NFL Picks, Week 16: Desperate Giants, Packers Collide in Green Bay

by Dave Goldberg

Filed under: Giants, Packers, NFL Predictions, NFL Analysis

There's one way the Giants and Tom Coughlin can shut up their detractors: by winning Sunday in Green Bay, clinching a playoff berth and erasing the nightmare of the final eight minutes of last week's game, when they blew a 21-point lead and lost to Philadelphia. In the process the Giants also lost control of the NFC East, a sure playoff spot and the respect they had gained with an almost perfect 3 1/2 quarters.

But that's life.

And the omens are there. The last time they were in Green Bay (Jan. 20, 2008), the Giants were underdogs by a touchdown, outplayed Green Bay in regulation and won in overtime to get to the Super Bowl after Lawrence Tynes, who missed two regulation field goals, made one. Corey Webster, who had an INT against Michael Vick last week, set up that Tynes winner by intercepting what should have been Brett Favre's last pass. (Alas, Favre has put us through too much in the three years since.)

Now it's Aaron Rodgers at QB for the Packers -- he passed his concussion test this week -- and Green Bay is in survival mode because it lost, albeit with respect, in New England Sunday night. But there is still no line for this game because Rodgers has not officially been made the starter over Matt Flynn, who played well in Foxborough until his inexperience showed on the Packers' final drive.

These are both good teams that deserve to be in the postseason over whoever wins the West.

 

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