Giants-Packers: Playoff debuts for Odell Beckham Jr. and others

When the New York Giants meet the Green Bay Packers this Sunday to cap wild-card weekend, much will be the same as it was when they met in 2007 and 2011. Win-or-go-home, temperatures below freezing at Lambeau Field, Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Victor Cruz, etc.

Even more has changed, however. When the Giants take the field Sunday, it’ will be the first playoff experience for many of them. And by many, think majority. Manning has won more championships (two) than 39 other Giants have even played in playoff games ... combined.

Sunday at Lambeau marks the first postseason game for Giants’ stars Odell Beckham Jr., Landon Collins and Janoris Jenkins. On the other end of the spectrum, linebacker Jonathan Casillas won two Super Bowl championships with the New Orleans Saints (XLIV) and New England Patriots (XLIX). He believes his playoff-freshmen teammates are up to the challenge.

“I feel like the character that we have in the locker room, especially on the defensive side of the ball, the guys that I see day in and day out. The guys I see away from the facility, there's no question about it,” Casillas said. “Are the guys going to be prepared, are the guys going to be ready, are the guys going to be ready for the speed? There's no question in my mind about it.”

Head coach Ben McAdoo will also be making his playoff debut as the lead-man on the sideline. He was the Packers tight end coach when they won Super Bowl XLV. For as big a difference in responsibility as it may be, McAdoo has yet to show his hand. Like Casillas, he downplayed the significance of his teams playoff experience, or lack thereof.

“None. Zero. We have to prepare to play a football game. That’s what we have to do,” he said. “We have a game to get ready for. All this energy and other stuff doesn’t matter. We need to focus on playing the game and preparing to win the game.”

Read below for the full list of Giants who will be making their playoff debuts at Green Bay.

Offense

Beckham, Sterling Shepard, Rashad Jennings, John Jerry, Josh Johnson, Bobby Rainey, George Winn, Beckham, Justin Pugh, Roger Lewis Jr., Tavarres King, Will Tye, Ereck Flowers, Weston Richburg, Paul Perkins, Larry Donnell, Bobby Hart, Brett Jones, Jerell Adams, George

Defense

Damon Harrison, Jenkins, Collins, Coty Sensabaugh, Olivier Vernon, Johnathan Hankins, Eli Apple, Andrew Adams, Trevin Wade, Robert Thomas, B.J. Goodson, Romeo Okwara, Nat Berhe, Jay Bromley, Devon Kennard, Kerry Wynn, Deontae Skinner, Owa Odigihizuwah, Ishaq WIlliams