New York Giants at Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Sunday, December 26, 2010, 4:15 pm EST, TV: FOX
Opening Line: Packers -3
Current Line: Packers -3
Opening Total: 43
Current Total: 43
Money Line: Packers -165 / Giants +145
The New York Giants (9-5) and Green Bay Packers (8-6) begin the playoffs a little early since both teams need to win on Sunday in order to earn the final wild-card spot in the NFC. The Giants can clinch a playoff berth with a victory at Lambeau Field while the Packers (-3) must win their last two games or have New York lose in the finale after winning here.
Green Bay is coming off a 31-27 loss at New England on Sunday night without quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to return after missing the game with a concussion. Rodgers suffered the concussion in a 7-3 loss at Detroit two weeks ago and sat out last week due to precautionary measures. Third-year quarterback Matt Flynn filled in against the Patriots and had a solid performance, throwing for 251 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. However, Flynn’s poor time management skills on the last possession ultimately kept his team from winning.
All six of the losses for the Packers have been decided by four points or less, and Rodgers owns a career mark of only 2-12 in that scenario. Still, they have won nine of their last 10 home games and hope to avenge a 23-20 overtime loss to the Giants there in the 2008 NFC Championship. That game ended with New York’s Lawrence Tynes kicking a 47-yard field goal after former Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre threw a costly interception on the first possession of OT.
The Giants went on to upset the Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII. New York quarterback Eli Manning was named MVP, and he played a mistake-free game against the Packers in the last meeting. Manning completed 21 of 40 passes for 251 yards while running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 130 yards on 37 carries with two touchdowns.
A balanced offense could very well be the difference this time around too. Green Bay has struggled to run the ball since running back Ryan Grant blew out his knee in the season-opening win at Philadelphia. Grant’s absence has put extra pressure on Rodgers to not only pass but also run the ball, which is how he got hurt against the Lions.
However, the Packers could have a mental edge on the Giants, who blew a 21-point lead in the last half of the fourth quarter last week en route to a 38-31 home loss to the Eagles. New York surrendered 28 points in less than eight minutes, capped by DeSean Jackson’s 65-yard punt return for the game-winning touchdown on the final play.
The Giants are 4-1 straight-up and against the spread in their last five road games while Green Bay will be back at Lambeau for just the second time since Week 9. The Packers have played four of their last five games on the road since their bye week, dropping three of the past four.
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