Giants vs. Packers: Final Odds, TV Schedule, Predictions for 2017 NFC Wild Card

The New York Giants and Green Bay Packers have combined for 21 NFL championships and Super Bowl titles in their storied histories.

Both teams are red-hot going into the postseason, with the Giants finishing 9-2 in their last 11 games and the Packers going 6-0 to close the regular season.

It wouldn't be a big surprise for the Pack to add title No. 14 or the Giants to win No. 9, but one team's dream will die early in the NFC Wild Card Round.

Let's take a look at the game details for this matchup, including the odds and TV schedule, and provide three predictions.

Game Details

When: Sunday, 4:40 p.m. ET

Where: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Television: Fox

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Over/Under: 44.5 (per OddsShark)

Spread: Green Bay (-5.5)

Notable Predictions

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1. Victor Cruz Turns Back the Clock to 2011

Five years ago, Victor Cruz came out of nowhere and caught 82 passes for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns in the Giants' Super Bowl-winning campaign.

Three seasons later, Cruz tore his Achilles in one of the most excruciating and heart-breaking injuries you'll ever see.

That ended his 2014 season and wiped out 2015 as well, but Cruz came back this year, albeit a step slower.

Cruz has only caught 39 passes for 586 yards and a touchdown this season. So why tout a guy who led a scout to say, "just doesn’t have any juice anymore. Just can't run," per Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel? 

It's because the Packers, if they are smart, should sell out to stop Odell Beckham Jr., the only player on the Giants offense who can change the game's momentum on one play. The Packers did so in their 23-16 win over New York in Week 5, as McGinn noted:

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Defensive coordinator Dom Capers basically ignored New York's ground game, enabling him to employ a two-high safety look to assist his cornerbacks against Odell Beckham Jr. The Packers didn't use a single snap of base defense.

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That will leave Cruz (and the other Giants wideouts) with some winnable matchups against a depleted Packers secondary.

Cruz finished with zero catches (and two targets) in Week 5, but he had 13 targets on Dec. 22 against the Philadelphia Eagles, finishing with eight catches and 84 yards.

He's not the same player he used to be, but it's not wise to count out a player who's performed well on the highest stage before.

Expect him to do well and help the Giants move the chains against Green Bay.

2. Jared Cook Exploits the One Weakness of the Giants Defense

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The Giants can't cover the tight end position. They can lock down No. 1 wide receivers with ease and hold running backs in check, but opposing teams' tight ends have found holes in the Giants defense time and again this season.

We saw it against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where Ladarius Green caught six passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.

We saw it against the Minnesota Vikings, where Kyle Rudolph caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.

We saw it in the Meadowlands, when Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert caught a 71-yard pass that led to an A.J. Green touchdown.

The list continues, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Jared Cook adds his name to that list. Cook hasn't had a good season, catching only 30 passes for 377 yards and a touchdown, but he's had eight targets in two of his last three games.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers should be able to find Cook throughout the game if his wide receivers are locked down by the Giants' stellar secondary.

3. Score: Packers 20, Giants 17

Dan Duggan of NJ.com couldn't have said it better when he penned the following:

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The Giants' defense is their strength and they should be able to contain the Packers' passing attack. But the Giants' offense is going to need to put some points on the board to secure the upset. There's little reason to have confidence that will happen after the Giants were held under 20 points in their last five regular season games.

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This should be a close game that isn't decided until late. But the Giants offense has stagnated too much this season, and that will lead to their downfall.

Rodgers will make one more big play than the Giants—perhaps with his scrambling ability—and Green Bay will escape with the win and head to Dallas next weekend to face the Cowboys.