For a moment, it looked like another chapter was about to be written into the storied legacy of the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field. All the elements were in place to add the storybook tale of "Ice Bowl, Part II."

Bart Starr's plunge over the goal line would be joined in Packers' lore by Brett Favre, leading a comeback in similarly-frigid temperatures to earn a berth in the Super Bowl.

Everything seemed to follow the script when Lawrence Tynes missed a 36-yard field goal -- his second flub of the day -- as time expired to send the NFC Championship to overtime. The Green Bay Packers, considered by so many so-called "experts" to be a team of destiny, would get another chance to advance to Super Bowl XLII and won the overtime coin toss.

It wasn't meant to be.

On the second play of overtime, Favre threw an interception to New York's Corey Webster. Three plays later, the Giants -- behind a 47-yard field goal from Tynes -- walked off the frozen tundra with a 23-20 victory and a date with the 18-0 New England Patriots on Feb. 3 in Arizona.

After all that hype, all the build-up and all the manufactured drama ... the season that once had so much promise and proved so many people wrong ended the way that many thought it would unfold all along. The Packers were doomed from the start thanks a nearly non-existent running game and a defensive secondary whose hands-on nature and athletic shortcomings finally came back to haunt them.

In the beginning of the season, people looked at the Packers success and wondered if they would be able to survive late in the season and during the playoffs without a running game.

They weren't.

For all the attention given to Ryan Grant before the game, the feel-good story of Grant handing his old team of defeat never came to fruition; he carried the ball just 13 times for 29 yards, posting an abysmal average of 2.2 yards per carry. His longest run of the day came with about 1:17 left in the third and was good for 13 yards.

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8 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by danno on Jan. 23, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (report)

3 Packer Problems: Al Harris is vastly overrated, McCarthy has no on field passion, Favre still has not learned to throw the ball away when needed. The Packers had an easy schedule this year, but next year's should be much harder. Let's see how they do next year...

Posted by MYKE on Jan. 21, 2008 at 5:25 p.m. (report)

Going into this game. I felt(and still do) the Packers are the better team.However I was real concerned because of the bitter cold weather,which sad to say has become a disadvantage for this team,were it once was an advantage.The last Bear game proved that.I feared McCarthy's subborn refusal to practice outdoors might cost them dearly,& it did.As the game wore on you could see the elements wearing on the Packers,more than the Giants WHO DID practice outdoors.Such a shame to let it happen when this team should be playing in the Superbowl with a shot(at least)to upset the Patriot's who will have no problem dispatching a little above average Giant's team that is living on borrowed time.

Posted by sandstorm on Jan. 21, 2008 at 1:09 p.m. (report)

some of the dumbest comments i read after packer losses contain the phrase "they didn't deserve to win". it's really an idiotic statement if you stop and think about it. the deserved to win as much as the giants, as much as anybody really. you can be outplayed and win and it does not mean you didn't freakin "deserve" the win. hell, maybe next time jarret bush will just fall on the ball

Posted by TosaJimBob on Jan. 21, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (report)

Another Plus....now I can stop at Kohls and pick up a Green Bay Packer t-shirt or sweatshirt at a reduced price...sweet!

Posted by TosaJimBob on Jan. 21, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (report)

Hey...what a GREAT season! The Packers didn't deserve to win yesterday... yet it was a fun game to watch.It's easy to point out things they should have done (sitting on my butt in a 65 degree house), but kudos to all the Packers for a great ride and I look forward to next year!