The New York Giants will be on the road for the third consecutive week this Sunday and playing in one of sports' most storied stadiums.
And they'll probably feel right at home.
The Giants have been the NFL's version of the road warriors this season. Since losing at Dallas in its season opener, New York has won nine consecutive road games. The Giants are the only team in NFL history to win nine straight road games in one season.
They are also one of just two NFC teams (Carolina in 2005 was the other) to win two road games to advance to the NFC title game since the NFL expanded its playoff field to 12 teams in 1990.
Conversely, New York was a below average team at home, going just 3-5 at Giants Stadium this season. The difference in their home and away records probably means that there's no place the Giants would rather be than Lambeau Field, playing the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship game on Sunday.
"I won't say that we really like it (playing on the road), but you just have to go in there with a tremendous focus and just try to basically give yourself a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter," receiver Plaxico Burress told reporters on Wednesday. "Basically what we have been doing is being one play away from winning the football game in the fourth quarter and we have been lucky enough to make those plays."
He isn't kidding.
Six of the Giants' nine road wins were by seven or fewer points. New York overcame second-half deficits in four of its road victories, including last week's 21-17 win over Dallas in the divisional playoffs.
You have to have some character to be able to consistently win on the road like the Giants. The only other team that won nine road games in a season (although not in succession) was the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers, who won the Super Bowl that season.
"I think it is just a matter of the grit, the determination, the character, the leadership, the toughness and the mental toughness," coach Tom Coughlin said at a press conference on Tuesday. "In a lot of ways when we come out and we get booed, we are kind of interested in how high the volume of the boos are."
The Giants were getting jeered by their own fans early in the season. They gave up a total of 80 points in their first two games of the season, which were losses to the Cowboys and Green Bay. After it put together a six-game winning streak, New York again frustrated its fans by going 4-4 in the second half of the regular season.
The Giants didn't clinch a playoff berth until they defeated Buffalo in their next to last game of the season. They picked up playoff momentum by giving the unbeaten Patriots a big-time scare in their final regular season game.
That game made NFL fans realize that the Giants are a true championship contender. New York already believed it.
"Well, we believed in each other and in the team," running back Brandon Jacobs said on Tuesday. "Our coaches did a good job of keeping us in it ... Our players are leaders, and we just kept fighting until we got to the point we're at today."
N.Y. Giants at Packers
Sunday, 4:30 p.m. (FOX)
ROAD WARRIORS
The Giants set an NFL record by winning nine consecutive road games:
Date . . . . . Opponent . . . . . Score . . . . . Comment
Sept. 9 . . . . . Washington . . . . . 24-17 . . . . . Outscored Redskins 21-0 in the second half.
Oct. 15 . . . . . Atlanta . . . . . 31-10 . . . . . Eli Manning threw for 303 yards and two TDs.
Oct. 28 . . . . . Miami . . . . . 13-10 . . . . . Giants won ugly in London.
Nov. 18 . . . . . Detroit . . . . . 16-10 . . . . . Michael Strahan had three sacks; defense had three INTs.
Dec. 2 . . . . . Chicago . . . . . 21-16 . . . . . Giants scored two TDs in the final 5:21.
Dec. 9 . . . . . Philadelphia . . . . . 16-13 . . . . . Plaxico Burress had 136 receiving yards, one TD.
Dec. 16 . . . . . Buffalo . . . . . 38-21 . . . . . Giants rushed for 291 yards and three TDs.
Jan. 6 . . . . . Tampa Bay . . . . . 24-14 . . . . . New York won its first road playoff game in 18 years.
Jan. 13 . . . . . Dallas . . . . . 21-17 . . . . . Manning threw two scores, no picks.
E-mail: aaragon@desnews.com