NFC Divisional Playoff: Eli Manning Vs. Aaron Rodgers
By: Zachary Finkelstein
The Green Bay Packers plowed through the 2011 season unlike any squad this side of New England in 2007. Finishing with a 15-1 record and home-field advantage throughout the entire NFC playoffs, Titletown's team was rarely contested in its quest to clinch a chance to defend its Super Bowl title at the postseason dance.
As we all know by now, the Packers' lone loss came at the hands of the most unlikely of foes in a Week 15 upset in Kansas City. Just two weeks prior, however, Green Bay's perfect season had been salvaged on a final-second score against a New York Giants team that completed the regular season winning three of its final four. Big Blue's wild finish has so far resulted in an NFC East division crown and a first-round playoff win against the Atlanta Falcons.
And with that, the two teams are set up to face off for the second time in under two months. The game will pit the defending world champs vs. a team with all the momentum in the world. Who has the edge? Let's take a position-by-position look.
Quarterback: The Packers' Aaron Rodgers will likely win the NFL's MVP award after breaking the single-season record for quarterback rating (122.5). With their starting signal caller having thrown 45 touchdowns to only six picks, Green Bay led the league with a mind-boggling 35 points per game.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning will not win the MVP, a regular-season recognition that will have no bearing on Big Blue's second-round chances. Still, he enjoyed a superb season that ended with 4,933 passing yards and 29 scores through the air. And most importantly, Super Bowl XLII's MVP was super when his squad's playoff hopes were on the line. In a must-win Week 17 matchup vs. the Cowboys, Manning completed 72.7 percent of his passes, three of which went for scores. One week later, he opened up the playoffs with three more touchdown tosses against Atlanta.
Passing Edge: Packers because Rodgers is the best quarterback in the universe. This is not a slight on Manning, by any stretch.
Running Game: Packers leading rusher James Starks hasn't gained more than 50 yards/week on the ground since November and missed three of Green Bay's final four games with injuries. His fellow running back Ryan Grant averaged just over 100 total yards per game during the final four weeks of the season. Look for them to run just enough to keep Big Blue honest.
The Giants finished the regular season with the fewest rushing yards in the league. Dead last. The overall stats do not tell the entire tale, however, as their ground attack has improved a great deal from the Green Bay game on. Big Blue was at their best in the playoff win over Atlanta, rumbling for a season-high 172 yards -- including 92 on 14 carries from bulldozer Brandon Jacobs, and 63 from Ahmad Bradshaw. Manning joined the party, too, scrambling for an un-Manning-like 14-yard gain on the first touchdown drive of the day. Don't hold your breath waiting for an encore, however; Eli only scampered for 15 yards during the entire regular season.
Rushing Edge: Giants. The Packers averaged 97.4 yards/game during the regular season, which bested Big Blue's mark of 89.2. New York has been much better of late, however.
Wide Receivers: Green Bay will likely welcome back wideout Greg Jennings, who sat out the final three games of the regular season with a torn medial collateral ligament. Despite missing that time, he caught 67 balls for 949 yards and nine touchdowns. Jordy Nelson had a monster season of his own, recording 68 receptions for 1263 yards and 15 scores. Throw in Donald Driver, James Jones and tight end Jermichael Finley, and you might just have the best receiving corps in the country.
Green Bay's passing options may wind up wreaking mismatch havoc on a Giants' secondary that could be without starting cornerback Aaron Ross, who sustained a concussion against Atlanta. If he can't suit up, Big Blue will be forced to turn to their 2011 first-round pick, cornerback Prince Amukamara, who missed the first half of the
season with a broken foot before underwhelming down the stretch.
Here's the best way to sum up Manning's top targets: Hakeem Nicks recorded 1,192 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2011 but was overlooked in Big Blue's playoff win over the Falcons. Why? Because of undrafted phenom Victor Cruz, who caught 82 balls for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns while harassing opponents' secondaries throughout. Nicks made Atlanta pay for underestimating his abilities, catching six balls for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Mario Manningham and tight end Jake Ballard are pretty good, as well.
Receiving Edge: Packers. They can trot out five quality targets at any given time.
Defense: The Packers defense was a mess all season, finishing dead last with 411.6 yards allowed per game (including 299.8 via the pass). They ended up in the middle of the pack in terms of rushing yards allowed, but only because opponents were so giddy to air it out. Despite these embarrassing stats, the unit led the league with 38 takeaways (31 picks, seven fumble recoveries).
The Giants defense, bruised and battered for much of the season, coalesced late in the year before pitching a playoff-opening shutout against Atlanta. Case in point? Falcons running back Michael Turner rumbled for 1,340 yards during the season but was contained to 41 yards on 15 carries in his team's postseason exit. You can thank Big Blue's defensive line for much of the turnaround.
Defensive tackles Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard will apply the pressure to the Packers up the middle, and defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck will take care of the pass rush.
Defensive Edge: Giants. If Green Bay ends up winning the Super Bowl, it will do so in spite of its inability to stop opponents.
Special teams: Packers kicker Mason Crosby converted 24 of 28 of his field goals. Packers punter Tim Masthay's average boot traveled 45.6 yards, with a net distance of 38.6. Rookie return man Randall Cobb expects to suit up after missing the season finale with a groin injury. If he does, the Giants will have to defend someone who was second in the NFL with 27.7 yards per kickoff return (including a 108-yarder vs. the Saints in Week 1. Cobb also ranked seventh with 11.3 yards per punt return.
Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes converted 19 of his 24 field goal attempts during the regular season. Punter Steve Weatherford recorded a career-best 45.7 yards/punt average (39.2 net).
Big Blue's return game was not that impressive during the regular season, ranking 29th with a 6.1 yard average on punts and 22nd with 23.3 yards on kickoffs.
Special Teams Edge: Packers because of Cobb.
Zach Finkelstein is a contributing writer for CBS Local and graduate of Northeastern University.
