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Giants fans are hoping for a 2007 redux on Sunday

It's beginning to look a lot like 2007 for the 2011 NY Giants. The once reeling Giants have found their stride and are riding high after last week's 24-2 drubbing of the Atlanta Falcons. The Giants front four was dominant, constantly getting in Matt Ryan's face and disrupting Ryan's timing. The defense twice stopped the Falcons on key fourth and short situations. The offense got a much needed boost from Ahmad Bradshaw & Brandon Jacobs in the backfield by rushing for 155 yds combined.  Eli Manning had his best playoff game since his MVP Superbowl performance against the Patriots, throwing for 277 yds and tossing three TD scores.  Hakeem Nicks had a huge day on offense finishing with 115 yds and two TD scores.  The victory was a statement game by the Giants, as well as a momentum builder for them going into Green Bay this week.

With the Giants new found winning ways, whispers are abuzz comparing this team to the Giants of 2007 that made an improbable run and knocked off the undefeated New England Patriots. Taking nothing away from the Packers of 2007, but that team is not this year's Green Bay Packers. The 2011 Packers are the defending Superbowl champs, finished the regular season at an impressive 15-1 and looked dominant every step of the way. These Packets also have Aaron Rodgers, not an aging Brett Favre at the helm. Rodgers had a splendid 2011, throwing for 4,643 yds, 45 TD's against only 6 INT's. Numbers that are sure to warrant strong MVP consideration.  Rodgers has a terrific supporting cast of WR's in Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Donald Driver and TE Jermichael Finley.  Green Bay's ground attack is average at best.  James Starks and Ryan Grant lack big play, breakaway speed, but they are serviceable backs who managed to put up 1,137 yds and 2 TD's combined.  It's a well known fact that the Giants defense is terrible against the run, however, I'd be surprised if either back gave the defense any trouble.

The defense of the Packers has some big playmakers with AJ Hawk, Clay Matthews, Nick Collins, B.J. Raji and Charles Woodson, but they rank last in the league in yds allowed and last in the league against the pass, allowing 411.6 yds and 299.8 yds per game respectively.  The Packers defense is an opportunistic defense that relies heavily on turnovers and takeaways.  The Giants must hold on to the ball in the run game and Eli has to avoid throwing interceptions to keep the Packers defense in check.

My keys for the Giants to win the game is for them to play a crisp, efficient game without committing dumb penalties.  On offense, the Giants must control the ball by using the run to set up pass.  Eli Manning is at his best when the Giants run game is running smoothly and Manning is given time to pick apart opposing defenses.  Manning threw for a career-high 4,933 yds, 29 TD's and cut down on INT's, which had been a bugaboo in the past.  This was by far Manning's best year as a Giant and put the critics to rest on whether or not Manning is an elite quarterback in the NFL.  Everybody is aware of Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks and their big play ability.  Cruz emerged from obscurity to become a star wideout with 1,539 receiving yards, 9 TD's, seven 100+ yard games this season and three receptions of sixty yards or more, which ranks him ahead of Green Bay's Jordy Nelson who had 2 catches of sixty yards or more.  Hakeem Nicks finished with 1,192 and 7 touchdowns making Nicks and Cruz the first WR's in Giants history to both gain over 1,000 receiving yds each.  I expect Green Bay's corners to make adjustments to account for Nicks and Cruz's big play threat.  I'd like to see Mario Manningham show up for this game and makes a solid contribution in the pass game.  Brandon Jacobs needs to be the punishing bruiser that we've seen flashes of this season.  He needs to soften up the defense enough to allow Ahmad Bradshaw to hit the holes and use his speed to eat up a good chunk of yards and keep the Giants offensive drives going.  This dynamic duo must run for over 100 yds combined like they have done in the past.  The longer the offense stays on the field, the less time Aaron Rodgers has to abuse the Giants poor secondary.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Giants front four must reek havoc and disrupt Aaron Rodgers timing.  Jason Pierre-Paul has been eating quarterbacks for lunch, but Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka must find a way to get to the quarterback as well.  The Giants secondary is simply not good enough to contain the explosiveness of Green Bay's receivers and is not good enough to play from behind.  Eli Manning has been clutch in the fourth quarter of games this year but he cannot be the only player to step up when it matters most.  I like the Giants chances in this game but in the end, the Packers will be too much for the New York football Giants.  Look for the Packers to advance to the NFC Championship game, beating the Giants 33-19 in the frozen tundra of Lambeau.