What good is getting a home game in the playoffs if you don't take advantage of your advantage?
The Packers did not look happy to be playing in that cold yesterday, and Brett Favre looked the most miserable of all. Favre and the offense did nothing whatsoever in the second half. And the Giants gave the Packers chances too - lots of chances.
So, did Brett Favre in fact choke away that game? Given that the Giants' kicker missed not one but two field goals. Given that the Packers won the toss at the beginning of overtime. Obviously, Favre was not alone in his ineptitude - Ryan Grant did nothing either. But, Favre is supposed to be the great leader, the guy with the bag full of magic tricks. He's supposed to lead the team down the field in crunch time. And he didn't.
Meanwhile, Eli Manning, considering the conditions, played a great game. I have jumped on Eli a lot, but that game yesterday turned me around on him - he is a genuine NFL quarterback. Now he's a Super Bowl quarterback. And what makes it all the sweeter for Eli is who he beat to get there: Brett Favre and Tony Romo, the supposed two best QBs in the NFC.
I know what Packer fans will say: Favre had a better completion percentage than Manning, and threw two touchdowns to Manning's none, and Manning had the support of a running game while Favre didn't. But Favre also had two picks - bad picks - and Manning made more big plays at times when they needed to be made (he would've had one more huge play had Plaxico Burress been able to hold onto the one catch he lost hitting the ground).
Manning flat-out handled the conditions better than Favre - and Plaxico Burress flat-out man-handled Al Harris. Burress was the best player on the field yesterday. The Giants showed that cold weather and wind are no deterrent to passing the ball. Now they get to play in nice warm Arizona against a Patriots team they nearly beat the last week of the regular season.
And the Packers can head to warmer climes too. For vacation.
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NFL
Tags: brett favre, eli manning, green bay packers, new york giants, plaxico burress
Comments (1)
Should be a good game!... (Below threshold)1. Posted by DJ Drummond | January 21, 2008 5:06 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Should be a good game!
1. Posted by DJ Drummond | January 21, 2008 5:06 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 21, 2008 17:06