Opening line and total: Packers -6 ½ and (43 ½).

LAS VEGAS – The Giants haven’t lost on the road since opening week at Dallas. However, the Packers are off perhaps their finest game of the season, are the healthier club and Brett Favre is proven in cold weather.

Early money has been on the Packers. Bookmakers have adjusted the line up to minus 7 or 7 ½. The total has dropped to 39 ½ or 40.

Green Bay is off last week’s 42-20 division playoff victory over Seattle as a seven-point home favorite. The combined 62 points sailed well ‘over’ the 43-point closing total.

Favre was an efficient 18-of-23 passing for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Ryan Grant recovered from fumbling twice – both leading to first-quarter Seattle touchdowns – to rush for a Packers all-time playoff-high 201 yards and three touchdowns.

The Giants traded Grant to the Packers shortly before the season began for a sixth-round draft choice. Grant had spent two years with the Giants on their practice squad.

Green Bay is as healthy as it has been all season. There’s even a possibility the Packers could see the return of injured Will Blackmon, a reserve defensive back and dangerous punt returner.

New York isn’t as fortunate. Already without several key starters, including tight end Jeremy Shockey and linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, the Giants’ secondary is hurting.

The Giants upset Dallas last Sunday as seven-point road ‘dogs, 21-17. The combined 38 points dipped ‘under’ the 46-point closing total.

Cornerbacks Sam Madison and Kevin Dockery both missed the Dallas game, while rookie cornerback Aaron Ross suffered a shoulder injury. Dockery is out again this week. Madison is “questionable,” while Ross returned to practiced.

Eli Manning helped the Giants defeat Tampa Bay and Dallas, which evened his lifetime playoff record at 2-2. Manning threw for two touchdowns in each game, with no interceptions.

However, Manning doesn’t have a good track record in cold weather. Temperatures for the game are expected to be in single digits with snow flurries and fairly strong winds. Manning has played in six regular-season games where the temperature was below 40 degrees. He has a four-to-seven touchdown-to-interception ratio with a passer rating of just 58.6 during that span.

The Packers easily covered as two-point road underdogs during a Week 2 matchup versus the Giants, 35-13. The combined 48 points went ‘over’ the 39-point closing total.

Favre had a dominating performance, completing 29-of-38 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Manning was 16-for-29 for 211 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Green Bay had the advantage in time of possession, 34:26 to 25:34. The Giants committed two turnovers to Green Bay’s one.

Grant didn’t have a carry in the first meeting between these clubs. Neither did the Giants’ two main runners, Brandon Jacobs and change-of-pace back Ahmad Bradshaw. Sparked by Jacobs, the Giants finished fourth in rushing, averaging 134.3 yards per contest.

Since Week 2, the Giants have become more acclimated to new defensive coordinator’s Steve Spagnuolo’s schemes. New York led the NFL in sacks with 53.

Field conditions may cause a problem for the Giants’ pass rush and star defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan. The Packers’ offensive line took advantage of a slick grass field to hold Seattle’s Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney without a tackle.

The ‘under’ is 8-1 in New York’s last nine road games and 10-8 in the Giants’ 18 games this season.

Green Bay, which has played seven straight ‘over’ games, has seen the ‘over’ go 13-3 in its last 16 games.

January 20, 2008