Packers/Giants---The Local Look
Bob Glauber in Newsday, handing well-earned praise to Eli Manning:
"It didn't seem possible a month ago, when he was stumbling through more growing pains in what seemed like a series of missteps that led to gnashing of teeth for Giants fans. But no matter what happens in two weeks against the Patriots, this much can be said: Manning has grown up as a quarterback, and the future looks a lot brighter for the franchise because of it."
It is hard to dispute that this morning. And, since this blog is old enough that I was around to make merciless fun of the younger Manning (and his father) on that wonderful draft day in 2004 when "Eli Manning face" made its first appearance, I can reflect on how far he has come. Far. Real far. Farther than I could have suspected. But, in conditions he was supposed to wilt under, Manning was the better quarterback yesterday. By far.
As for the Packers, Gary D'Amato in the Milwaukee Journal with this:
"It was so quiet inside Lambeau Field, you could hear the temperature drop."
And, that wasn't just after the winning field goal. The Giants had the better of the play for much of that game, and I thought, cold figured in to the equation, that there wasn't that much of a home field advantage for the Packers yesterday. In fact, big home playoff losses are now becoming something of the norm for the Packers. Mystique has taken a beating in Wisconsin of late, anyway.
