The Top 5: Biggest Blowout Wins In Giants Playoff History

Giants 24, Falcons 2: Giants Serious Super Bowl Contenders?

The New York Giants -- justifiably -- did not get much love from the national media throughout a mediocre 9-7 season that saw them need victories in their final two games to make the playoffs. Well, that certainly has changed. Look around SI.com today and you can see that for yourself.

Peter King praised the Giants in several ways in his weekly 'Monday Morning Quarterback' column. King broached similarities to the Giants' 2007 Super Bowl run, praised Tom Coughlin's game management and moved the Giants all the way to No. 6 in his weekly 'Fine 15.'

Perry Fewell: From Genius, To Bum, and Back Again

In reviewing the game, SI also had this to say:

In winning their first playoff game since upending the unbeaten Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, the Giants finally showed themselves to be a complete team after relying on Manning's arm (he threw a career-high 4,933 yards) for most of 2011.

CBS Sports Clark Judge offered this nugget about the Giants' revitalized defense:

Over the last three games, it allowed four touchdowns. Period. That means opponents were blanked on 37 of their last 41 drives, and, yeah, I like that a lot when your next opponent is Green Bay.

ESPN also offers eight reasons the Giants should be looked at as serious Super Bowl contenders.

Tom Coughlin and company sure have come a long way since a few short weeks ago when it looked like the the Giants would miss the playoffs for the third straight season.

Marc Ross, Giants Director Of College Scouting, A Hot GM Candidate

When your team experiences success in the NFL opportunities for advancement can open up for assistant coaches and other members of a team's organization. Well, right now the New York Giants are experiencing success and Director of College Scouting Marc Ross might be about to reap the rewards of that.

Ross has already interviewed for the vacant general manager's job with the Indianapolis Colts. The Chicago Sun-Times says Ross is a candidate for the Chicago Bears' GM vacancy after the firing of Jerry Angelo.

Jerry Reese, general manager of the Giants, does not seem surprised that Ross is gathering interest from other teams.

‘‘He’s a veteran personnel guy and has been around two or three different clubs, so he’s seen how things are done differently at different places,’’ Reese said. ‘‘And he’s smart. He’s a people person, a terrific evaluator, and he’s qualified.’’

Ross is in his fifth season as Giants' Director of College Scouting. Prior to that Ross spent three seasons as a college scout with the Buffalo Bills and seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles in varied scouting roles.

Jason Pierre-Paul 'Sure' Giants Will Beat Green Bay Packers

Jason Pierre-Paul is an All-Pro, a dominant defensive end who might be the NFL’s best defensive player right now. He is also still a young, excitable player and after the Giants defeated the Atlanta Falcons Sunday in an NFC Wild-Card Playoff game Pierre-Paul could not contain his exuberance.

The Giants’ tremendous second-year player told reporters he was “sure” the Giants were going to defeat the Green Bay Packers next Sunday at Lambeau Field.

“We are very confident. Last time they came in here and they beat us, which they shouldn’t have, and we are just going to go out there and play some great football,” Pierre-Paul said. “It’s going to be cold and the atmosphere will be theirs but we’re going to be ready to play.”

Pierre-Paul added that he felt the Giants “should” beat the Packers.

None of what Pierre-Paul said is really a guarantee, though it likely will be taken that way in Wisconsin. It does, however, show you how good a team whose season was on a respirator a few short weeks ago is feeling about itself now.

Giants 24, Falcons 2: Mike Smith Defends Fourth-And-One Decisions

The Atlanta Falcons struggled to find any kind of offensive rhythm against the New York Giants during Sunday's NFC Wild Card game. Two key plays factored heavily into the Falcons' 247-yard performance. On fourth-and-inches from the Giants' 24-yard line in the second quarter, head coach Mike Smith opted to run a sneak with Matt Ryan instead of kick a field goal, and was stuffed by a swarming Giants' defensive line. Smith made the same decision in a similar situation from the Giants' 21-yard line in the third quarter, and once again Ryan was rebuffed. After the game, Smith defended his decision making.

"It was less than a yard, it was about half a yard, maybe even less than that," Smith said. "That was the play, again, we go through and sequence those things all through the week and felt like that was the play we had up and we just didn't execute it. We felt like at any point and time we ought to be able to move less than a half-yard with the quarterback sneak."

Smith called controlling the line of scrimmage "the crux of what we believe will lead us to success," and harped on the Falcons' inability to do so throughout his post-game press conference. Michael Turner was bottled up all day, managing just 41 yards rushing on 15 carries. The Falcons now heads into the offseason having lost three straight playoff games in three seasons.

"It's not the type of football we want to play and we'll start on the 2012 season, starting tomorrow," Smith said. "That's the way our coaching staff is going to pursue this. It's the next season already. We're going to learn from this. We're going to learn from every game that we play and try not to be in this situation again."

For more Giants coverage, visit our team page or our blog Big Blue View.

Giants 24, Falcons 2: Matt Ryan Atlanta Can't Find Offensive Rhythm In Loss

The Atlanta Falcons were held to just 247 total yards by the New York Giants during Sunday's NFC Wild Card matchup. Quarterback Matt Ryan could not take advantage of an Aaron Ross concussion that forced rookie Prince Amukamura into the game at cornerback. He threw for under 200 yards passing, and was sacked twice during the game.

"We never got into a rhythm," Ryan said after the game. "We never moved the ball consistently. We had some opportunities. We fell short on two fourth downs. We just came up short. In a playoff game against a very good football team, you have to make those plays and we didn't make them."

The Giants' front four was disruptive once again, holding the Falcons to just 64 yards rushing on top of harassing Ryan. After the game, the third-year quarterback put the Giants' corps among the best he has faced this season. Ryan was stuffed twice on fourth-and-one sneaks during the game.

"Yeah, I think their front four played very well," Ryan said. "That's kind of what we expected. We expected them to play well. We had opportunities. We were in a rhythm at some points and just didn't make the plays on crucial third and fourth downs when we needed them to keep drives going. I think that's probably why we stalled out a little bit."

Ryan and the Falcons have made the playoffs three years in a row now, and have come away with a loss in their first game in each of those postseasons.

For more Giants coverage, visit our team page or our blog Big Blue View.

Eli Manning: Some People Will Never Understand His Greatness

Giants 24, Falcons 2: Tom Coughlin Praises Defensive Effort

There is a lot of praise to go around among the New York Giants following their 24-2 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday's NFC Wild-Card Palyoff game. Eli Manning went 23-for-32 passing for 277 yards and three touchdowns, while Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs led the way for 172 yards rushing. Giants head coach Tom Coughlin saved his highest praise for his team's defensive effort, however.

"I think today we played outstanding defense and that set the tone for everything else that happened in the game," Coughlin said. "It was wonderful to see it and it has happened over the last two or three weeks of the season. If we can continue to play defense like that, we can make ourselves heard in this tournament."

The defensive line in particular continued to play stellar football. They harassed quarterback Matt Ryan throughout the game, and held the Falcons running game to just 64 total yards on the day. The front four also came up with two of the biggest plays of the day, stuffing Atlanta twice on what could have been game-changing fourth-and-ones.

"The two fourth down stops were just outstanding and both were in the shadow of the goal line as well," Coughlin said. "That really inspired everybody, to be honest with you. Those plays that our defense made really inspired everybody."

Up next for the Giants will be Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. The Giants lost the regular season meeting between the two teams, 38-35, early in December. The defensive line played well in the loss, however, recording two sacks and holding the Packers to 89 yards rushing with Osi Umenyiora out of the lineup.

For more Giants coverage, visit our team page or our blog Big Blue View.

Giants Vs. Falcons, Post-Game Notes

Here are some post-game notes and statistics from the New York Giants 24-2 victory over the Atlanta Falcons Sunday in an NFC Wild-Card Playoff game.

- The Giants made their NFL record 31st postseason appearance.

- The victory broke a two-game home postseason losing streak – to Carolina in a 2005 Wild Card Game and to Philadelphia in a 2008 NFC Divisional Playoff Game.

- The Giants’ 172 rushing yards was their highest total since they ran for 213 yards in the victory over Minnesota on Dec. 13, 2010. Their previous best in the 2011 season was 122 yards in a victory over Buffalo on Oct. 16. The Giants averaged an NFL-low 89.2 rushing yards a game in the regular season.

- The Giants are 8-1 this season when they rush for at least 100 yards.

- The Giants’ first touchdown drive covered 85 yards in 13 plays and took 7:32 to complete. It was the Giants’ longest touchdown drive in time elapsed this season.

- Manning has thrown 11 career postseason touchdown passes, a Giants record. The previous mark of 10 was owned by Phil Simms.

- Bradshaw, Jacobs and Manning all had their longest career postseason runs. Bradshaw had a 30-yard run. His previous long gain in the postseason was 13 yards in Super Bowl XLII. Jacobs had a 34-yarder, 10 yards better than his 24-yard run in the 2008 NFC Wild Card Game vs. Philadelphia. Manning picked up 14 yards on a scramble in the second quarter. His previous best was a five-yarder in Super Bowl XLII.

Giants 24, Falcons 2, NFC Wild-Card Playoffs: Three Good Stats, Three Bad Stats

Let’s take a very quick statistical review of the New York Giants’ 24-2 annihilation of the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in NFC Wild-Card Playoff action at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The following three good stats/three bad stats will be entirely from a Giants’ perspective.

Three Good Stats

1. 172 Yards Rushing — This was a season-best for the Giants, who entered the game last in the league in rushing yards per game. They averaged 5.5 yards per carry, and their dominant running game enabled them to win the time of possession battle as New York held the ball for 34:30 compared to 25:30 for the Falcons.

2. Four-For-17 — That was Atlanta combined total on third and fourth downs. The Falcons went 0-for-3 on fourth downs, including two questionable fourth and less than one decisions by head coach Mike Smith. The defensive stands by the Giants, especially the second one, changed the momentum of the game.

3. 247 Yards — That is the total number of yards the Giants defense held the Falcons to.

Three Bad Stats

1. Seven Penalties for 73 Yards — Among those were several special teams penalties that won’t make coach Tom Coughlin happy, and a couple of holding calls.

2. 5.6 Yards Per Punt Return — The best thing you can say for New York punt returner Will Blackmon is he held on to each of the five punts he fielded. He totalled just 28 yards in five returns, and on two or three occasions appeared to have room to run but could not take advantage of it.

3. Two Concussions — Third-down running back D.J. Ware and starting cornerback Aaron Ross went down with concussions. This is Ware’s second concussion of the season. We will have more on their status for next week’s game against Green Bay as the week progresses.

NFL Wouldn't Allow Siena To Broadcast Giants' Playoff Game

The NFL would not let the Siena Saints televise today's playoff game between the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons. Siena, based in Loudonville, N.Y., plays its home games at the Times Union Center in Albany. The school had planned on showing the playoff game during its MAAC conference basketball game against Niagara as both games started a 1 p.m (via Washington Post).

Siena's plan was to use the scoreboard to show the Giants' game. The NFL was not going to allow it, calling it a violation of their copyright. TSiena athletic director John D'Argenio received an e-mail from the NFL about his school's plan.

"We received an e-mail yesterday evening indicating that showing the game on a screen not similar to that the size of one in someone's home is not allowed," Siena athletic director John D'Argenio said. "During a conference call this morning with NFL Vice President and Media Counsel Jonathan Galst we asked if permission could be granted and what it might take. Mr. Galst indicated that the NFL does not grant such permissions. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused to people." (via Shutdown Corner)

I guess nobody at Siena has a TV the size of a scoreboard at home?

For more Giants coverage, visit our team page or our blog Big Blue View.

Giants 24, Falcons 2: New York Advances With Rout Of Atlanta

The Giants advanced Sunday to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. They face the defending champion Green Bay Packers next

Giants Vs. Falcons Score: New York Leads Atlanta, 17-2, After Three Quarters

A 74-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Hakeem Nicks from quarterback Eli Manning and a 22-yard field goal by kicker Lawrence Tynes has helped the New York Giants increase their advantage over the Atlanta Falcons to 17-2 in a 2012 NFL playoff game, which has entered the fourth quarter.

Tynes first field goal of the day capped a 11-play, 72-yard drive that took 4:47 and was highlighted by a 30-yard run by running back Ahmad Bradshaw; while Nicks capped the third-quarter scoring when he went untouched into the end zone with 2:58 to go.

Video: Hakeem Nicks 74-Yard Touchdown Reception

The Giants fell behind 2-0 early in the second quarter after committing a safety, which was forced by solid presser from Falcons' defensive end John Abraham on Manning.

After that, the Giants have tallied 10-unanswered points. The first touchdown of the game was scored by Nicks, who caught a four-yard touchdown pass and helped New York take a 7-2 lead with 2:55 to go in the first half.

Video: Nicks' First TD Catch

Atlanta (10-6) began the second half with the ball, but its drive was halted after just five plays.

The Falcons second drive of the third quarter moved inside Giants' territory to their 21-yard line, but was stopped on a 4th-and-inches situation that featured Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan failing to QB sneak the ball forward.

--- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage

Video: Hakeem Nicks 72-Yard Touchdown Reception

A 72-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Hakeem Nicks from quarterback Eli Manning has helped the New York Giants claim a commanding 17-2 lead over the Atlanta Falcons in a 2012 NFL playoff game, which has just 2:44 remaining in the third quarter. Nick's went untouched into the end zone for his second touchdown of the day, which capped a short but electrifying three-play, 79-yard drive.

The touchdown answered a huge defensive stand by the New York defense, which just three plays later stopped the Falcons' on a 4th-and-inches situation at the Giants' 21-yard line. For the second time in the game, Atlanta failed to try and sneak its quarterback Matt Ryan up the middle for a first down. The first attempt came in the first quarter with the ball inside New York territory.

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

Giants Vs. Falcons Halftime Score: New York Leads Atlanta, 7-2

A four-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Hakeem Nicks from quarterback Eli Manning has helped the New York Giants earn a 7-2 halftime lead over the Atlanta Falcons in a 2012 NFL playoff game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. The winner of the contest advances to the NFC's Divisional round where it will travel to play the No. 1-overall seed, the Green Bay Packers, next weekend.

Video: Hakeem Nicks Touchdown Catch

Nicks' touchdown capped a solid 13-play, 82-yard drive that took just 7:32. It was the first Giants' drive that featured more than four plays and actually moved inside Falcons' territory.

The march also answered a safety that came earlier in the second quarter and gave Atlanta a small 2-0 advantage just 1:16 into the second quarter.

Video: John Abraham Forces Safety On Eli Manning

Statistically, the two teams have about the same total yards (Giants 128, Falcons 127), while New York has 75-rushing yards and Atlanta has 90-passing yards.

Giants' running back Brandon Jacobs leads all rushers with 49 yards on seven carries, including a 34-yard run that helped setup the lone New York score. Jacobs also converted a 4th-and-inches situation from the Falcons' six-yard line on the New York touchdown drive.

Video: Brandon Jacobs 34-Yard Rush

Meanwhile, Manning is 10 for 14 for 60 yards, while the Falcons' quarterback Matt Ryan finished the half 13-of-19 for 98 yards.

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

Giants 7, Falcons 2: Brandon Jacobs 34-Yard Rush Leads To Hakeem Nicks' Touchdown

A four-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Hakeem Nicks from quarterback Eli Manning has helped the New York Giants earn a 7-2 lead over the Atlanta Falcons in an NFC Wild-Card round playoff game, which features just 2:55 to go in the first half. Nick's touchdown capped a solid 13-play, 85-yard drive that took just 7:32 and came after the Falcons (10-6) earned the first points of the game on a safety.

The drive was highlighted by this outstanding 34-yard run by Giants' running back Brandon Jacobs, who carried the ball six times on the drive. Jacobs also converted a 4th-and-inches situation on the Falcons' six-yard line.

via assets.sbnation.com

--- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage

Giants Vs. Falcons Score Update: John Abraham Pressure Forces Giants' Safety, Atlanta Leads 2-0 Early In Second Quarter

The Atlanta Falcons have scored the game's first points in the second quarter but it wasn't how you would have expected it, as New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was called for intentional grounding in his own end zone which led to a safety that gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead just 1:16 into the second.

As you can see, Manning's penalty was a result for a solid pass rush by Falcon's defense end John Abraham, who also recorded a sack in the first quarter that ended scoreless.

The situation was setup by a holding penalty that came on the drives second play and moved the ball to the Giant's 13-yard line.

First Quarter Recap

So far, the Giants (9-7) have recorded just one first down.

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

Giants Vs. Falcons Score: New York, Atlanta Scoreless After First Quarter

To those fans who watched Saturday's 2012 NFL playoff games, the first quarter between the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons was a snore, as no points were scored and a total of five punts were kicked. However, the Falcons (10-6) will begin the second quarter inside Giants' territory (21-yard line) facing a 4th-and-1 situation.

The winner of the game advances to play the NFC's No. 1-overall seed the Green Bay Packers next weekend in the Divisional round of the playoffs. The other NFC Divisional round game will feature the New Orleans Saints visiting the San Francisco 49ers.

So far, the Giants (9-7) have managed just one first down and have ran a total of 10 plays on three possessions. Their best play came from a punt from Steve Weatherford, who pinned Atlanta at its own nine-yard line midway through the quarter.

However, the Falcons are currently in the middle of a long drive that has spanned over 12 plays and almost seven minutes.

For the record, the Giants defense forced the Falcons to two three-and-outs on their first two drives of the game.

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

Atlanta Falcons Inactives vs. Giants: Brent Grimes, Stephen Nicholas Listed As Out

The Atlanta Falcons list of inactive for their Wild-Card round playoff game at the New York Giants is out, and corner back Brent Grimes is listed as out for the 1 p.m. ET contest at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. This could cause a problem for the Falcons (10-7), who need to figure out who's going to cover Giants' wide receiver Victor Cruz.

New York Giants Inactive List

Other than Grimes, there is not many surprises on the Falcons inactive list, as quarterback John Parker Wilson, outside linebacker Stephen Nicholas, center Brett Romberg, offensive tackle Kirk Chambers, defesnive end Cliff Matthews, and wide receiver Kerry Meier are all inactive

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

New York Giants Inactives Vs. Falcons: Justin Tuck, Amhad Bradshaw, Jake Ballard Will Play

The New York Giants list of inactives for their Wild-Card round playoff match up against the Atlanta Falcons has been posted, and the names Justin Tuck, Ahmad Bradshaw and Jake Ballard are not on it. That means the Giants (9-7) should be pretty healthy entering the 1 p.m. ET contest at MetLife Stadium.

Both defensive end Tuck and tight end Ballard both did not practice Friday, but were listed as probable.

Here's the full list of Giants inactives vs. Falcons: Linebacker Mark Herzlich, wide receiver Ramses Bardem, running back Da'Rel Scott, offensive linemen Jim Cordle, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, offensive linemen James Brewer and defensive end Justin Trattou.

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

Falcons Vs. Giants, 2012 NFL Playoffs: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The New York Giants are looking for their first post-season victory since defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 42 Sunday, as they host the Atlanta Falcons in 2012 NFL Playoff game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. The Giants (9-7) have 16 players on the active roster from that championship winning team.

Giants Vs. Falcons: Betting Odds, Scouting Report

Atlanta (10-6) will be making its third playoff appearance in four years, all with Matt Ryan at quarterback. For those of you who'd like to catch the game, here's the game time, TV schedule and announcers:

Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

Game Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: FOX -- Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (color), Pam Oliver and Chris Myers (sidelines)

Giants radio stream: WFAN (660 AM)

Falcons radio stream: STAR 94 and 790 The Zone

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

NFL Wild-Card Weekend, Giants Vs. Falcons: Giants Are Three-Point Favorites

The New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, two teams in need of some post-season success, meet today at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. in an NFC Wild-Card playoff game (1 p.m. ET/FOX).

The Giants (9-7) won the NFC East with a Week 17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, while the Falcons (10-6) placed second in the NFC South and earned a wild-card berth.

The Giants, of course, won Super Bowl 42 and still have 16 players on their roster from that team. New York, however, has not won a playoff game since defeating the New England Patriots in that Super Bowl. The Giants, in fact, are in the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

Atlanta will be making its third playoff appearance in four years, all with Matt Ryan at quarterback. The Falcons are winless in there two playoff appearances with Ryan, however.

The Giants are a three-point favorite Sunday, and weather should not be a factor. It should be a sunny, warm day with highs in the mid-40s, according to Weather.com.

"There is a very real sense about where we are and the consequences if you don't do well, play well and win," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "They [players] understand what the single elimination tournament is all about."

Related Coverage

- See Big Blue View for Giants discussion and analysis
- See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for the Falcons side of things
- See SB Nation's NFL Hub for complete playoff coverage

NFL Playoffs 2012: Mathias Kiwanuka Says New York Giants 'Definitely A Super Bowl Team'

The New York Giants know a little something about entering the NFL playoffs as an underdog and emerging as Super Bowl champions. After sneaking into the playoffs by virtue of two consecutive regular season-ending wins that seized the NFC East title, the Giants do not lack confidence.

"This is definitely a Super Bowl team," linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said Thursday. "We just have to go out there and get it done." ...

"We probably have a better offense than we did," defensive end Osi Umenyiora said, when asked if the 2011 Giants have the same championship ingredients that the 2007 team had. "Defensively, our pass rush, we were crazy back then [but] I think we are getting to the level now that we were back then. Defensively, we can get better and we are playing very, very well on defense. It is coming together at the right time."

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

Giants Injury Report: Jake Ballard, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora Listed As Probable

The New York Giants released their current injury report on Friday as they finalize preparations for their Wild-Card playoff matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. Linebacker Mark Herzlich (Ankle) did not practice and is listed as out for the game. Herzlich is the only Giants player listed as out.

The following players are listed as probable for the game:

TE Jake Ballard (Knee)
RB Ahmad Bradshaw (Foot)
RB Da'Rel Scott (Knee)
DE Justin Tuck (Shoulder)
DE Osi Umenyiora (Ankle/Knee)
CB Corey Webster (Hamstring)
OL Tony Ugoh (Ankle)

All of the above players were limited in practice except for Tuck who did not practice. Giants coach Tom Coughlin said that Tuck and Ballard should be fine to play in the game. About Tuck, Coughlin said he didn't practice because he was sore. When asked how Ballard finished the week, Coughlin said

He seemed to have ended on an up note. He moved well today so I am very optimistic about that, too.

The Falcons also released their latest injury report today. Atlanta listed no players as out, but linebacker Stephen Nicholas (Toe) was listed as doubtful and cornerback Brent Grimes (Knee) was listed as questionable.

The following players were listed as probable:

DE John Abraham (Not Injury Related)
DT Jonathan Babineaux (Hamstring)
RB Mike Cox (Finger)
WR Harry Douglas (Groin)
TE Tony Gonzalez (Not Injury Related)
DT Peria Jerry (Calf)
WR Julio Jones (Thumb)
TE Reggie Kelly (Back)
LB Curtis Lofton (Ankle)
C Todd McClure (Not Injury Related)
WR Kerry Meier (Groin)
S William Moore (Groin)
CB Christopher Owens (Hand)
TE Michael Palmer (Knee)
RB Jason Snelling (Knee)
RB Michael Turner (Groin)
LB Sean Weatherspoon (Head)
WR Roddy White (Hip)

For more coverage of the Giants vs. Falcons Wild-Card matchup, stay tuned to our storystream. For more Giants coverage, visit our team page or our blog Big Blue View.

2011 NFL All-Pro Team: Jason Pierre-Paul Represents New York Giants

The celebrated second season of New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul's career continues to be recognized in new ways. Just one day after being named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December/January, the 23-year old can add another honor to his growing stable of awards: First-Team All-Pro.

Pierre-Paul was selected to the Associated Press 2011 NFL All-Pro Team, it was revealed early Friday afternoon when the voting was announced. The defensive end recorded 86 tackles and led New York with 16.5 sacks, joining Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan as the third Giant to reach at least 16 sacks.

He will lead the Giants against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday in the wild card round of the NFC playoffs.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson and Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen were the top vote-getters, receiving 49 of 50 votes at their respective positions.

For more Giants coverage, visit our team page or our blog Big Blue View.

Dancing With The Stars Will Have To Go On Without Victor Cruz

2012 NFC Wild-Card, Giants Vs. Falcons: Special Teams Breakdown

Falcons Vs. Giants, 2012 NFL Playoffs: Game Schedule And More

The New York Giants earned the NFC East title by winning their final two games and defeating the Dallas Cowboys twice in the season's final four weeks. To advance in the 2012 NFL Playoffs against Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons, the Giants will need to continue their recent winning ways.

The Giants have met Ryan just once before, on Nov. 22, 2009 during the quarterback's second season. Ryan completed 26 of 46 passes for 268 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions, but the Giants hit a 36-yard field goal to escape with a 34-31 overtime victory.

Ryan enters the playoffs scorching hot, throwing 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions during Atlanta's last four games to finish with his best regular season statistics ever: 4,177 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 61.3 completion percentage.

Game Time: 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012

Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

TV Schedule: Fox

Betting Odds: Giants are favored by three

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

2012 NFC Wild Card, Giants Vs. Falcons: Position-By-Position, The Defenses

Giants Injury Report: Jake Ballard, Osi Umenyiora, Corey Webster Limited In Thursday Practice

The New York Giants released their latest injury report on Thursday as they continue preparations for their Wild-Card playoff game on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw (Foot), linebacker Mark Herlzlich (Ankle) were joined by offensive lineman Tony Ugoh (Ankle) as Giants who were held out of practice on Thursday.

The following Giants were limited in practice today:

TE Jake Ballard (Knee)
RB Da'Rel Scott (Knee)
DE Osi Umenyiora (Ankle/Knee)
CB Corey Webster (Hamstring)

Corey Webster was the new addition to the list of players who were limited in practice.

The Falcons also released a list of injured players today. The following players were not able to practice on Thursday: CB Brent Grimes (Knee) and LB Stephen Nicholas (Toe).

The following players were limited in practice:

WR Harry Douglas (Groin)
WR Kerry Meier (Groin)
S William Moore (Groin)
TE Michael Palmer (Knee)
RB Jason Snelling (Knee)
RB Michael Turner (Groin)

The following Falcons were not limited in practice today:

DT Jonathan Babineaux (Hamstring)
RB Mike Cox (Finger)
TE Tony Gonzalez (Not Injury Related)
DT Peria Jerry (Calf)
WR Julio Jones (Thumb)
TE Reggie Kelly (Back)
LB Curtis Lofton (Ankle)
C Todd McClure (Not Injury Related)
CB Christopher Owens (Hand)
LB Sean Weatherspoon (Head)
WR Roddy White (Hip)

Follow the SB Nation StoryStream for all of your Falcons-Giants information. You can also visit Big Blue View to join in a discussion with Giants fans. Finally, SB Nation's NFL Hub Page will have details on all of the playoff action this weekend and beyond.

2012 NFC Wild-Card, Giants Vs. Falcons: Position-By-Position Breakdowns, The Offenses

Breaking down the offenses of the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons, position-by-position

Jason Pierre-Paul Named NFC Defensive Player Of The Month

It seems that New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul had a good month of December. His team won three of its final four games to clinch the NFC East title and the accompanying playoff berth. He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice and named to the 2012 Pro Bowl team. And now, for his efforts, the league announced that Pierre-Paul has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December/January.

Pierre-Paul registered six sacks, a safety, a forced fumble, a blocked field goal, two passes defensed and 37 tackles during the month. He had at least one sack during four of New York's five games, including two games with two sacks. It was the first time he won the monthly award.

For the season, Pierre-Paul notched 16.5 sacks, joining Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan as the only Giants to record at least 16 sacks in a single season. He also had 86 tackles.

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

NFL Power Rankings: Playoff Teams Ranked

Ranking the NFL playoff teams as we get set for Wild-Card Weekend

NFL Playoffs 2012: Giants No. 10 In SI.Com's Power Rankings

The New York Giants are the worst of the six reaming NFC teams entering the 2012 NFL Playoffs says SI.com's Don Banks, who Wednesday published a Wild-Card round Power Rankings feature. The Giants (9-7) earned their way into the playoffs by easily defeating NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys, 31-14, Sunday night, but it seems experts are having a tough time buying into a squad that has been inconsistent all season.

"The Giants responded to pressure well the past two weeks, winning the NFC East with consecutive playoff-like wins against the Jets and Cowboys," says Banks. "But New York and Dallas specialized in beating themselves this season. That's not Atlanta's game. The Falcons are solid, and takeaways are likely to decide Sunday's early game.'

No surprise, the Green Bay Packers (15-1) and New Orleans Saints were ranked No. 1 and 2 overall. The Atlanta Falcons, the Giants opponent Sunday (1 p.m. ET on FOX), is slotted at No. 8.

Meanwhile, SB Nation's Joel Thorman had a bit more respect for the G-Men ranking them No. 8 overall in his Wild-Card round NFL Power Rankings, which were released Tuesday.

To see what else Banks had to say about the Giants and the rest of hist rankings on the 2012 NFL Playoffs, click here.

Follow the SB Nation StoryStream for all of your Falcons-Giants information. You can also visit Big Blue View to join in a discussion with Giants fans. Finally,SB Nation's NFL Hub Page will have details on all of the playoff action this weekend and beyond.

Giants Injury Report: Ahmad Bradshaw Held Out Of Practice, Jake Ballard, Osi Umenyiora Limited

The New York Giants released their injury report on Wednesday as they continue to prepare for the Wild-Card playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Running back Ahmad Bradshaw (Foot) and linebacker Mark Herzlich (Ankle) were the only Giants held out of practice today.

Tight end Jake Ballard (Knee), Running back Da'Rel Scott (Knee) and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (Ankle/Knee) were limited in practice today for New York.

The Falcons also released their lengthy injury report on Wednesday.

The following players didn't practice:

DE John Abraham (Not Injury Related)
WR Harry Douglas (Groin)
TE Tony Gonzalez (Not Injury Related)
CB Brent Grimes (Knee)
C Todd McClure (Not Injury Related)
WR Kerry Meier (Groin)
S William Moore (Groin)
LB Stephen Nicholas (Toe)
TE Michael Palmer (Knee)
RB Michael Turner (Groin)
LB Sean Weatherspoon (Head)

The following players were limited in practice:

DT Peria Jerry (Calf)
WR Julio Jones (Thumb)
TE Reggie Kelly (Back)
LB Curtis Lofton (Ankle)
RB Jason Snelling (Knee)
WR Roddy White (Hip)

The following players were not limited in practice for the Falcons: DT Jonathan Babineaux (Hamstring), RB Mike Cox (Finger), CB Christopher Owens (Hand).

Follow the SB Nation StoryStream for all of your Falcons-Giants information. You can also visit Big Blue View to join in a discussion with Giants fans. Finally,SB Nation's NFL Hub Page will have details on all of the playoff action this weekend and beyond.

2012 NFC Wild-Card: Giants' Pass Rush Concerns Falcons

2012 NFC Wild Card: Falcons' Matt Ryan Not Worried About Past Playoff Failures

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is aware that he has yet to win a playoff game. But he doesn't see the past affecting Sunday's wild card game against the New York Giants.

"It is the first opportunity that I have and we have as a team this postseason," said Ryan. "We are excited about that. All the stuff that happened in the past doesn't really make a difference. It comes down to preparing this week and doing whatever we can to keep advancing throughout the playoffs."

Ryan has lost in each of his two prior playoff games, throwing two interceptions in each loss. His Falcons fell in the first round to Arizona as a rookie in 2008, then dropped a blowout to Green Bay at home last season.

The 26-year-old racked up the best numbers of his career, throwing 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions during Atlanta's last four games to finish the regular season with 4,177 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

-- SB Nation New York will have all the coverage you need throughout the week in this StoryStream. See Big Blue View for complete Giants discussion and analysis. See The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta for complete Falcons discussion and anlysis. See SB Nation's NFL Hub Page for full playoff coverage.

2012 NFC Wild-Card Preview: Jason Pierre-Paul Hopes Giants 'Play Like We've Been Playing'

Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul says 'All we have to do is just play how we've been playing for the last couple of games, because every game for the last few game is, like this week, every game was a playoff game to us.'

Jerry Jones Discusses What Went Wrong With Dallas Cowboys

See complete New York Giants coverage in SB Nation New York's 2011-2012 Giants Section

Jake Ballard Injury Update: Giants' Tight End 'Will Try' To Test Injured Knee

New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard, sidelined for the final two games of the regular season with a knee injury, will practice Wednesday for the Giants.

“Ballard will try,” Coach Tom Coughlin said at his news conference. “He’s going to do individual (drills), then see where he is, then see if we can push him further.”

Ballard was the Giants’ fourth-leading receiver this season, with 38 catches in 14 games. In his absence, Bear Pascoe and Travis Beckum each caught two passes in the Giants’ victory over Dallas last week that clinched the NFC East title. They did not have a reception from a tight end the previous week vs. the Jets.

Linebacker Mark Herzlich (ankle), who did not play in the final five games of the regular season, is also expected to practice.

2012 NFC Wild Card Preview, Giants Vs. Falcons: Getting To Know The Enemy

2012 NFC Wild Card, Giants Vs. Falcons: How The Atlanta Falcons Got Here

The Atlanta Falcons did not have to sweat right down to the final quarter of their final game, like the New York Giants did, to find out if they were going to the 2012 NFL Playoffs. Atlanta started 2-3, but won seven of their next nine games.

The Falcons enter Sunday's Wild-Card Weekend game against the Giants at MetLife Stadium (1 p.m. ET/FOX) with both some good and bad history staring them in the face. On the good side for Atlanta, this marks the first time in franchise history the Falcons have qualified for the playoffs in back-to-back years. On the negative side, this will be the Falcons third playoff appearance in Matt Ryan's four years as Atlanta quarterback, and they yet to win a game with Ryan at the helm. In those two playoff losses, Ryan has thrown four interceptions and has a passer rating of 71.2

SB Nation Atlanta Giants-Falcons StoryStream

Ryan passed for a franchise record 4,177 yards this season. Running back Michael Turner had 1,340 yards rushing and Roddy White had 100 catches and 1,296 yards receiving.

SB Nation Atlanta's Jason Kirk summarized the Falcons this way:

In one sense, the Falcons this year were exactly who they were supposed to be. They beat bad teams, lost to good teams, and very rarely veered from that course

They were supposed to be this whole new thing, with the addition of Julio Jones and other playmakers -- Jones had a good year, and Matt Ryan broke the club passing mark, but the offense looks pretty much the same as it ever did

I like our defense a lot. OLB Sean Weatherspoon, MLB Curtis Lofton, SS William Moore and CB Brent Grimes lead the young guys who've turned the D into a top-10ish operation, but on both defense and offense there are big scheme questions that will probably lead to FARRRR THE COORDINATOR talk pending another one-and-done in the playoffs

-- See Big Blue View to join a discussion with Giants fans, and The Falcoholic to get the Atlanta point of view.

2012 NFL Playoffs: How Did The New York Giants Get Here?

Super Bowl XLVI Odds: New York Giants Are 20-1

Giants Vs. Falcons: Justin Tuck Says Giants Defense Must Control The Running Game

New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck appeared on WFAN with Mike Francesa Monday and, of course, talked about the upcoming playing game against the Atlanta Falcons. Excerpts are below:

Do you get the feel over the last two weeks that this team has something in it where it’s going to make a run this year?

“I hope so. I think if we play the way we have been playing over the last two weeks. We got better from the Jets game to the Cowboys game. Hopefully we will get better from the Cowboys game to the Falcons game and just continue to get better as the year goes on. I think we will be fine. We still gotta go out there and play the game and play with the intensity we have been playing over the last two weeks and even more intensity then that. We’ll be okay. It’s a talented football team we got to face here on Sunday.”

What would you say about the Atlanta Falcons offense?

“I think they can be explosive at times. They are a balanced attack where they do a lot of things pretty good. I wouldn’t say they are great at anything. It’s a football team with a lot of studs on it. Matt Ryan. Michael Turner. Tony Gonzalez is one of the best tight ends to ever play the game. Julio Jones. Roddy White. He’s got a lot of weapons that he can distribute the ball to, so we are going to have make sure we take this thing one play at a time and one game at a time and make sure we start it out by trying to take out Michael Turner. If they are able to run the football and get Matt Ryan comfortable in the pocket with some short downs and distances where it allows him to scan the field and throw the football like that and keep our defense off rhythm then they are going to be tough to beat. It starts with making sure we hold our own in that running game.”

NFL Playoffs 2012: New York Giants Vs. Atlanta Falcons, First Look