2011 Playoffs NY Giants 9-7 defeat GB Packers 15-1

[LeonardRachiele]

We all know

--what happens in the regular season between teams in no way relates to the Post Season;
--I think home team advantage is overrated;
--likewise with the BYE week;
--teams in the playoffs, especially in the Super Bowl, do not reflect how well a team played the entire year.  A team may be peaking at right time.

The New York Giants showed us that in 2007 and again 2011.

--New York's record was only 9-7; the Denver Broncos were the only team playoff worse at 8-8;
--The Giants won six of their first eight, the last game in this series a 24 to 20 victory at Foxboro;  This was a shoot out between Eli  Manning and Tom Brady;
--Said team after this lost five of their next six, including a  27 to 20 loss at San Francisco;  and a 38 to 35 loss to Green Bay at the Meadowlands; 
--After 14 games the New York Giants were 7-7; had to win their final two games; and play in the Wild Card weekend ;
--The Green Bay Packers had one had one meaningless year end game and a BYE  week.

Despite the built in advantages that the NFL has to win, some teams overcome them.

And here is something else.

Two calls went against the Giants.  The officials, to both the announcers and me, did not correctly rule on a Green Bay fumble and Giants' recovery in the second quarter. The real bad break was in the fourth quarter with New York leading 30 to 10.  The Roughing the Passer called on Osi Umenyiora on fourth down from the Packers 30 really hurt.  The call seemed  dubious since Osi's hit was neither late nor excessive.  If the both calls went the Giants way, the game would have been in the bank sooner.  A 37 to 20 over a 15-1 team is still great.