Everyone keeps picking against them, but the New York Football Giants simply won’t go away. In brutally cold temperatures (-24 wind chill), the Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers 23-20 in overtime at historic Lambeau Field. With the victory, the Giants earned their fourth NFC Championship in their history and their fourth trip to the Super Bowl.
The Giants set an NFL record with 10 straight road wins in one season, including three straight in the playoffs. It is a remarkable achievement for a franchise that only had three road playoff victories in their entire history entering this post-season. In successive weeks, the Giants have defeated the champions of the NFC South (Buccaneers), NFC East (Cowboys), and now NFC North (Packers). The Cowboys and Packers were the #1 and #2 seeds in the NFC playoffs.
The Giants will now face the undefeated 18-0 New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in two weeks in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Packers received the ball first, but after picking up two first downs, Green Bay was forced to punt. The Giants put together a strong scoring drive on their very first possession by marching 71 yards in 14 plays. Unfortunately, the drive stalled at the Packers’ 11-yard line and New York settled for a 29-yard field goal by PK Lawrence Tynes. The key play on this drive was a 19-yard pass from QB Eli Manning to WR Plaxico Burress on 3rd-and-10.
Tynes would end up being both a goat and a hero on the same night.
The Packers went three-and-out on their second and third possessions while the Giants also went three-and-out on their second possession. The Giants added more points to the scoreboard on their third drive of the game as HB Brandon Jacobs ran for 12 yards and Manning completed two passes for 28 yards to Burress to set up another field goal by Tynes, this one successful from 37 yards out.
But the 6-0 advantage evaporated in a heartbeat as QB Brett Favre threw a 90-yard touchdown pass to WR Donald Driver on the very first play of the Packers’ ensuing possession. Corey Webster was the cornerback burned on the play. Packers 7-Giants 6.
The next two possessions of the Giants went nowhere as did another Packer possession. Green Bay then put together another scoring drive right before halftime as the Packers move 29 yards to get the ball into field goal range for a successful 36-yard effort. Green Bay 10-Giants 6.
The Giants did threaten one more time with under 90 seconds to play as Manning hit Burress for a 32-yard gain. But on 4th-and-8 from the Packers’ 34-yard line, Manning was sacked to end the drive.
After intermission, the Giants drove the ball 69 yards in 12 plays to take a 13-10 advantage, with Jacobs scoring from one yard out. The Giants dodged a bullet on this possession as an interception by Manning was overturned by an illegal contact penalty on 3rd-and-9, continuing the drive. The Giants were also aided by a 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty on a 3rd-and-5 incomplete pass. Jacobs also fumbled on a 3rd-and-1 conversion attempt but TE Kevin Boss recovered the loose ball for a first down.
The lead then changed again as the Giants’ special teams gave up a big 49-yard kickoff that was returned to the Giants’ 39-yard line. Six players later, Favre hit TE Donald Lee for a 12-yard score and a 17-13 advantage. The Green Bay drive was aided by a unnecessary roughness penalty on CB Sam Madison when the Packers had come up short on a 3rd-and-8 conversion attempt.
Back came the Giants. WR Domenik Hixon returned the kickoff 33 yards. Manning hit Burress for eight yards. HB Ahmad Bradshaw gained 14 yards on two carries. Then Manning found WR Amani Toomer for 23 yards down to the 12-yard line. After another completion to Toomer for eight yards, Bradshaw scored from four yards out. Giants 20-Packers 17.
The Giants handed the Packers their last points on their ensuing possession. After Green Bay had driven to the Giants’ 31-yard line, Favre was intercepted by CB R.W. McQuarters at the 8-yard line. However, McQuarters fumbled the football when he was hit by former Giant HB Ryan Grant, and the Packers recovered the ball at the 19-yard line. The defense did stiffen and the Packers kicked a 37-yard field goal to tie the game at 20-20.
After a 36-yard kickoff return by Hixon, the Giants managed to drive into field goal range with just under seven minutes to play. But Tynes missed his 43-yard attempt.
The Packers then went three-and-out. After picking up two first downs, the Giants also were forced to punt. Green Bay then went three-and-out again. McQuarters fumbled the ensuing punt and Hixon was fortunate to recover the football at the Packers’ 48-yard line.
There was 2:15 left on the clock in regulation. On the very first snap, Bradshaw broke off a 48-yard touchdown that was called back due to a holding penalty on RG Chris Snee. Nevertheless, the Giants still managed to drive the football to the Packers’ 18-yard line. With four seconds left, on 3rd-and-8, Tynes badly missed the 36-yard field goal and the game went to overtime.
Green Bay won the coin toss and elected to receive. On Green Bay’s second offensive snap, Webster redeemed himself for his early miscue and intercepted Favre at the Green Bay 43-yard line, returning the pick to the 34-yard line. After Bradshaw had gained five yards on two carries and an incomplete pass by Manning, Tynes came on the field again to attempt a 47-yard field goal. Tynes nailed the kick and the Giants won the football game.
"I screwed it up twice," Tynes said. "Thank God we got another opportunity."
Offensively, Manning finished the game 21-of-40 for 254 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. Burress caught 11 passes for 154 yards. Jacobs rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and Bradshaw rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Defensively, the Giants held Green Bay to 28 yards rushing and picked off Favre twice despite not sacking the quarterback once.
Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s Post-Game Press Conference: The video of Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s post-game press conference is available at Giants.com.
Video of Post-Game Media Sessions: The video of the post-game media sessions with the following players is available at Giants.com:
- QB Eli Manning
- WR Plaxico Burress
- WR Amani Toomer
- OC Shaun O’Hara
- OC/OG Grey Ruegamer
- DE Osi Umenyiora
- LB Antonio Pierce
- PK Lawrence Tynes
Post-Game Notes: Inactive for the Giants were CB Kevin Dockery (hip flexor), WR Sinorice Moss, HB Danny Ware, TE Jerome Collins, OT Adam Koets, DT Manny Wright, DT Russell Davis, and QB Jared Lorenzen (3rd quarterback).
