By Art Stapleton, The Record (Hackensack, N.J.) –
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kenny Phillips was being honest, not talking smack.
When the Giants step on the field Sunday night and stare across the line of scrimmage at Aaron Rodgers, the quest to beat the reigning NFL MVP will come down to intimidation.
On presence alone, Rodgers puts the best of defenses on its heels from the first snap.
The challenge facing the Giants is finding a way to neutralize Rodgers, which they did so well defensively in a stunningly impressive 37-20 playoff victory at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field on the way to Super Bowl XLVI.
“I think he can be rattled. I think any quarterback can be rattled,” Phillips said. “But it’s definitely going to start with our guys up front. They did a great job last season against them, so looking for that same effort from those guys and we should have a good day.”
Phillips’ confidence notwithstanding, the Giants certainly know what they’re up against.
Justin Tuck called Rodgers “the tick and the tock in that offense,” disagreeing somewhat with the notion that the licking the Giants put on the Packers 10 months ago had something to do with Green Bay’s star quarterback being “rattled.”
Sure, Rodgers took his share of punishment that night as the Giants sacked him four times and registered five additional hits, taking the Packers out of their offensive rhythm.
“I don’t know if he’s intimidated, and we’re definitely not intimidated about playing against top-notch competition,” Chris Canty said. “He’s a terrific quarterback. He makes plays in the pocket, outside the pocket, he extends plays, he extends drives with his legs, with his arm — he can do it all. So we understand the challenge that this represents.”
As the Giants are coming off a pair of losses prior to a bye week that supposedly has rejuvenated them, Rodgers and the Packers are picking up steam.
Green Bay brings a five-game winning streak into Sunday’s prime-time showdown at MetLife Stadium, and is looking for a bit of redemption from last year’s postseason against a Giants team still desperate to restore its pass-rushing dominance.
“I sense that, as far as the respect factor goes, I think offensive linemen and coordinators still do different things against us protection-wise, hard count or whatever it may be,” Tuck said. “But we haven’t played to our level consistently. We’ve had games where we’ve played pretty good and we’ve had games where we’re almost non-existent.
“I think there’s a lot of pressure on us to get back to playing our style of football up front.”
If not, Rodgers could make it a long evening under the lights for the Giants.
“He’s definitely one of those guys where, if he gets going, he’s going to be hard to stop,” Phillips said. “So we definitely have to get to him early … and if you let him get going, yeah, (Rodgers can intimidate a defense).”
Rodgers is the league’s top-rated passer (107.3) with 27 touchdown passes, second most in the NFL behind Drew Brees’ 28.
“He’s played in a lot of big-time games and played well in a lot of big-time games,” Tuck said. “He’s gotten hit a lot in certain games and come out and take your heart at the end of the game.
“But rattle him? I don’t think so. I hope I’m wrong. I hope we can.”
That could end up as the difference between winning and losing such a big game.
