Giants Pull Off Surprising Upset, Advance To NFC Championship With 37-20 Win Over Packers

On paper, it looked like a mismatch. On one side of the field was Eli Manning, a Super Bowl winner who’s continued to face questions about his ability to be the superstar. On the other was Aaron Rodgers, the man who led his team to a Super Bowl title last season, then broke the NFL record for yardage in a single season this year. Green Bay boasted a high-powered offense while New York quietly went about its work.

More from SI.com: Grading the Packers and Giants.

Manning completed 64% of his passes for 330 yards and 3 TD’s compared to Rodgers’ completion percentage of 57% for 264 yards and 2 TD’s.

And after allowing a four-play touchdown drive at the end of the first half, the Packers never trailed by fewer than seven points the rest of the game.

So what’s next? We’ve got questions.

1. So what are we going to talk about without Tebowmania?

Rodgers threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another 66 yards to lead the Packers, but missed on 20 throws; that’s the second-most incompletions in a single game in his NFL career. No Green Bay receiver had more yards than Donald Driver’s 45, and Packers dropped pass after pass, compounding Rodgers’ lack of game-changing plays.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit Packers blog Acme Packing Company, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

It was the perfect way for the Giants to cap off a great performance, and they went to the victory formation after the pick. After three kneel-downs, the scoreboard reads 37-20, and the Giants are going to be making a trip to San Fransisco.

Goochi Goochi Goo.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

I mean, what’s more painful than letting the big, slow Jacobs outrace your defense to the corner? (Other than losing a home game in front of the Lambeau crowd, anyway?)

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit Packers blog Acme Packing Company, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

Now the Packers need touchdowns, plural.

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

The Giants started at their own 45-yard line and drove all the way down to the Green Bay 12-yard line before Brad Jones came up with a big sack on third and five, forcing the field goal.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

Rodgers’ pass was just inches beyond the grasp of Finley, who had no one within five yards of him, but the big tight end could only get one hand on it, not enough to reel it in.

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit Packers blog Acme Packing Company, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit Packers blogAcme Packing Company, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit Packers blog Acme Packing Company, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit Packers blogAcme Packing Company, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

Highlights

I’d say someone should put a body on Hakeem Nicks, but I just don’t think it matters at this point. Throughout the first half, the Green Bay Packers certainly tried to slow down Nicks, failing every time. He bounced off a defender and raced into the end zone for an early score, then ripped the ball away from a cornerback later to set the Giants up with first and goal.

But his best act came just before the half. Caught in an in-between situation -- just out of field goal range, not quite enough time to pickup a small chunk -- Eli Manning went deep on a Hail Mary. And guess who was there to grab it.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

Michael Boley came around right end and looped around a running back to get to Rodgers for the Giants’ first sack of the day. He then celebrated by mocking Rodgers’ belt celebration.

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit Packers blog Acme Packing Company, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

All of the excitement of this game so far hasn’t translated to points. The Packers and Giants are still tied, 10-10.

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit Packers blog Acme Packing Company, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York. Don’t forget to check out SB Nation’s NFL hub for all your playoff news.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

Rodgers threw passes that hit the hands of both James Starks and Tom Crabtree on the last set of downs on the possession, but neither player could haul in the ball.

SI.com: Giants vs. Packers Live Boxscore

Though the Giants did well to get on top of the surprise onside kick, this is their second special teams gaffe of the afternoon. They set up the Packers’ touchdown drive with a kickoff out of bounds, and now have allowed Jones to get around the edge to make this key block.

But seriously, that’s quite athletic and a solid tuck-and-roll by Kuhn. And one more angle, at high-speed.

SI.com: Giants Vs. Packers box score

The Packers plodded down the field for their first touchdown, with no plays of over 16 yards and three runs, but got their touchdown from a familiar face. Kuhn scored with a reception instead of his customary rush, vaulting over a Giants defender.