Road to Super Bowl XLII: New York Giants

The New York Giants punched the NFL's second ticket to Super Bowl XLII by virtue of a 23-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game in Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin. A week after dropping 42 points on the Seahawks, the Pack could muster only 20 points through 60-minutes of football against the Giants. The Giants are the first NFC wild card team to advance to the Super Bowl in 35-years.

NFC Championship Game.

The game time temperature was -1F degrees and in the early going, the effects of that temperature was demonstrated on the scoreboard: Packers 10 - Giants 6. By the end of the third quarter, the offense had picked up with 21-points scored between the two teams.

By the last 5-minutes of the game, the temperature was down to -4 degrees F. The lead had changed 4-times and there had been almost 600 total yards of offense between the teams.

With a little more than 5 minutes to play, the Packers punted and the Giants started from their 37-yard line. Having made one 1^st down conversion, the Packers' Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila sacked Eli Manning forcing a punt with 2:48 remaining.

With one time out remaining, the Packers began their final drive of regulation. With 2:30 remaining, the Packers punted the ball. The punt return was fumbled, but ultimately was recovered by the Giants Dominek Hixon. The next play looked like Ahmad Bradshaw had run for a touchdown, but Defensive end Chris Snee was called for holding, moving the ball back to the Giants 40.

At the 2 minute warning it could be anyone's game. With 4 seconds left, the Giants had the opportunity for the game with a 36-yard field goal, but the snap was high and the kick went wide left. The coin toss gave the Packers the ball to begin overtime.

Two plays into overtime, Favre was picked off at the Packers' 35-line line by Corey Webster. The Giants went three and out, advancing the ball to the 30 yard line, setting up a 47 yard field goal attempt. After missing twice, Lawrence Tynes drive the ball straight down the pipe for the 3-points to end the game, sending the Giants to the Super Bowl for the third time.

Regular Season.

The Giants were the NFC's #5 seed - improbably beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, The #1 seed Dallas Cowboys and the #2 Green Bay Packers all on the road to advance. They finished the season at 10-6, and a wild card team. They lost the first two games of the season - to the Cowboys and the Packers, respectively - before winning their next 6. After those first two games, Head Coach Tom Coughlin was reportedly on the verge of being fired.

The remaining 8 games on the schedule were a bit of a wild ride, with the Giants going 4-4, including a 38-35 loss to the AFC Champion New England Patriots. Yet while quarterback Eli Manning had thrown as many interceptions as touchdowns, that game is seen as having been a turning point in his season. A season that sees him leading the Giants into the Super Bowl, a year after his brother Peyton won the big game with the Colts.

Giants Super Bowl History.

The Giants are 2-1 in the Super Bowl, winning Super Bowl XXV 20-19 over the Buffalo Bills, and Super Bowl XXI 39-20 over the Denver Broncos. They lost Super Bowl XXXV to the Baltimore Ravens 34-7.

Their history includes 17 trips to the NFL/NFC Championship Game, of which they have won 6: The NFL Championship in 1934, 1938, 1956; the NFC Championship in 1986 and 1990 (their 2 Super Bowl winning years) and in 2000.