Packers-Giants Quasi Live Blog: Second Quarter

On the third and five that starts the quarter, Jones drops a ball that wouldn't have gotten the Packers the first anyway, and the Giants defense just looks dominating right now. The Pack punts after another three and out, and McQuarters brings it to the Giants 43.

Jacobs gets 12 on the left side. Fox tells me that the Giants benches don't work. That's seriously home field advantage, but maybe it's just pissing the Giants off, because they're just winning. Burress fights off Harris for 7, and I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that the ball was perfect. On 2nd, Burress gets open, Harris gets the flag, and he gets downfield for a big gain, then fumbles it out of bounds. Very quickly, the Giants are in the red zone, and if they can score a touchdown here, this could get ugly for the home team. Burress already has 5 for 64.

Manning rolls out and hits Toomer perfectly, but there's a false start by Hedgecock, the FB. Again, though, the passing is perfect. Who are you, Giant QB, and what have you done with Eli Manning?

Bradshaw for 3, and the Giants just seem to have a good RB no matter where they get the guy from. It's like Denver, really. Manning tries Smith, who looked like he had alligator arms, and misses. 3rd and 12 from the 19 is a big play, and the Lambeau Faithful know it -- the Giants call time rather than take the delay penalty. A reasonable ball to Tyree at the pylon, but he can't bring it in. Tynes from 37 hits, and it's 6-0 Giants... and one wonders, as one always does, if the failure in the red zone will come back to haunt the visitors. But if their defense keeps playing like this, it won't be an issue.

Robinson has real problems covering the short kick, and barely covers it inside the Packers 10. Fox's sound is picking up a lot of Giant fans, and with the yardage being 27 to 116, you can see why... but that all goes away as Donald Driver streaks free down the right sideline and goes 90 amazing yards for a touchdown. Driver fought off Corey Webster at the line of scrimmage, Favre found him in stride, and in a heartbeat, the visitors are behind. Packers 7, Giants 6.

Strong special teams coverage on a short kick gets the ball to the Giants 28, and the crowd is well and truly into it now. Bradshaw for 7 on first down, and man, the Giants just crank out good backs like an assembly line. He gets it again, but Bigby and friends penetrate, and he goes sideways for no gain. On 3rd and 3, Manning hits Burress who gets leveled by Bigby, but it's another third down conversion, and another case where Manning had a clean pocket on the rollout. The next play is ugly, as Manning tries to throw it away off his back foot and almost gets it picked. The defense is fired up now, and the lack of a flag on possible PI against Boss will make it 3rd and 10. (For my money, I think the no-call was correct.) Toomer is covered well by Woodson, and the Giants punt. Harris and Burress are more or less beating the snot out of each other on every play, and damn, it's fun to watch, except for the post-play whining. The punt is handled for no good reason, and the Pack start inside their own 30.

Grant for 2, and we get a lot of Buck and Aikman puling about being in their exposed press box. Ha ha! Favre finds Lee on one of those strong-arm throws that he still does better than anyone, and it's a nice gain up the middle. Play action to the right draws everyone, and Favre finds Jennings in the flat; he makes a man miss for 14, and the Packers are back in Giants territory and starting to click.

Favre tries Jones on a back-shoulder underthrow; it's juggled and dropped. 2nd and 10 is nearly picked on a batted ball at the line, and the Packers seem determined to throw every down. It's 3rd and 10 from the 44, and one of those plays that is worth points either way, from the possible field goal... and Ruvel Martin drops a ball off his hands as Favre throws a perfect ball on the post. If he catches it, and he should have, it's first and goal. Special teams are chippy, and the Giants start at their own 7.

With 6:21 left in the first, Jacobs runs through Barnett for 9 yards, and he's such an impossible back to figure; he either goes down easier than Shawn Alexander, or he's the second coming of Earl Campbell, depending on the play. On 2nd and 1, David Diehl gets a huge holding call, backing the Giants back to the 8. Jacobs gets little on a draw, and it's 3rd and 6. The holding penalty is looming huge right now, as the clock ticks under five minutes. Manning has one of those god-awful plays with an illegal shift, a fumbled snap, and a panicky incompletion, and the Giants will punt. That's the Eli I remember! Feagles punts it out to the Giants 47, where it's fair caught. The home team is set up to do some damage here, and could put a big stamp on this game now.

Grant for no gain, and it's hard to see how the Pack is going to run well today; Grant is at 5 carries for 9 yards, and has ran well to not lose ground. A quick slant is a misfire, and the Giants are a play away from getting off the field... but this won't be the play, as Driver draws the flag. Notable as well was that the Giants weren't able to get any real push from their blitz; watch for that later.

With a fresh set of downs, they try Grant to the right, and he gets a mighty yard. Favre finds Driver wide open for 20 yards down the gut, and these are the holes that Garcia and Romo did not get to exploit, because they didn't get the time to do it; Favre has, and he's taking advantage. Grant into the middle for a couple, and its the two minute warning.

Fox notes that Green Bay is colder right now than lots of other cold places. In the immortal words of Derrick Coleman, Whoop De Damn Do. Favre misses Jennings in the corner, and it's 3rd and 8 with 1:52 left -- a big play all over. Antonio Pierce make a tremendous play to fight through three blockers and get the RB (Jackson) down; it's figgie time, and the Giants take their second timeout, with 1:34 left. Without that play, the Packers get the first, keep the ball, and maybe get a touchdown later. Instead, they're held to a field goal attempt, and their offense gets another possession. Just huge. After the Crosby attempt, they'll get the ball back with a chance to do something before the half. Crosby hits from 37, and it's Packers 10, Giants 6.

Can the Giants make the Pierce play more meaningful? The Hickson return won't help matters, as he only gets it to the Giants 23. They give it to Bradshaw, who gets 9 on a draw. Then it's yet another play by Burress outfighting Harris, and the Giants take their final time out in Packers territory after an X yard gain. Burress gets open again, and has it inside the 5, but can't hold on, and it's ruled incomplete... could have gone as a completion and fumble, but right now, Burress is just killing them.

On 2nd down, Manning is brought down after a 2 yard gain, then misfires on 3rd and 8. With 11 seconds left, the Giants are going for it from the Packers 34 with no timeouts left, rather than try the long field goal. On fourth, Manning takes a coverage sack, and the Packers close the half with a knee, despite a spread formation. Odd. In a wildly entertaining and very even game, it's Packers 10, Giants 6.