Having the privilege of attending another playoff game at Lambeau Field, I have to say that right from the start this one felt a little bit different. Don't get me wrong, the crowd started off hot and the moment of a playoff game at Lambeau wasn't lost on anyone, but any Packer fan would be lying if they didn't sense a little bit of doubt in the back of their minds when seeing the New York Giants take the field. Maybe it's because of the memories of the 2007 NFC Championship Game, maybe it's not, but the Giants just look at home at Lambeau Field. Maybe even more so than the Packers.
As the Lambeau Field mystique has faded over the last decade for the Green Bay Packers (especially in the playoffs), the Giants are learning to thrive there. Lambeau Field in January is a cold, frigid place, something the Giants are familiar with on their own. The difference though between playing in the cold in New Jersey and playing in the cold in Green Bay is that their is a lot less pressure for the Giants in Green Bay. Less fans to boo, less media to criticize, less disappointment if the blow yet another game. In Green Bay, the Giants have comfort. They almost steal the home-field advantage right out from under the Packers.
I write about the Giants because the 37-20 outcome that occured last Sunday is more on the Giants and less on the Packers. Look, the Packers had an off day. Maybe Rodgers was a bit out of sync with guys like Greg Jennings, but I really don't think the both of them playing against the Lions in the regular season finale would have helped (it's not like they weren't practicing day after day, they took one game off not a whole month of training). I'm not about to sit here and listen to excuses about a death in the Packers family (our deepest condolences, but that is not why the Packers lost this game. Thinking otherwise is quite cruel if you ask me). The Packers lost this game because of turnover, drops, and problems in pass coverage. The Giants also won because they executed better and took advantage of the Packers mistakes. No rust, no layoff, no distractions. The Giants just played better.
So now the Packers have again lost to the Giants, where we do go from here? Well, as it happened back in the 2007 season, I'm not ready to live in a world where the Giants are Super Bowl Champions. Unfortunately back then, that turned out to be the case. And the similarities are beginning to stack up for the Giants between that season and this one. Losing close to an undefeated team in the regular season, beating the Packers at Lambeau in the postseason, and now a potential matchup against the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
There's one difference though between that Giants team and this one. That Giants team didn't have to go into San Francisco against a team that owns possibly the best defense in the league. A team that is capable in the passing attack but dominant in the rushing game. A team with special teams that rarely make the mistake. The Giants run in 2011 was a fun one for their fans, but it's coming to an end on Sunday.
Even if as a Packer fan rooting against them I'm starting to feel the same doubt betting against them that I did last week.
NFL Weekend Predictions
San Francisco 23, New York 14
New England 31, Baltimore 29
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