Just how much can a single player do in football? We’re about to get the answer to this question on Sunday when Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers face the New York Giants in the NFC Wild Card Game. The Packers’ defense is battered and bruised and Eli Manning has shown the ability to play up in big games over the years. Green Bay is a dangerous team and they’re playing in the frozen tundra, but the Giants aren’t strangers to cold weather.
Don't miss the NFL playoff game from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI at 4:40 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 8, 2017. Catch every moment of the game live on FOX.
NFL Playoff Odds at BookMaker.eu
Giants +3.5
Packers -3.5
Over/Under 44.5
Odds Analysis
The Packers are favored to win this game and given the way Rodgers is playing, it’s not hard to see why. In his last six games, he’s posted a 121 passer rating with 15 touchdowns and no interceptions. Oh, and Green Bay is undefeated in that stretch.
There’s no issues with the Green Bay offense, but we’ve all seen what Eli Manning can do in the postseason. His postseason record lacks the ups and downs that’ve been a cornerstone of his regular season career. For instance, he’s beaten Tom Brady on a number of occasions. He can beat Rodgers, too. That’s especially true given the battered Packers’ secondary. This team lost three players out of the secondary in Week 17 alone and they weren’t particularly healthy going into that game either.
With an offense reliant on the pass and one of the more talented receivers in Odell Beckham Jr., Eli could be calling Beckham’s number early and often with a great deal of success. Meanwhile, the Giants have a good defense that’s actually been the more consistent aspect of this team.
The Giants have covered the spread in eight of the team’s last 11 games and could be a sneaky pick even if the Packers have a nice little win streak going and have covered five of their last six. After all, Rodgers can only do so much. He cannot play defense.
Team and Coaching Playoff History
The Packers have won 13 championships including four Super Bowls in a storied franchise history.
Save for the first season taking over for Brett Favre, Rodgers has led his team to the postseason and while there are a couple Wild Card losses sprinkled in there, the Rodgers-led Packers typically make it past the NFL’s opening round.
On the other side of the gridiron, the Tom Coughlin era in New York has finally ended and with it so has a four year playoff drought. Still, the last time this Giants team made the playoffs, they went all the way, beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl for the second time since Eli Manning took over at quarterback.
It’s now time for Ben McAdoo to start writing his legacy and he’s got a good postseason quarterback and a good defense on his side.
Recent Games of Note
These two teams last met in Week 5 and the Packers got the win, beating Eli and company 23-16, but the game was a push against the spread.
In the contest, Rodgers threw for 259 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but the Giants were able to pick him off twice. Meanwhile, Eddie Lacy gave the team 81 yards rushing on 11 carries as the team ran for 147 yards, out rushing New York by 104 yards.
The running game will likely take a step back on Sunday, but you can expect a cleaner game from Rodgers given how hot he’s been in the second half of this season.
On the other side of the gridiron, the Giants managed just 14 first downs all game and had 178 yards in the air and 43 on the ground. The Packers’ defense owned the Giants on offense and recorded four sacks while also forcing a fumble. Green Bay will need the front seven to have another strong outing and put pressure on Manning given the plethora of injuries they’re facing in the secondary; otherwise, look for the Giants to be able to move the ball down field in the air seemingly at will.
So, while the Packers got the better of New York in their regular season meeting, things don’t typically go that well for Green Bay against the Giants at Lambeau. The last two times the Giants played in Green Bay in the playoffs, it resulted in losses for the Packers.
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