Attending my first NFL playoff game...

So, I got the opportunity to obtain playoff tickets this past week, and jumped on the opportunity! It pitted the Atlanta Falcons at the New York Giants, who have always been my favorite American football team, as most people who know me know well already. I always wanted to make it to at least one playoff game, and eventually "someday" promised myself that I would get to see a Giants playoff game.

Well, "someday" was yesterday, as it turned out. I did not know it until mere days before the game itself. Indeed, the Giants were in what was in effect a division title game the Sunday before, and it certainly was anything but clear that the Giants were going to win until perhaps they finally managed to pull away from the Cowboys in the fourth quarter. I was happy, but did not think much of it.

Until I heard that a friend of a friend was essentially selling tickets for not all that much more than face value. I jumped on the chance, and when it all worked itself out, had managed to get my hands on the tickets. They were not close to the field or anything, being in the 300's. But just being there was an absolute thrill! It felt so weird to actually be at a playoff game, especially since, in the latter stages, I was technically supposed to be at work. But work can wait when rare opportunities present themselves, right? Besides, I had worked it out with some of the guys - had scheduled some "car problems", if you will (knock on wood that I did not just jinx myself for the future with real car problems).

Parking was a major worry, but it might as well not have been, as it turned out. Usually, they have the parking permits, and these were selling upwards of $60 and over, which I still personally think is outrageous for the three or four hours that you are parking there. It's just too expensive, and I was worried, because these tickets did not come with a parking permit. But driving to the game, I saw some parking available by some of the nearby hotels, and for $30, so I went for it, feeling blessed for the cheaper parking. A short bus ride of maybe about a mile, and we were at the stadium.

After getting past security, we were, unfortunately, witnesses to some sad behavior. As some promotional offer, special playoff towels were being given away, but nobody was attending to the boxes, and people were ripping them apart and taking what seemed like dozens at a time, and acting like absolute savages. I had wanted a towel, for my son and I, but once I realized that these people were tearing the boxes apart and going nuts, quite literally, I instinctively backed away, recognizing this was not a good setting to have a six year old child in. Heading up to out seats, I saw one guy with maybe five or six towels, and played dumb.

"Hey, where did you get those towels from."

"Oh, they were giving them out at the entrance. You didn't see them?" He looked down, saw Sebastien, and peeled one of the towels free, handing it to me. "Here."

"Cool! Thanks!"

So, my son had a towel, at least. Now, it was time for the game.

We were on the opposite end of the stadium, so I was rushing, but we got there on time. And what a game!

Maybe the Giants were out of sync early on because of nervousness. I do not know why, but it seemed like a very slow start. The Falcons started off slowly as well, but there were some scary moments when their offense seemed very much in sync. Their defense seemed quite effective as well, too. The Giants looked flustered and frustrated, and just not able to get anything going. When the Falcons managed to sack Eli Manning in the end zone for a safety and the first points of the game to take a lead, however unconventionally, I was beginning to get nervous. It was all too easy to picture a letdown, like the Giants had against the Washington Redskins about a month ago, when it seemed it was a "must win" situation. Suddenly, the stadium grew quiet.

But the Giants did get it going, eventually, managing a touchdown drive before halftime, to assume the lead, at 7-2 (rather an odd score). From that point onwards, the Giants seemed to take over the game. They began to find themselves offensively, and had a beautiful mixture of pass and rush offense that kept the Falcons on their toes, trying to keep up. A strong drive ended with a field goal and a 10-2 lead that provided some margin of comfort in the 3rd quarter. Then a beautiful pass play of 72 yards from Manning to Nicks, who was able to dodge through some thick traffic to break free for a wonderful, highlight reel touchdown, broke the game open. From there, the Giants effective rushing attack loosened the Falcons up even further, while killing the time on the clock, coming closer to icing the game. When Manning found Manningham in the end zone in the 4th quarter, the Falcons could hardly entertain any further ambitions of pulling off a huge comeback, especially the way the Giants defense played. The Big Blue D looked more solid than they had all season long, in effect shutting out the potent Falcons offense.

I predicted a Giants victory, although I thought it was going to be a close game. That the Giants blew the game open and pretty much dominated was a surprise. A pleasant one, no doubt! But a surprise nonetheless.

Next up for them, the 15-1 Green Bay Packers, who own the league's best record, and seem like the most dangerous offense in the league. Playing in Lambeau is never inviting (at least, not for the opposition), but the Giants have some things going for them. They are a cold weather team, so the weather should not be a factor.  They won their recently, and in the playoffs, en route to their recent Super Bowl championship in the 2007-2008 season! They also played the Packers very evenly, just a few weeks ago, and seemed on the verge of handing the Packers their first defeat of the season at the time. So, the G-Men should not be lacking in confidence going into this game, especially since they seem to be surging at precisely the right time to make some noise in the playoffs. It would be crazy to predict a victory in Lambeau just yet, for anybody (not just the Giants). But a New York victory there is not such a laughable notion as it would have been earlier in the season, and they definitely have a chance.

I do not know if the Giants are going to be able to win. But it is enough (for now) that they secured their first home playoff win in over a decade (the last one being the NFC Championship Game thrashing of the Vikings, 41-0, back in the 2000-2001 season, before receiving a similar thrashing by the Ravens)! I will hope for a victory next week, but am glad that they, nonetheless, overcame some of the disappointments and even failures earlier in the season, to end up being among the true elites in the NFC, and to make a good, strong run, reaching their potential. We shall see just how much they improved in Green Bay! Go G-Men!