Here is my quick analysis on the Giants and Jets’ newest players:

New York Jets: Quinton Coples, DE (North Carolina)
Pick: 16th Overall

The Jets were in dire need of a defensive pass rusher after their fifth-ranked defense finished 17th in sacks last season. While there was talk that the Jets would target an offensive player, specifically at running back or wide receiver, head coach Rex Ryan knew better. That’s why when Coples visited with him last week, Ryan told the 21-year-old he’d be their selection if he was there when their pick came up.

The two-year starter from North Carolina is the second defensive lineman the Jets have taken in the last two drafts. In 2011, the team grabbed Temple’s Muhammad Wilkerson. South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram, a higher ranked player than Coples, was still on the board when the Jets picked, but Ryan’s vote won out.

Coples brings speed and size (6-foot-6, 284 pounds) to the Jets defensive corps. Ryan believes the Jets’ last success with multiple defensive pass rushers came in 2010 with Shaun Ellis and Trevor Pryce. Coples will now team up with Wilkerson to form the younger, and potentially more devastating, tandem. Success in this area of the field will help alleviate some of the pressure in the backfield. Opposing quarterbacks will be forced to throw quicker — sometimes more inefficiently — and the run may come into play more often. The Jets can handle that.

New York Giants: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
Pick: 32nd Overall

The consensus was the Giants were going to target a tight end with the final pick in the first round. Their primaries at that spot, Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum, are both injured and it’s questionable when they’ll be able to return. With top ranked tight end Coby Fleener (Stanford) still on the board, the Giants couldn’t resist grabbing one of the most exciting runners instead.

There was no doubt that Trent Richardson (Alabama) was the top back in this year’s draft class. But after him, a cluster of players made up the second tier. Wilson was among that group. Where Wilson exceeds Richardson is his speed. He has an extremely fast first step and defensive backs will have a hard time catching up in the open field.

Wilson hopes to vitalize a running backs crew that finished last in the league in rushing in 2011-12. The Giants were also light at that position heading into this season with Brandon Jacobs leaving via free agency and backup Andre Brown out four weeks after violating the N.F.L.’s performance-enhancing drug policy. That left only Ahmad Bradshaw and D.J. Ware; however, with Bradshaw not viewed as a primary back and having a history of injury problems, the Giants knew they needed insurance at this position.

The one concern with Wilson is his style is very similar to Bradshaw. They’re both 5-foot-10 and around 210 pounds. They aren’t going to knock anyone over the way that some backs will, such as Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson or Jacobs in his heyday. But Bradshaw isn’t a given to remain after this season. He nearly fled prior to last year and Wilson could help the Giants say goodbye in 2013.

The Giants have the league’s toughest schedule in 2012-13, with their opponents combining for a 140-116 record last year. It’s no wonder the recent trend is for reigning Super Bowl winners to fail to make the playoffs a season later.

New York’s other team – until they win two championships in four years, that’s unfortunately how they’ll be considered – the Jets face the 20th toughest 16 games this season. Based on the Jets’ extremely awkward quarterback situation, they’ll need all the help they can get.

Here is a glimpse at the five most interesting games the Giants and Jets have on their schedules this season:

1. Giants vs. Packers (11/25 @ 8:20 p.m.): The battle of the reigning Super Bowl champion and the former. Green Bay has traveled to the Big Apple the last two seasons, beating both the Jets and Giants. You can bet Aaron Rodgers knows this is one he has to win if the Packers want to take the title back.

2. Jets vs. Colts (10/14 @ 1:00 p.m.): This game certainly won’t have the same excitement as if Peyton Manning was guiding the Colts. It will still be interesting to watch Andrew Luck work against two of the best corners in the game, Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. The Jets should have their though way with an inexperienced Colts defense.

3. Jets vs. 49ers (9/30 @ 1 p.m.): San Francisco nearly made it to the Super Bowl, if not for the Jets’ in-town rivals. They are both strong defensively and offensively, giving New York the most complete matchup of the early season. This is just going to be one of those hard-nosed football games.

4. Giants vs. 49ers (10/14 @ 4:15 p.m.): A rematch of the NFC Championship game. 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh will certainly want this one badly, especially after suffering that playoff loss in his own stadium. Both teams feature many of the same key pieces; however, Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham have switched uniforms. The 49ers have the chance to impede both New York football teams’ postseason chances early on.

5. Giants vs. Eagles (12/30 @ 1:00 p.m.): The NFC East seems to always come down to the last game of the regular season. It was a win-and-in situation last year, and 2012-13 could be the same. While we don’t know what we’ll see out of the Eagles this year, they should be competitive enough to make this meeting mean something.

For complete schedules: Giants | Jets

The Jets’ latest front page heist came on Wednesday with the acquisition of perhaps the most high-profile backup quarterback in NFL history: Tim Tebow.

Initially, the move was dumbfounding. The Jets had recently signed quarterback Mark Sanchez to a new deal, a maneuver which seemed tied to smoothing things over after Peyton Manning said no to them. (The Jets spun it as they were the ones taking a pass, but we all know that’s not true.)

So why bring in a player who won nine games, including one in the playoffs last season, if the quarterback situation was settled?

Headlines is one of the answers. The other is that Rex Ryan and new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, two coaches who were beaten by Tebow last season, believe he can help them win. And not just with his arm, but with his legs and as a pass catcher, too.

Tebow is a rare player. He might not have the best throwing mechanics or look like a traditional quarterback, but that shouldn’t matter. When he steps on the field for his 10-12 personal plays per week, opposing teams will be guessing whether he’s going to run, throw or catch. That means more game-planning and guesswork.

Comparisons to Brad Smith have been thrown around since the trade, but they shouldn’t be. Smith was the Jets’ wildcat threat several years back before he headed north to Buffalo. Smith, a former college quarterback himself, rarely threw the ball. He also returned kicks at times, which Tebow is not expected to do. What Smith did bring, and New York hasn’t been able to replicate since, is that aforementioned multi-dimension gameplan for one player. It also will create more downfield opportunities, which the Jets have lacked in the Sanchez era.

As for the impact on Sanchez, it could go either way. Right now, there are no plans to open a competition for the quarterback position. Sanchez has better numbers than Giants quarterback Eli Manning had in his first three years and the Jets appear poised to give him every shot at keeping hold of the job. There are several reports that Sanchez is taking this season more serious than any other, working out hard in California and spending time with former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington, who is familiar with Sparano’s offense.

How Tebow could negatively affect Sanchez, however, are the fans. There’s a slim chance a three-interception day would get MetLife Stadium shouting Drew Stanton’s name. Instead, they’d just boo. Tebow is such a popular player, a horrendous performance would definitely begin the “Tebow” chants, if anything just to see him on the field.

Bringing in Tebow should push Sanchez to be successful on the field. He hasn’t had any competition since he was drafted three years ago. He was handed the job and never been told it’s about to be taken away from him, even in the worst of times. Plus, let’s face it, Jets fans weren’t exactly dying to have Mark Brunnell stand behind center.

The most undertalked part of Tebow coming to town is what the Jets gave up to Denver. New York received Tebow and a seventh-round pick for a fourth- and sixth-rounder. It’s rare to get a star player after the third round. The Jets received a proven player who is still just 24 years old for a pick that might turn out to be a bust. The positive headlines Tebow brings to town also makes the trade more valuable.

I have to believe Tebow’s presence in the locker room also served as a factor in the deal. The New York locker room lacked leadership and commraderie last season. Tebow is one of the most positive players in the league, and if his teammates don’t get tired of his religious views and positive attitude, it can only help keep everyone close.

While it’s going to be intesting to see how Tebow handles the New York spotlight, it will be more facinating to see his impact on the field. We’re several months away from that, so for now all we can do is speculate. If it’s anything like the impact he’s had on the headlines, the Jets will have made the deal of the century.

You’d think I’d breathe college basketball after my brother coached at the Division I level for so many years. I went to games, absolutely loved being there and cheered for his teams as if I were their biggest fan. I just don’t follow the sport as a whole that closely.

It’s also not that the “sport” of basketball bores me. I worked for the NBA for two years and grew to absolutely love the game. I even tuned in Monday to watch the Clippers on ESPN because I enjoy watching it still. Yet, I still unintentionally avoid it.

I actually believe time is the biggest obstacle standing in my way of being a bigger college basketball viewer. The NFL is the only sport that gets my full-time attention, and rightfully so with the coverage I provide of the league on this website. But with a family and other career objectives, it’s nearly impossible to slot college basketball somewhere among the professional sports I regularly watch.

When March Madness comes around though, my excitement for college basketball increases tenfold. I actually devote more hours to the sport than any other. It consumes me, and not just because I have picks invested in the games.

When I was younger and didn’t have cable, I couldn’t wait for the opening week of the tournament. Basketball was on all day; it was non-stop until after midnight. My brother and I would come home from school and not leave the TV until all the games were over. I loved it.

Older now, and coming home from work, I plan on doing the same thing. It’s good to know there are some things you never grow tired of.

As usual, here is a link to view my 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket.

This is the bluntest, yet accurate, statement that could be made the day one of the NFL’s greatest arms hits the free agent market.

Rex Ryan pours his heart and soul into a defense that is perennially excellent. But time and time again, we’ve see Mark Sanchez falter behind center. He’s untrustworthy and simply hasn’t progressed enough in three years as the starting quarterback.

Sure Sanchez’ completion percentage, passing yards, touchdowns and passer rating have improved each year. But that’s not good enough, especially in a New York market that demands excellence. It’s a region that loves the big play. Fans can only deal with so many dump passes to LaDainian Tomlinson, who in turn busts out for a long run that pads Sanchez’ stats.

There are those inside the Jets organization who believe going after Manning will hurt the progress Sanchez has made over the years. But Sanchez has had the opportunities to establish himself as a solid starter. I wouldn’t say he’s failed, but he certainly hasn’t been successful.

The Jets defense has elongated Sanchez’ career in New York. They’re the ones primarily to thank for the playoff wins. Heck, they’re the one to thank for most wins in general. They’ve kept the score low and allowed Sanchez to win games on two touchdown throws. Opposing players have said the same thing; it’s nothing you haven’t heard before.

New York needs a gunslinger like Manning. His recovery from neck surgery isn’t a sure thing, but isn’t it worth taking a risk? Star quarterbacks are extremely hard to find in this league. Not just names, but ones who can take a team down the field with one minute to play down by six and score.

Manning is that quarterback. He’d make the opposing teams finally scared on both ends of the field.

All of this said, I don’t think that Manning will come to New York. Playing in the same city as his brother might not appeal to him, especially after the Giants just won their second Super Bowl under Eli and the comparisons are in full force. It’s also cold here in the winter time. Peyton has spent his 14-year home career playing in a dome. At least eight games in the frigid New Jersey swamps certainly will tighten those neck muscles up.

The one thing the Jets can guarantee is they’re set up to win. They have a star wideout (Santonio Holmes) and will line up several others to give him more weapons than most teams can offer. New York also has as a strong offensive line, starting with Pro Bowler Nick Mangold. Manning loves smart centers; Mangold fits that mold. This line will also need to offer maximum protection. Manning isn’t going to leave the pocket too often and this Jets offensive line has the ability to hold off the pass rushers.

Adding Manning wouldn’t mean the end of Sanchez’ career in New York. Not unless Sanchez asks for an out. But I don’t see many teams plugging him in as their starter right out the box. It would be best for him to sit behind a future Hall of Famer and learn for a season. That experience would be better than one full season of on-field action.

Should the Jets be unable to land Manning, Sanchez will certainly be the signal caller on opening day. The Jets wagered a lot to get Sanchez in the 2008 NFL Draft, which is why they’ve hung on for so long. If anything, this situation will have lit a fire under him. That fire has one more season of kindle before it burns out.

It’s now or never for Peyton.

The same could be said for Sanchez.

The 9-7 New York Giants paved their way into the record books on Sunday night.

The Giants won their second Super Bowl in five seasons, knocking off the New England Patriots, 21-17. Identical to their 2008 win, quarterback Eli Manning took home MVP honors, and possibly a Hall of Fame bust in the process.

This was a franchise-defining win for the Giants. They aren’t a dynasty, but they are certainly one of the top teams since the turn of the century. Coach Tom Coughlin and many of the same players who led the Giants in 2008 were key components during this campaign. That speaks volumes to the competitiveness and cohesiveness of this franchise.

The Giants were 7-7 after losing to the Washington Redskins in Week 15. They weren’t even guaranteed a playoff spot. But a win against the New York Jets began a path of destruction against some of the league’s top teams, including road wins in the postseason in Green Bay and San Francisco.

But just as they’ve come back so many times this season, they came back from a mediocre record to take home the biggest win of them all.

New York played a near perfect game. When the Patriots attacked Victor Cruz on the outside, quarterback Eli Manning went to Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. When Jason Pierre-Paul was double-teamed, Justin Tuck came through with two sacks, including one on third down during the Patriots’ final drive. That showed that this team wasn’t about one individual. Maybe at times. But when opposing teams did their job at stopping that single player, others stepped into the limelight.

New York’s game winning drive was the perfect example of this. Manning hit Manningham from the Giants’ 12 for a 38-yard gain on a stellar grab. Manningham, who was criticized a series earlier by failing to keep his feet in bounds on a deep pass, made a difficult over-the-shoulder grab along the sideline. This wasn’t in the same category as David Tyree’s in 2008, but perhaps one tier below. Manning then went to Manningham the next three plays, totaling 56 yards to put the ball on the New England 32.

It was then Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks the rest of the way, with Bradshaw entering the end zone with 57 seconds remaining. I honestly believe Bradshaw wanted to score. Who wouldn’t? It’s the Super Bowl. But before he did, he tried to wait as long as possible before falling past the goal line. Here’s the thing: If Bradshaw fails to get in on 2nd-and-6, there’s the chance that he fumbles again or Manning throws an interception. There’s also the chance that Lawrence Tynes, who already booted two field goals, doesn’t make the short kick. Any of those situations occur and the Patriots win.

As I was watching this unfold, however, I began to think that there are only three teams I don’t trust with the ball in their hand and the clock under a minute: New Orleans, Green Bay and, of course, New England.

Just as the Giants offense had been reliable much of the season, their defense was too. While the situation itself was stressful, knowing that defense was on the field helped add a sense of ease. Nine plays later, with Brady completing only two of seven passes and taking the Tuck sack, the Giants were Super Bowl champions.

There are no negatives to take away from Sunday’s win. The Giants, however, have nearly two dozen free agents, including Nicks, about to hit the market. Hopefully the optimism of creating a dynasty will convince many to stay. New York isn’t known for shelling out big bucks – look at how they handled the Steve Smith situation. They’d rather find younger, suitable replacements. This time around, the organization might want to consider opening their wallet to continue something special. It would be a disappointment if New York misses the playoffs as they did after their last Super Bowl win.

This can be up to debate as the offseason drags on. For now, New York is celebrating being the NFL champions. They showed this season that not always the best team that finishes on top. It’s the one that finishes the best.

It would be silly though if the New York Giants wore trench coats as they practiced.

I’ve had the opportunity to cover the Giants and the rest of the NFL on a fairly regular basis over the last seven years. I’d estimate I’ve reported from the press box at close to 30 games since my first on Oct. 30, 2005 — Giants vs. Redskins. It’s truly my favorite sport to witness and write about firsthand.

2008, however, was an experience unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of. I wasn’t in Green Bay when Lawrence Tynes’ kick sailed through the uprights, sending New York to their fourth Super Bowl. I, like most, couldn’t believe this Giants team was making the trip to Arizona. It’s not that they were a bad team — they started off 6-2 before going 4-4 after their bye — but, simply put, there was nothing special about them.

It’s all about making runs though, and that’s exactly what they did. First, the Giants knocked off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-14, in the Wild Card game. They then traveled to Dallas to face a Cowboys team that had swept them during the regular season. New York emerged 21-17 winners; the prize: a trip to face the second-seeded Packers in Wisconsin.

Similar to two weeks ago in Green Bay — this year the snow showers came a few days earlier — the Giants defense slowed down the Packers offense. Nobody thought they’d make it out of Brett Favre country as survivors, but they did. Only it’s Aaron Rodgers’ land now. Didn’t matter. The result was the same.

We saw in the Baltimore/New England game how fragile an on-the-line kick is. Tynes didn’t care the ground was frozen and snow covered five years ago. He didn’t care it was soft and soaking wet on Sunday in San Francisco. Tynes went out and did what he’s done his whole life: kicked a football in the direction it needed to go. The difference with these field goals compared to any others is these sent the Giants to the Super Bowl.

This year the Giants weren’t too special either. They started off hot (4-2) before their bye, then finished a mediocre 5-5, similar records to their Super season. Being swept by the Washington Redskins and a home loss to the Seattle Seahawks were the low points. Beating the New England Patriots in Foxborough, the highlight.

It’s perhaps ironic that the last two times the Patriots and Giants have met up during the regular season, they also took part in the Super Bowl. NFC East teams don’t face off against AFC East teams every year. Rather, it’s every five, the span it’s taken both teams to get back to the game’s grandest stage.

The Giants couldn’t stop the Patriots from a 16-0 record in 2007-08. They were the last of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s victims. To make it worse, they capped off the perfect regular season on the Giants’ home turf. That stung many of the players.

The two weeks before the Super Bowl are split in two. The first, each team spends in their home city, practicing and prepping for the game. The second is spent in the location of the big game. The latter is much more lax, as much of the game plan has already been strategized, leaving little time for on-field practicing and more time for interviews and parties — some of the guys hate this, Brady included.

I didn’t make the trip to Arizona in 2008. I did cover several of the Giants practices during the week before they headed west though. The first one I brought along a camera crew from FoxNews.com to film my report, which you can watch right here. It was my first such package for the network, and I was thrilled this was the topic. Also, I had only covered NFL games, so this practice thing was new for me.

Before MetLife Stadium, the Giants offices were underneath Giants Stadium, and the practice field was in a large inflatable bubble in the parking lot. That morning, with crew in tow, I walked into the bubble to watch about 30 minutes of practice. Media is usually allowed to watch near the end when not much of the week’s game plan is revealed. Seeing Eli Manning toss casually in red zone schemes and Michael Strahan not hit someone hard on the line was fascinating. I had only witnessed these guys play at 100 percent before.

The thing I remember most is how relaxed every player appeared. No one came across as anxious or nervous. They all looked like they were having fun and had nothing to lose. I guess that’s the bonus of being the underdog, the team no one in a million years thought would upset perhaps the best team in the NFL over the past several decades.

Talking with the players in the locker room after practice reiterated my feelings. Every one of the guys I spoke with — Amani Toomer, Sam Madison, Justin Tuck and others — were thrilled to be in the position they were, but none acted like this was going to be any other game. Toomer had been to the Super Bowl before, with the Giants in 2000. He told me a lot of the guys asked his advice on what to expect. Toomer told them to focus on the game since there will be a lot of other distractions taking place during that week.

I went back the following day by myself and talked with several other players, including David Tyree, about the upcoming game. I might have talked to him longer had I known his place in history, but no one can predict the future. Even one day later, that same calming aura surrounding the team remained. I believe it was there all week.

We all know the end result of the 2008 Super Bowl. It is in the history books as one of, if not, the greatest games in history. Rightfully so, too. The Giants weren’t a bad team; in fact, they were damn good in the playoffs. But no one expected them to win. This time around, there’s more optimism. Perhaps it’s because they’ve done it before and not too long ago. Maybe it’s because the Patriots looked just okay last week, while the Giants looked remarkable.

Regardless, this is going to be one helluva game.

Here’s my take on how the Giants and Patriots stack up in Super Bowl 46:

Quarterbacks: There’s no denying that Tom Brady is one of the greatest passers in the game. The way he stands in the pocket is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There is simply no one with more confidence back there than the three-time Super Bowl winner. Eli Manning, on the other hand, is completely the opposite. He always seems scattered with a head-hung-low-type demeanor. But looks can be deceiving and Manning is one damn good quarterback. Getting back to the Super Bowl cements him as one of the Top 5 quarterbacks in the game today, in my opinion. Look at what he did in crunch time this season. You know the Giants will always have a shot when within one score, the ball in Manning’s hands and the clock ticking down. Brady gets the edge only because he’s No. 1 in that aforementioned Top 5.

Edge: Patriots

Wide Receivers: The Giants feature two of the most dynamic wideouts in the game today: Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. Nicks and Cruz are both deep threats, although Cruz might have the edge in that department. Cruz is also much better on third down. Nicks in the end zone, however, is unbeatable. Throw in Mario Manningham as the third wide receiver and any quarterback would feel comfortable. Outside of Wes Welker, the Patriots don’t have the depth at wide receiver that the Giants do. Brady relies more heavily on his tight ends, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Both guys are just so big for their position, making it extremely hard to cover them.

Edge: Tie

Running Backs: New York is using the same running back tandem that they used in 2008 with Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. While Jacobs is still a bruising runner, he hasn’t been as effective as in years past. Bradshaw, however, still picks up big gains and is especially helpful in the flat. The Patriots have BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who is famous for having never fumbled in his NFL career. He isn’t a big gainer, but is effective near the goal line. Former New York Jet Danny Woodhead is the Patriots’ Bradshaw. He’s not used too often, but will make a play here or there.

Edge: Giants

Defense: I don’t think it’s even a question which team’s defense is playing better right now: The Giants all the way. Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, both of the 2008 squad, and Jason Pierre-Paul have been unbelievable on the pass rush throughout the postseason. The Patriots don’t have a good enough offensive line to protect Brady from being hit with those three guys coming at them. Aaron Ross and Corey Webster do a nice job protecting the outside, but the hard work will be on safeties Antrel Rolle and Kenny Phillips with helping out on Gronkowski and Hernandez. New England, meanwhile, has Kyle Arrington and Devin McCourty at the corner position. Arrington, who had a healthy seven picks this season, will likely draw Nicks. Up front, New York will have to watch out for defensive end Mark Anderson (10 sacks) and Vince Wilfork.

Edge: Giants

Special Teams: Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski is one of the more efficient players at his position. He’s been in a number of big games and always seems to come through. Tynes has an impressive resume himself, with the two aforementioned kicks in bold at the top of his resume. Even punters Steve Weatherford and Zoltan Mesko were both effective for their teams this season. Weatherford averaged 45.7 yards a kick to Mesko’s 46.7. The Giants kicker also had 25 balls downed inside the 20 compared to Mesko’s 24. The difference in this category comes down to the other special teamers. I love the way the Giants’ Devin Thomas is playing right now. The former Washington Redskins castoff is playing some smart football. It also seems that Chase Blackburn is involved in every special teams play. Will Blackmon, who only handled kicks for six regular season games this year, will receive all of them for the Giants. His numbers aren’t overly impressive, but neither are those of Matthew Slater — both had zero return touchdown in 2011. Julian Edelman, the punt returner for New England, does have one.

Edge: Giants

Prediction: Coming Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012.

This is a team headed to their second Super Bowl trip in five seasons.

Part of it could be just damn luck. Maybe this is the big game the Gods wanted to see. Regardless of who had a hand in Sunday’s 20-17 overtime victory against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game, the Giants are happy it worked out the way it did.

Now they’ll return to the game’s grandest stage in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, which New York won 17-14. That one, too, they won with the clock ticking its final seconds.

A lot will be written ahead of that matchup, which NFL executives have to be ecstatic over. This is Part II, the sequel, the follow-up to one of the most exciting Super Bowls in league history. It’s a game, no matter what NFL team you root for, you’ll be happy to watch.

I’ll say this about the Giants win on Sunday: That was a damn good game. Both teams played well enough that they could have won. But the Giants were simply better in all facets of the game: offense, defense and special teams.

If I’m the Giants, I feel pretty good about my chances heading into Super Bowl Sunday. The Baltimore Ravens showed they can contain Tom Brady in the earlier game. The Giants already did that this season with a Week 9, 24-20 win in Gillette Stadium. Similar to the 2007-08 regular season, both teams met up, with the Giants being handed the Week 17 loss.

The Patriots have double the reasons to avenge their recent losses in less than two weeks. After all, Bill Belichick and Brady don’t forget. New York has shown they’re up for the task though. It’s time for their greatest performance yet.

Here are the seven Giants stars from Sunday:

Victor Cruz: Cruz was quiet last week, but even the best wideouts have mediocre weeks. He made up for that silence against the 49ers, grabbing a game-high 10 balls for 142 yards. That yardage was nearly half of Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s total (316) for the evening. Cruz could have had more, but was shutout for much of the fourth quarter.

Devin Thomas: Thomas was huge on special teams for the Giants, displaying both focus and smarts. First, he was the only one who initially thought the football grazed 49ers kick return Kyle Williams’ knee (the play would have likely unnoticed). Thomas plucked the ball off the ground and ran it into the end zone — to the quietest crowd reaction in playoff history. Thomas argued, urged coach Tom Coughlin to challenge, which he did, and the play was eventually overturned. This set up Mario Manningham’s 17-yard touchdown to give the Giants a temporary 17-14 lead. Then, with 9:32 remaining in overtime, Jacquian Williams stripped Kyle Williams of the ball on a punt return. Thomas recovered deep in 49ers territory, essentially securing the Giants’ win.

Bear Pascoe: The tight end did not reach the end zone once this season. That said, there’s never a better time to get that first touchdown grab than in the playoffs. Pascoe’s 6-yard score helped tie the game for New York in the second quarter. It would be the Giants’ only touchdown of the first half.

Lawrence Tynes: Tynes’ leg should go into the Giants Hall of Fame one day. Four years ago, he sent the Giants to the Super Bowl with it, and on Sunday he did the same. Tynes’ 31-yard boot in overtime secured New York’s fifth trip to the big game. In the rainy San Francisco weather, he was 2-for-2 on both field goals and extra points.

Steve Weatherford: Punters never seem to receive enough credit. We saw last year how much they can be criticized, but Weatherford has helped put thoughts of Matt Dodge in the past. Against the Niners, the former New York Jet booted 12 times for an average of 46.4 yards. Keep in mind, though, there were a few short-yardage punts, including the one giving the ball back to the Niners with 19 seconds to go in regulation. Weatherford then did a wonderful job cleaning up a wobbly snap on Tynes’ game-winning field goal in overtime. I bet he’s glad his days in New York… on New York’s other team are over.

Ahmad Bradshaw: The Giants haven’t been able to replicate the running game they put together against Atlanta in the Wild Card round. Bradshaw did a heck of a job against a very good 49ers defense though. He ran the ball 20 times for 74 yards and caught six passes for 54. He’s not a Ray Rice-type or Adrian Foster-type back, but he’s sure valuable.

Eli Manning: It wasn’t Manning who will be attributed with this comeback win, but he was an integral part of it. He threw a ton, 58 times to be exact. He completed 32 of those passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns. Manning now has a shot at surpassing his brother, Peyton, with two Super Bowl wins. Is he the better brother after all?

The New York Giants — the 9-7 New York Giants — went into Green Bay and looked more like the 15-1 team they took on. The offense clicked magnificently, and the defense slowed one of the game’s top quarterback. Throw in the fact that the Packers fumbled three times and dropped eight passes and New York’s opponent never had a chance.

It never appeared that the Giants would make it to the NFC Championship game this season. There just wasn’t anything that made you say “wow” about this team. Then, after the Week 15 loss to the Washington Redskins, things began to click. They won 29-14 over in-house rivals, the New York Jets. Then, they took the win-and-in game against the Dallas Cowboys, 31-14. With no time to rest, they perhaps saved one of their most well-balanced victories for the Wild Card game against the Atlanta Falcons. In that matchup, the Giants won 24-2.

Heading into Green Bay, where they won on their way to the Super Bowl in 2008, there was an overwhelming feeling that the 15-1 Packers were in trouble. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers hadn’t played in nearly three weeks and their defense had already been surrendering the most points in the league. They looked every bit as rusty as anticipated. The result: Giants 37, Packers 20.

The Giants played the Packers so close in Week 13, only to fall on a last-minute scoring drive, that there was an overwhelming sense of revenge in waiting. It just seemed like the Giants wanted this one more, before it began and as it played out.

Next week, the Giants travel to San Francisco to take on another team that handed them one of their seven losses this season, the 49ers. Hearing the team name, the 49ers, immediately makes you think that this will be an easy meeting, but not so. The Niners have numerous weapons on offense — arm, hands and feet — and a better defense than New York has faced the first two games of this playoff period. The downside is a win likely sends them up against the New England Patriots, their opponent in the 2008 Super Bowl, who right now are playing with a just-as-high-powered offense as that season.

Here are the five Giants stars of the game:

Hakeem Nicks: First off, let’s quit all the talk comparing Nicks’ Hail Mary catch to the one David Tyree made in the Super Bowl a few years back. It’s not even close. I don’t write this to take anything away from Nicks’ catch, which in itself was an amazing grab, but it’s just not of the same magnitude or meaning. Nicks had two touchdowns Sunday, becoming the first player in NFL history with four touchdowns in a single postseason. He finished with 165 yards off seven catches.

Eli Manning: The Giants quarterback has put together back-to-back stellar postseason games heading into next Sunday’s NFC championship game in San Francisco. Manning tossed three touchdowns and only one interceptions on 330 yards passing. As I wrote last week, the key has been his efficiency and ability to not turn the ball over.

Kenny Phillips: Phillips knocked the ball out of Green Bay running back Ryan Grant’s hand with just under seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The ball was picked up by lineback Chase Blackburn and brought down to the Packers’ 4. Manning found Mario Manningham on the first play of the drive to put the Giants up by three scores and essentially out of reach for the Packers.

Osi Umenyiora: The Packers were driving in Giants territory to open the second half. On 1st-and-10 from the 30, Omenyiora pushed past defenders and slapped the ball out of Rodgers’ hand as he was about to launch downfield to a wide open Greg Jennings. Deon Grant, who also had an interception late in the fourth quarter, recovered. While the Giants didn’t score off the turnover, the key was that Umenyiora essentially prevented a Packers scoring drive.

Michael Boley: Boley had a game-high nine tackles and two sacks of Rodgers, who was hard to catch as he rushed for a game-high 66 yards on seven carries. Boley and the rest of the Giants defense deserves kudos for rattling the league’s likely MVP.

Here are the five stars of the game:

Hakeem Nicks: Nicks has been overshadowed by Victor Cruz’ success this season. Despite that, he remains one of the Top 10 wideouts in the league, and was on full display against the Falcon defensive backs. Nicks hauled in two touchdowns on six catches for 115 yards. The 72 yarder was also a career high.

Brandon Jacobs: I saw something different in Jacobs this afternoon. Do you ever tense your entire body when working out and simply give it all you’ve got? That’s what Jacobs looked like. He lowered his head and was ready to plow over defenders. The result was 92 yards on 14 carries.

Eli Manning: The key for Manning was not turning over the ball. He threw three touchdowns and no picks on 277 yards. Manning doesn’t get the credit he deserves in terms of being a top quarterback, but that’s because when he’s bad, he’s real bad. Most of the time, though, he’s very good. He’ll need to more than that next week at Lambeau Field.

Corey Webster: The Giants cornerback did a stellar job covering Atlanta’s top receiver, Roddy White, all day, holding him to just five catches for 52 yards. Webster also had two pass deflections and four solo tackles.

Antrel Rolle: The entire New York defense should actually be mentioned here after completely shutting out the Falcons, whose only points came on a safety. As mentioned with Webster, Rolle also played a factor in holding Atlanta to just 199 yards in the air. He and Chase Blackburn led the Giants with nine tackles.