Shocker at Lambeau

If you’re not a fan of the New York Giants, chances are that you were shocked by the result of tonight’s Giants/Packers Divisional Playoff matchup. Even if you are a fan, chances are that you were shocked by the sheer dominance shown by your team against Green Bay. I had to DVR the second half because I went out to dinner with my family, but I managed to not be spoiled and watched an accelerated second half when I got home. I couldn’t believe it.

The 15-1 Packers have been not only eliminated from the postseason, but humiliated and embarrassed as the Giants laid a beatdown, winning the game 37-20, overcoming the odds and, seemingly, the referees, who made some very questionable calls and no-calls throughout the course of the game. Maybe an issue if they had lost, it didn’t matter because the Giants outplayed the Packers in every aspect of the game.

Let me make clear that I despise the Giants. Nothing would have made me happier than to see the Packers destroy them and end their playoff run. That being said, the referees seemed to be very pro-Green Bay. The Packers lost three fumbles and they should have lost four, as a first quarter catch by Greg Jennings was knocked out before he was down. But even after Tom Coughlin challenged, the call was not reversed. When the Packers were driving, down 30-13, Aaron Rodgers threw the ball on 3^rd and 10 to nobody and was hit lightly less than a second later by Osi Umenyiora. The refs threw the flag and called Roughing the Passer, turning a 4^th and 10 into a first down. The Packers subsequently scored to make it a ten-point game, but the Giants answered. After every Packer score, the Giants answered.

The Packers defense was more of the same, ranked worst in the NFL, giving up two big touchdowns to Hakeem Nicks, one of which was a Hail Mary by Eli Manning to close out the first half. It was a career game for Nicks, who had 7 receptions for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns. I still can’t call him elite, but Manning threw for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns, a very good game from a very good quarterback.

The Packers offense uncharacteristically fell short and that’s because The Giants defense was not going to give Green Bay anything easy, sacking Rodgers four times and forcing four turnovers. Scoring 37 on the worst defense in the league is one thing, but containing this year’s likely MVP the way the Giants defense did? That’s another.

People compared this season to 2007 and I’ve said that I don’t see it. I might be eating my words in a couple week, though, because I remember going into the NFC Title game in 2007, I didn’t think there was any way the Packers could lose at Lambeau. I experienced some déjà vu today as I’m sure many others did.

There were some people that predicted a close battle. There were some that expected an upset. But nobody expected this… no one expected Rodgers and the Packers to be humbled like they were… and I don’t think anybody could have predicted this year’s NFC Title Matchup in the beginning of the year. But the Giants don’t care what anyone expected. They’re still in the playoffs and they’re headed to San Francisco and, to them, all that matters is winning next week’s game to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl.