In a 23-20 overtime loss, Brett Favre threw two interceptions, including a game-killer in overtime. The running game, so good against the Seahawks last week, averaged about two-yards a carry — and there weren’t many of those. The secondary got burned by Plaxico Burress, who finished with 11 catches for 154 yards. Maybe the 14-3 Packers were just a mirage.

Or maybe the New York Giants are just that good. It’s hard to argue with success, and after beating Tampa Bay in the Wild Card round, the G-Men have knocked off the top two teams in the NFC to advance to the Super Bowl. Eli Manning has yet to throw an interception this post-season, the running game has been bruising, and the defense, including the much maligned secondary, has been punishing.

Can the Giants bring home an NFL title? Thankfully with the New York media we won’t be short of analysis and speculation over the next two weeks.

Gentlemen, let’s begin with the AFC where the San Diego Chargers travel to face the unbeaten New England Patriots. Who will win?

Potted Plant: While it might make for some dramatic television to see the upset of the century, I’m afraid the Bolts are too overmatched in this game. Look for the score to remain close in the first half, but then Tom Brady will take over the game and the Pats will roll to a 30-17 victory.

Sean Salisbury: ME SEAN SALISBURY AND ME TALK LOUD! ME TALK LOUDER THAN PLANT! PLANT IS DUMB! PLANT NO PLAY IN FOOTBALL LEAGUE! ME PLAY QUARTERBACK! ME BEST KNOW FOOTBALL, NOT PLANT! PLANT IS STUPID!

Um, alright then, how about we move on to the NFC where we have the New York Giants playing on the road against the Green Bay Packers. Which team do you see advancing to the Super Bowl?

Potted Plant: The Giants are playing some of their best football of the season, giving their fans a lot of hope for a conference title, but the Packers have too much firepower on offense and a pretty good defense to boot. Should be a great game up at Lambeau Field, but Green Bay gets the win by 10 points.

Sean Salisbury: DUMB PLANT! YOU NO HAVE BRAIN! ME SEAN SALISBURY, NFL QUARTERBACK, ME KNOW FOOTBALL! PLANT IS GREEN AND STUPID! HAHAHA! ME HATE PLANT!

Well that about wraps it up. Thank you both for your insight and enlightenment.

Mathew Kowald, avowed Packer fan #1, settled in to watch Green Bay take on Seattle in last week’s NFC Divisional contest when his 7-year-old son refused to watch the game and root for the Packers. In response, Kowald decided the best course of action would be to restrain the boy with packing tape. From the Wisconsin State Journal:

Kowald reportedly forced a Packers sweatshirt on the boy, who told his father he refused to root for the Packers and was told by Kowald that anyone who said that would be grounded. Columbia County Lt. Wayne Smith said Kowald restrained the boy with tape for about an hour and taped the shirt to him.

The boy’s mother filed for a restraining order the following Monday, leading to the arrest. But the money quote from the police lieutenant in the AP story: “We’ve been unable to uncover any evidence to suggest that this boy was not a Packers fan,” Smith said.

Mike Holmgren can’t very well blame the weather for his Seahawks getting blown out by the Packers 42-20. Heck, they spotted Seattle two touchdowns in the first four minutes off turnovers, but it didn’t matter once Green Bay got going. Where was that vaunted defense we heard so much about last week? Oh that’s right, they were playing the Washington Redskins then.

There wasn’t any snow in the air at Gillette Stadium last night but everyone expected the Patriots to bury the Jaguars under a blizzard of points. Surprisingly, Jacksonville played a very good first half and stayed right with New England, thanks in part to kicker Stephen Gostkowski who missed a 35-yard field goal.

Unfortunately for the teal and black crowd, the Jags had to come out and play the second half and that’s where the Pats really took off, outscoring the Jags 21-6. So much for the upset of the century, I guess we’ll have to wait until next week to see if someone can stop that New England juggernaut from reaching the Super Bowl.

Brett Favre: Hi, my name is Brett Favre and I wear Wrangler jeans. I also play quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. At least I do when I’m not hurt. Which I am. Did someone say vicodin?

Tony Romo: He’s not my idol, he’s not my idol, he’s not my idol. Oh, he’s out of the game? Dammit, now how am I supposed to beat my idol?

Aaron Rodgers: Dude, the old man got hurt, what are we gonna do now? Carlyle Holiday played QB in college, let’s put him in.

Terrell Owens: Just because this game is the NFL Network, ESPN still gets to show the highlights, right?

Meow meow watch Thursday night meow, but NFL Network meow meow cable meow. Meow? Meow meow Time Warner Cable meow NFL meow, meow meow meatheads meow! Meow meow asshats! Meow meow shove it up meow meow!

Meow meow sports bar, maybe Hooters meow. Meow meow pissed meow.

Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre.

Jay Cutler?

Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Touchdown!

Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. Brett Favre. Tom Brady. Peyton Manning.

Jay Cutler?

Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Touchdown!

Kansas City 12, Cleveland 16
Quick thinking. Benny Sapp scooped up an incomplete pass from Charlie Frye to Jerome Harrison that was ruled a lateral and took it 56 yards for the Chiefs’ only touchdown.
What’s he thinking? Brady Quinn was holding the clipboard all night after holding out on the Browns for 12 days trying to get his contract done. Of course, Larry Johnson wasn’t even in a Chiefs uniform as he’s still holding out.

Green Bay 13, Pittsburgh 9
Brett who? Backup QB Aaron Rogers completed 18 of 27 for 168 yards and a touchdown after Green Bay’s first team offense gained all of 12 yards on 12 plays.
Oh that Brett. Favre completed just two of seven passes for seven yards. No interceptions, though.

Carolina 24, New York Giants 21
Funny names are good. Wide receiver Taye Biddle caught two touchdown passes for the Panthers, a 23-yard catch from David Carr late in the first half, and an 85-yard catch and run that shredded the Giants’ secondary early in the third quarter.
Funny names aren’t so good. Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka got beat repeatedly by the Panthers’ rushing attack.

Chicago 20, Houston 19
Sexy. Rex Grossman *gasp* completed his first eight passes for the Bears to go 8 of 10 for 50 yards.
Not so sexy. New Texans QB Matt Schaub missed his chance to score a TD when he overthrew Kevin Walter in the end zone. He finished three of five for 25 yards against a Bears defense that was missing Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris.

Washington 14, Tennessee 6
Heads up play. Rookie corner Byron Westbrook recovered a fumble in the end zone late in the game to give the Redskins the win.
Head somewhere else. QB Vince Young was benched by Titans head coach Jeff Fisher for violating a team rule.

Arizona 23, Oakland 27
A win is a win. After going 2-14 last year and loosing Art Shell as head coach, Raider Nation will take anything they can get.
A loss is nothing new. One of the Raiders’ wins last year was a 22-9 thrashing of the Cardinals.