Somehow, a three-point loss at home earlier this season and the ghosts of 2008 have combined to form a convincing argument that the Giants will beat Green Bay today. Sure, there's some evidence to believe that will happen, but there are also some very compelling reasons to expect Green Bay to cruise to victory—so that cheesecake and salsa better be on-hand.
Can The Giants Pull Off The Upset?
Bloomberg Lays Salsa And Cheesecake On The Line For Giants/Packers Bet
Although Mayor Bloomberg is too shy to say which NY team he supports more (unlike NJ Gov. Chris Christie), he's perfectly fine with making bets over playoff games. To that end, Bloomberg made a friendly wager with Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt over this Sunday's NFC Divisional game between the Giants and Packers. “The Giants are playing best when it matters most, and I know they’re going to keep it up on Sunday,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “I have a feeling that Victor Cruz will be dancing in the end zone and the Giants will be putting the Packers’ Super Bowl dreams to rest just like they did four years ago. And our salsa and cheesecake will be staying right here in Brooklyn.”
Curses! S.I. Hits Newsstands with Eli on Cover
Last week, Brett Favre was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. This week, Eli Manning graces the cover of the magazine. If you believe the S.I. cover curse/jinx, then the Giants may be in trouble. In the magazine, Peter King gives the Giants-Packers game the cover story treatment, while Dr. Z decides to pick the Giants to make up for picking against the Jets in Super Bowl III.
On To Arizona! One Final Road Trip for Giants
The Giants are going to the Super Bowl! Thanks to a 47-yard field goal in overtime New York defeated Green Bay on the infamous “frozen tundra” 23-20 to advance to Super Bowl XLII.
Super Cover Day for the Giants
If there's one thing to warm up New Yorkers - and New York newspaper editors thinking about a holiday issue - today, it's the Giants' NFC Championship win over the Green Bay Packers. Let's look at how they touted the big win.
Giants Bag Pack 23-20, Pack Bags for Super Bowl
The Giants won the NFC Championship in overtime, beating the Green Bay Packers 23-20 in overtime and overcome the frigid, below-zero conditions. They are now headed to the Super Bowl where they will meet the New England Patriots, who beat the San Diego Chargers 21-12.
Giants Ready for Pack, but What About that Weather?
Less than 6 hours until kickoff at Lambeau Field and it's a balmy -6° in Green Bay. With winds at 15 miles per hour, Accuweather's real feel temperatures are -18°. While temperatures will increase by game time, it's still going to be ass-cold.
Noteworthy Television Tonight: The Jews of New York
The Jews of New York (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., WLIW; Thursday, 9:00 p.m., Thirteen) Ed Koch, Russ & Daughters Appetizers, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the creative team behind Fiddler on the Roof are profiled in this one hour overview of the history and impact of the Jewish community in New York. The show has some great New York City history content, although it seemed like it should have been a bit longer so they could get a bit more in. Still it is an interesting look at the contributions of New York’s Jewish community through the years.
Will The Giants Make It To Arizona?
There is a lot riding on the NFC Championship Sunday. Yes, a trip to the Super Bowl may be the ultimate prize, but how about a whole lot of food or a place in a wedding party? And, look at the lengths that some “fans’ will go for victory, is it ethical to deprive someone of the ability to watch Seinfeld? None of that will matter on Sunday when the Giants take the field in frigid Green Bay. Brett Favre and the Packers are used to these types of conditions and as they showed last week, bad weather will not slow them down.
Cold Weekend in Store
Believe it or not a trace of snow was measured in Central Park last night. The snow lasted only the briefest of moments as a warmer air mass soon arrived. That warm air mass didn't last too long either. The storm that brought us last night's precipitation has moved out to sea. As it moves it has been strengthening. The stronger storm won't bring us more rain but it is pulling more and more cold air from the northwest. Today won't get much warmer than the low-40s we're already seeing, as cold, dry air is moving in.
Seinfeld Offers Eli Manning Something About Nothing
After news that a Green Bay Fox affiliate would not be showing Seinfeld because it's Giants quarterback Eli Manning's favorite show (the Giants are heading to the land of Cheeseheads to play the Packers in the NFC Championship), it was up to Jerry Seinfeld to rise to the occasion. The Mets fan told the Post, "I'm going to send Eli a complete collection of 'Seinfeld' DVDs and a partial collection of 'Hogan's Heroes' for inspiration!" We think Eli's gonna have to ask Archie about Hogan's Heroes.
Bloomberg and Green Bay Mayor Make a Wager on Giants/Packers Game
Ah, there's nothing like the having a local team in a championship game. That's when the mayor breaks out the big guns and bets items of food against the mayor of an opposing team's city. Mayor Bloomberg announced a friendly wager today with Green Bay Mayor James Schmitt, as the Giants and the Packers face off Sunday in the NFC Championship game.
Jets-Giants Set To Square Off
It’s hard to believe that both of these teams were in the playoffs last year. Entering Sunday’s edition of this strange rivalry the Jets and the Giants are a combined 3-5 and have given up a combined 203 points on defense.
Giants Look To Rebound Against The Pack
What we don’t know is exactly who will be under center for the Giants on Sunday. Will it be Eli or Jared? At first glance, this would seem to hold the key to picking the game, if Lorenzen is in the easy assumption is that the Giants won’t have a chance. But, the bigger question may actually be will Osi Umenyiora play? Both Manning and Umenyiora were practicing today, but their status is still unknown.
Pats Cheat and Get Caught
If you're following football, you may have heard that the New England Patriots were caught cheating during Sunday's game against the Jets. They're accused of videotaping Jets coaches as they sent plays into their defense using hand signals. Maybe that's one reason the Jets got trounced, 38-14 to open the season. The use of video is against NFL league rules, and a league spokesman told ESPN, "The rule is that no video recording devices of any kind are permitted to be in use in the coaches' booth, on the field, or in the locker room during the game." Clubs have also been reminded that videotaping of offensive or defensive signals is prohibited.
The Locals Get Defensive At The Draft
The Jets and the Giants took very different approaches to the draft on Saturday, but when the day was over, both had primarily upgraded their defenses. Five of the six selections made by the locals were defensive players and both teams hope they addressed some key needs.
Suddenly the Jets Look Like the Dominant Team
After not making anything easy through the season's first half, the Jets have punished two straight opponents. They stomped the Packers en route to a 38-10 win in Green Bay a week after they took care of the Texans at home. This game was as one-sided as the Jets have played in recent memory; they led 31-0 at the half and frustrated the Packers offense during the short time this game was close.
Could the Jets Have a Better Record Than the Giants?
If this were baseball, fans of both teams would care about the other. But it's football, and Jets fans don't worry as much about being better than the Giants as Mets fans worry about topping the Yankees. Both New York teams stand at 6-5, and the Jets travel to Green Bay, where it's never easy to win in December. Despite an up-and-down season, they're only a game out of a wild card spot for the playoffs, but they'll need things to break right for that to be more than a pipe dream.
Giants Say Bye to Their Winning Streak
The offense got itself in the red zone three times and came away with only two field goals and a turnover. The defense didn't show up in big spots and it certainly didn't help that linebacker Barrett Greeen was suspended by head coach Tom Coughlin. The Giants are now 4-2 and have to travel to play the 5-1 Minnesota Vikings next week.
No One Pays Any Attention to Big Blue
Thus far, Tiki Barber has been holding on to the ball and leads the N.F.C. in rushing, but another intriguing story has been the play of god loving and grocery bagging quarterback Kurt Warner. Warner has completed almost 65 percent of his passes and has thrown only one interception in 147 attempts. Although he’s thrown only three touchdowns, his consistency along with the strong play of the offensive line (Chris Snee turned out to be a stud) and the defense has this team winning games. Also look for Gothamist favorite Jamaar Taylor to get some burn for the injured Tim Carter.
Big Win for Big Blue in Lambeau
After being pronounced all but dead after a week one spanking in Philadelphia, the Giants won two games at home and then went out yesterday and defeated the Packers, 14-7,at Lambeau Field. It was New York’s first victory in Green Bay since 1974.
Giants Travel to Cheese Country
Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre is banged up with a bruise �the size of a softball� on his leg, but he�ll be making his record 212th straight start at quarterback. Favre will be doing his best to stop the Packers� two game losing streak and don�t count on him taking any dives like he did in 2001 to give Michael Strahan the N.F.L. single-season sack record.

