Manning, reborn 'Sack Exchange' make Giant statement in upsetting Packers

Nick Creegan



The Super Bowl picture is starting to get a lot clearer. And what is a surprise to many is that the Green Bay Packers will be watching it from home while Eli Manning and the surging New York Giants are a game away from going for their second ring this century.



It’s hard to determine if this 37 -20 win Sunday night was a wonderful performance by the Giants defense or a sorry performance by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense.



So let’s sum it up: Both teams punted twice, had three penalties, an interception and virtually the same amount of possession time. What proved the major difference were the three unusual fumbles that the Packers committed -- and lost. They had only lost six fumbles all season, including the postseason, before Sunday's game, and Rodgers recorded his first lost fumble of the season. The Giants seem to be reinventing the New York Sack Exchange, sacking Rodgers four times.



All season long, the Packers looked like a well-tuned scoring machine behind Rodgers, their MVP-quality quarterback who led them to a 15-1 regular-season record. Sunday night, he wasn’t given much help from his receivers. The group, which proved clutch in the regular season, dropped four balls in the first half alone.



The last play of the half epitomized the game for both teams. Manning's Hail Mary brought back flashes of David Tyree's catch in the Super Bowl four years ago. Hakeem Nicks,  against triple coverage, had Manning's pass hit him in the facemark yet, as if with divine intervention, he held on.



Must be the gloves.



The miracle throw-and-catch sent the Giants into the locker room with a 10-point lead, which was first halftime deficit for Rodgers and the Packers this season.



Trailing 30-13 at one point, Rodgers tried to mount a comeback late in the game. He couldn't -- not in this game against Manning and the Giants.



The last time Manning and the Giants were a wildcard team and played Green Bay in the playoffs they went on to beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. A similar scenario might be in the making. The only difference is that the Giants faced Green Bay in the NFC Championship in 2008.



This year, they will be taking on coach Jim Harbaugh and his defensive-minded San Francisco 49ers.
In their history, the Giants are 4-0 in championship games. Hats off to The New York Giants. Tom Coughlin hasn’t smiled this much and cursed so little since 2008.