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Poll
Which team is better-suited to succeed in cold weather?
Giants: 40%
Packers: 60%
Total Responses: 141
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The last time the New York Giants came to Lambeau Field was, coincidentally, the last time the Packers had a home playoff game.
It would also be the last game Brett Favre would play for the Packers.
The primary question for the 2007 NFC Championship Game was pretty much the same question that dominates your garden-variety tackle-ball event:
Which quarterback would you rather have? In that instance, it was Favre or Eli Manning.
Favre was still Favre, having led the Packers to 13 regular-season victories. But right before the playoffs in a game at Chicago, Favre, at age 37, showed for the first time in a Hall of Fame career he could no longer play to his standards in the bitter cold.
Manning, who had just turned 28 years old, was obviously talented but still in the shadow of his big brother, still struggling with inconsistency, still somewhat fighting the petulant image that came with refusing to play for San Diego out of Ole Miss.
It wasn't much of a debate.
But in inhuman conditions at Lambeau, where the wind chill reached minus 40, Manning was the better quarterback. The Giants went on to upset the undefeated New England Patriots with one of the greatest catches and throws in Super Bowl history. Manning's place in NFL lore was secured.
Favre, who just looked old and cold against the Giants, gave the Packers the last reason they needed to get on with the Aaron Rodgers era. It stands as one of the best personnel moves in the history of the franchise as it has now become apparent to even the last of the Favre adherents that Rodgers is the most talented quarterback to play the position in Green Bay.
So, again the question is raised for Sunday in the quarterfinals of the Super Bowl tournament:
Rodgers or Manning?
Again, it seems not worth arguing as the balance is so heavily tilted toward the apparent choice for the NFL's MVP award. Even if Manning's playoff history against the Packers ensures he will be intimidated by neither the elements nor the venue, even if Manning has evolved into something beyond a trustworthy quarterback as a Super Bowl MVP, 10 out of 10 casual observers would take Rodgers in a game where the quarterback means just about everything.
The only dissenting viewpoint would come from the way the Kansas City Chiefs showed how it is possible to beat Rodgers. Several weeks ago, the Chiefs played keep-away. Rodgers never had the football long enough for the Packers to average close to their usual 35 points a game.
There is a school of thought that the Giants' now-healthy defense and running game could give them the time-of-possession advantage. With it, Manning could do a lot of damage against the Packers' flimsy pass defense. Manning led the league this year with 31 completions of 40 yards or more, the most in the NFL. One went against the Packers last month for 67 yards to our old pal from Oak Creek, Travis Beckum.
The near-given for Sunday is that Rodgers is not going to lose the football. Manning just might. As leaky as the Green Bay defense has been at times, it still led the league with 31 interceptions. As long as Charles Woodson is on the field, the possibility exists of the sneaky old pro emerging from the shadows to get the ball back to Rodgers.
Even so, the presence of Rodgers accounts a lot for a 7½-point spread that otherwise seems a little high for such a difficult second-round matchup against a team with two 1,000-yard receivers for Manning to throw to against the league's worst pass defense.
Manning, who recently turned 32, has enjoyed a successful NFL career. Rodgers, at 28, is just beginning a phenomenal career. There are many reasons why the Packers are going to advance to the NFC Championship Game, but the ultimate difference is behind center.
Send email to mhunt@journalsentinel.com
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