeks of season, Grant had 929 yards rushing, most in NFC and second most in league (LaDainian Tomlinson, 947). ... Packers held Seahawks to 200 net yards, including 28 on ground. ... WR Greg Jennings had 12 TD catches, tied for second most in NFC. He caught six passes for 75 yards and two TDs last week. ... WR Donald Driver (82 receptions, 1,048 yards) had eight catches for 73 yards and TD in last meeting.
Game time: 6:30 p.m.
TV: (17/62) (8) (53)
Opening line: Packers by 61⁄2. Record vs. spread: Giants 12-6; Packers 13-3-1.
Series history: Packers lead series 29-22-2. (Last meeting: Packers 35, Giants 13, Sept. 16, 2007 at New York.)
Playoff record: Giants 18-23; Packers 25-14.
Giants offense: OVERALL (16), RUSH (4), PASS (21)
Giants defense: OVERALL (7), RUSH (8), PASS (11)
Packers offense: OVERALL (2), RUSH (21), PASS (2)
Packers defense: OVERALL (11), RUSH (14), PASS (12)
Notebook: Early weather forecasts call for high of 8 degrees with 10 percent chance of precipitation on Sunday. ... Teams meet in playoffs for first time since 1962 NFL championship game, which Green Bay won 16-7. Packers have won four straight in postseason vs. Giants and lead series 4-1. They can tie NFL playoff record with fifth straight win over one team (Pittsburgh over Baltimore/Indianapolis). ... New York, 7-1 away from Giants Stadium during regular season, has set franchise single-season record with nine straight road wins. Last road loss was Week 1 at Dallas. ... QB Eli Manning led NFL in turnovers (20 INTs, 7 fumbles lost) but has none in two playoff wins. Manning, who has thrown 19 of his 25 TDs on passes of 1-10 yards, has eight TDs and passer rating of at least 100 in past three outings, including season-best 132.4 last week. Manning was 35-of-84 for 403 yards, two TDs and passer rating of 64.7 when game time temperature was 40 or below. ... CB Kevin Dockery (hip) and CB Sam Madison (shoulder) are questionable. CB Geoffrey Pope, on practice squad all season, played first career snap last week, and would start if both are out. CB Aaron Ross (shoulder) is likely to play after leaving last week’s contest. ... New York gained 277 yards against Tampa Bay in wild-card game and 230 against Dallas. ... RB Brandon Jacobs (202 carries, 1,009 yards) has scored in four straight with six TDs (4 rushing, 2 receiving) in that span. He’s averaging 51.7 yards rushing over past three outings. ... WR Plaxico Burress (70 receptions, 1,025 yards, 12 TDs) has five catches for 43 yards in two playoff games and is averaging 13.3 yards receiving over past four. Burress had two catches for 32 yards and TD in last meeting. ... RB Ahmad Bradshaw has 100 yards rushing on 23 carries in first two rounds. ... P Jeff Feagles, a 20-year veteran, will make first appearance in conference championship game. ... In last two weeks, WR Amani Toomer has 11 receptions for 154 yards and three TDs. Toomer’s averaging 73.5 yards receiving over past four games and is franchise leader in postseason receptions (32) and TDs (7). ... Giants had minus-9 turnover differential in regular season, but are plus-4 in playoffs. ... During regular season, New York led NFL with 53 sacks, while Green Bay allowed 19, tied for third fewest in league. ... S Gibril Wilson tied for team lead with four INTs, and had one in last meeting. ... Green Bay has best playoff winning percentage in league history (.641, 25-14, minimum 10 games). At home in postseason, Packers are 15-2. They finished regular season 7-1 at Lambeau. ... QB Brett Favre (5,075 yards passing in playoffs) threw for 173 yards last week, passing John Elway (4,964) for second most in postseason history. He also stretched NFL record to 17 consecutive postseason games with TD pass after throwing three last week. Favre, who threw for 12 TDs in formations with four or more WRs, had 94.8 passer rating at home. ... RB Ryan Grant was traded by Giants to Packers before season for sixth-round draft pick. Last week, Grant, who lost two early fumbles, scored three TDs and rushed for 204 yards, seventh highest in playoff history. Over last 10 weeks of season, Grant had 929 yards rushing, most in NFC and second most in league (LaDainian Tomlinson, 947). ... Packers held Seahawks to 200 net yards, including 28 on ground. ... WR Greg Jennings had 12 TD catches, tied for second most in NFC. He caught six passes for 75 yards and two TDs last week. ... WR Donald Driver (82 receptions, 1,048 yards) had eight catches for 73 yards and TD in last meeting.