If there's any quarterback in the playoffs who won't be awed by the mystique of playing at Lambeau Field for a road game, it's the quarterback who will be playing there this weekend: Eli Manning.
Believe it or not, Manning actually has a better playoff record at Lambeau Field than Aaron Rodgers. In his 13-year career, Manning has played a total of two playoff games in Green Bay, and he won both of them, making him 2-0.
That just happens to be the same amount of wins in Green Bay that Rodgers has. The Packers quarterback has played a total of four home playoff games in his career and has gone just 2-2 in those games. One of those two losses for Rodgers came during the 2011 season, when the 15-1 Packers were stunned 37-20 by Manning's Giants.
The Giants were an 8-point underdog in that game, which was played in the same season that Rodgers won his first MVP award. The Giants sacked Rodgers four times in that game and forced four turnovers, which is what they'll be looking to do again when they play the Packers on Sunday.
Manning's other win in Green Bay came against Brett Favre during the 2007 season, when the 7.5-point underdog Giants knocked off the Packers 23-20. In both seasons, the Giants would go on to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
When Manning was asked about his Lambeau playoff record on Tuesday, he admitted that he had no idea he had a better record than Rodgers. However, the Giants quarterback did add that his undefeated record in Green Bay isn't going to help him this season.
"Each year is a new year, new team, different players," Manning said. "It is its own deal, so we have to go out there and play well. I have to play well, and I am looking forward to that opportunity."
The one thing that Manning does like is that the Giants are an underdog again. As of Wednesday, the Giants were a4.5-point underdog at most sports books in Las Vegas.
"I think so," Manning said, when asked if being an underdog can help. "I think that you like to prove people wrong. That is always kind of an exciting thing to do."
The Giants have proven people wrong in each of their past two playoff trips to Lambeau, and Manning is hoping they can do it again.
As for Rodgers, a Giants win would mean the third home playoff loss of his career. Besides losing to Manning, Rodgers also lost 23-20 to the 49ers after the 2013 season. Rodgers' two wins came in the 2012 (vs. Vikings) and 2014 (vs. Cowboys) seasons. Cowboys fans probably don't count that second win though, because "Dez caught it."
