Green Bay.
Breaking in new head coach Mike McCarthy last year, they managed to finish at 8-8 by winning their last 4 games. Lucky for the Giants, The Packers kept the win streak going and did the Giants a favor last week by beating team division rival Philadelphia 16-13. Their rookie kicker hit a 42-yard field goal with just two seconds left. It was the 37th time Brett Favre had led the Packers from a fourth-quarter tie or deficit to a win, and he now ties John Elway for most victories for a starting quarterback.

Brett Favre.
He'll be 38 on Oct 10, and still has good arm strength and mobility. He's also very football-wise if only they would listen to him. Favre wanted his team to sign Randy Moss (9 catches for 183 yards and 1 touchdown last week), but General Manager Ted Thompson seems intent on building up the defense instead. Without the necessary tools, it leaves Favre trying to do it on his own. His attitude - "I expect us to score. I expect to lead this team down and score every time, I really do. That's not just talking. I really believe that. To not score at all is beyond disappointing, and I take that personally, as I should." Favre is being more than politically correct here. His team finished 22nd in the NFL in scoring last season.

Green Bay - Running backs.
In the offseason, the Packers lost starting running back Ahman Green to the Houston Texans, and like the Giants they made no free-agent signings or trades of note. Last week Green, in tandem with former Giant Ron Dayne, averaged 4.6 yards a carry to help his team beat Kansas City. Meanwhile, Green Bay's replacement rookie running back Brandon Jackson, averaged just 2.7 yards on 15 carries and a total of 40 yards in his game.

Green Bay - Receivers.
Donald Driver made it to the Pro Bowl last year for the second time. He had a career high season with 92 catches for 1,295 yards, and has caught at least one pass in 84 consecutive games (including playoff games). Last week Driver caught 6 passes for 66 yards. Greg Jennings missed the the game last week with a hamstring injury, and rookie James Jones caught 4 passes last week for 29 yards. Tight end Donald Lee caught 4 for 27 yards, and running back Brandon Jackson assisted the group with his 4 catches for 35 yards.

Green Bay - Defense.
Corner Al Harris has played in 155 consecutive regular season and postseason games and Charles Woodson is a four-time Pro Bowler who has 25 career interceptions, including a career-high 8 last season. Aaron Kampman led the NFC with 15.5 sacks last season, but Corey Williams was the only one able to sack the quarterback last week, for a 4-yard loss on a 3rd-and-1 play. Sacks aren't everything, as this tough defense kept Donovan McNabb's completions down to only 15 on 33 pass attempts for 184 yards. The Eagles mustered just one touchdown drive in the game, and only three points in the second half.

Green Bay - Special Teams.
Last week rookie kicker Mason Crosby was 3-for-3 on field goals, including two big pressure ones: a 53 yarder in the first half, and a 42 yarder with only 2 seconds left for the game winner. He was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Crosby in the first kicker in NFL history to boot a 50-plus yard field goal and a game-winning field goal in the final minute of his first game.
This special teams unit was good across the board. They got a touchdown when a Philadelphia punt returner muffed a first-quarter punt, and the Packers came up with the ball in the end zone.

Giants- Eli Manning.
Eli Manning had a strong preseason and opening game. However Manning sprained his shoulder last week in the 45-35 loss at Dallas when he was hit by linebacker Anthony Spencer on a failed two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter. While there was speculation all week that Manning might not start in the season opener at Giants Stadium on Sunday, according to NFL Network’s Adam Schefter, Manning will start. Coughlin said Manning looked capable in practice Friday. "He seemed to throw the ball pretty good," he said. "But that is not for me to judge. That’s for others. If you really watch closely, he did the smart thing. He loosened up pretty good and started to get into the velocity throws a little bit later on."

Michael Strahan.
It was Strahan's first game back last week, and for him it was all training camp, preseason and regular season game, rolled up into one. If Strahan has anything left after all these years, he needs to lead the Giants defense this week and show it. Against Dallas, the Giants gave up eight explosive gains, defined as at least 10 yards on a running play or 25 on a pass. They also allowed the Cowboys to convert on 6-of-11 third downs. Five of the six conversions were on 3rd-and-6 or longer.

The matchup.
Last week the Giants put up a total of 438 yards of offense against the Cowboys. That's twice what Green Bay accomplished with their 215 yards against Philadelphia. Green Bay managed only 46 total yards on the ground to the Giants 124. The Giants scored 35 points. Green Bay had 16. Right now, the Packers rank last in the NFL in rushing yards and 29th in total yards.
That's all very promising until you look at the defense. Green Bay held the Eagles to 13 points, 180 passing yards, and 103 rushing yards. Meanwhile the Giants allowed Dallas 45 points on 336 passing yards, and 142 rushing yards. Coming off the first game of and season there are always too many "was their offense/defense that good or was our offense/defense that bad' type questions. Game 2 usually lets you know what's real and where you stand.

Notes.
Green Bay leads the regular season series, 24-21-2.

Brett Favre will extend his streak by starting his record 239th consecutive regular season game.

Giants backup center, Grey Ruegamer, played three years for the Packers (2003-05).

Last week was the Packers first home-opening victory in five years.

See Brett Favre and Green Bay Packers at the Stadium.
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