When the Giants beat the Packers in the playoffs, the eventually win the Super Bowl. That was the case in the regular seasons of 2007 and 2011.
Packers vs. Giants 2012 game preview: New York looks to right their ship while Green Bay looks to stay hot
The Giants have beaten the Packers in the NFC Playoffs in each of their last two Super Bowl winning seasons. They lost to them in the regular season of both of those years. The Packers also defeated New York during the regular season of 2010 - their last Super Bowl season.
Their struggles lie in the regular season, where the Packers have won three of the last four meetings between these teams. They’ll square off in Week 12 on Sunday Night Football in New York.
They come into the game as teams going in different directions. The Packers have won five in a row while the Giants have swooned recently, losing their last two after a 6-2 start.
Meet the New York Giants
The Giants are coming off a bye week as losers of their last two -- 24-20 to Pittsburgh at home and 31-13 at Cincinnati. Before that, they had won four in a row, but head into a rematch of last year’s NFC Divisional playoff game a shell of what they were throughout October.
Manning has thrown zero touchdowns and three interceptions during that streak, but very few, if any, in the game are better than him after a bye. In his last four seasons, he’s thrown for 1,290 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception with a 68.1 completion percentage the week after a bye.
The Giants will need him to return to form if they are to hold off the streaking Packers - who will be without pass rusher Clay Matthews (hamstring).
Meet the Green Bay Packers
Rodgers, the league’s reigning MVP, looks poised to make it two in a row, as he’s thrown the injury plagued Packers into contention in the NFC North. Winners of five consecutive games after a 2-3 start, the Packers have suffered injuries to key players throughout its defense. They’ve gotten by on the strength and accuracy of Rodgers’ arm.
Rodgers is completing 67.2 percent of his passes with 26 touchdowns and six interceptions. He leads the NFL with a 107.2 passer rating, and stands in second place in touchdowns.
Local Takes: New York Giants
Jesse Barolis from Big Blue View says this about the Packers defense:
The number that should upset the New York Giants is 33 sacks from the Green Bay Packers. This year the Packers have the pass rush the Giants are suppose to have. The pass rush is coming from a variety of players, Clay Matthews has 9 sacks, and no one else on the team has more than three so the sacks are coming from a number of different players. However, it is possible that Matthews will miss the game Sunday (currently listed as doubtful).
Local Takes: Green Bay Packers
Devin Shanley of Acme Packing Company has these thoughts on Manning:
The first few weeks of the season he and Giants were rolling with Manning looking like he could be a MVP candidate. Then November came around and Manning’s game went ice cold. This doesn’t mean that things are over for Manning and Giants though, we Packer fans know that at any moment Manning could snap out of his slump and suddenly become one of the best QB’s in the game once again.
Follow the Fun
Be sure to check out SB Nation’s team blogs, Big Blue View and Acme Packing Company for more analysis and highlights from the game.
Add these fine follows to your Twitter timeline:
@bigblueview
November swoons: Coughlin says 'I don't know for sure' why they happen #nygsbn.to/TfW8aW
— Ed Valentine (@bigblueview) November 21, 2012
@acmepackingco
The #Packers defense once again stepped up to ensure the victory for the Packers led by those young defenders. sbn.to/Teuqvi
— Acme Packing Company (@acmepackingco) November 20, 2012
@art_stapleton
Osi Umenyiora says #Giants "need to prove that we are still world champions and play like it at some point." #NYG
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) November 23, 2012
@robdemovsky
#Packers TE Ryan Taylor said he hasn't heard from the #NFL yet on the appeal of his $21,000 fine for an illegal blindside block vs. Arizona.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) November 23, 2012
Prediction
In the second 2011 NFC divisional round rematch of the week, the Packers go on the road to face the Giants, who upended them in the postseason last year en route to the Super Bowl. Green Bay has won five in a row with only one of those games ending within one score. In that streak, Aaron Rodgers has 17 touchdowns to two interceptions. The story in New York is whether Eli Manning's arm is tired. I like the Packers to exact some revenge on the Giants.
The pick: 33-30, Packers
Odds
The Giants are anywhere from 1.5 point to three point favorites over the visiting Packers, according to OddsShark.
Next Week
The Giants are at Washington on Monday Night Football Dec. 3 in their next game, while the Packers return to Green Bay to host Minnesota Dec. 2.
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