Green Bay?s Ryan Grant doesn?t care about getting revenge against the team that traded him earlier this fall ? he just wants a shot at playing in Super Bowl XLII.
But the second-year running back out of Notre Dame will have a chance at both against New York (13-5) in the NFC Championship game Sunday night at 6:30 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., in front of a national television audience on FOX.
“It was nothing personal,” the 6-foot-1, 218-pounder, said. “There were no hard feelings toward the organization in New York. I take the positive out of every situation, and there were a lot of things that I learned from there. And I feel like if I didn?t learn that, I probably wouldn?t be in the situation I am today.”
In 2005, Grant was on the Giants? practice squad, but suffered a hand injury during an accident at a night club that forced him to miss most of the 2006 season.
But a week before the start of this season, New York (13-5) dealt Grant to Green Bay (14-3) for a sixth-round draft pick.
Eight weeks later on Oct. 29, Grant rushed for 104 yards in an overtime victory against the Broncos on Monday Night Football. In the past 11 games, he?s rushed for 1,130 yards and 11 touchdowns, making him an irreplaceable part in the league?s second-ranked offense that averages 27.2 points per game.
Even Grant?s former teammates have taken notice of his breakout season.
“I am upset Ryan Grant is not with us,” Giants Defensive end Michael Strahan said. “He is a bull. He runs like a bull. We have our work cut out for us. We gave up too many yards [against Dallas] rushing. He is probably licking his chops with the opportunity to play against his former team. That?s one of those guys you look at and you think, we let him go and we let one get away.”
Last week, the Seahawks defense felt the same way.
Grant overcame two early fumbles to finish with a franchise-playoff record 201 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 27 carries in a snow-covered, 42-20 win.
This Sunday, another frigid forecast expected for what will be the first NFC Championship game at Lambeau Field since the Packers defeated Carolina, 30-13, on Jan. 12, 1997. Green Bay went on to win the Super Bowl that year over the New England Patriots, who they could face in two weeks in Glendale, Ariz.
The Giants and Packers already faced each this season, with Green Bay cruising to a 35-13 win in the Meadowlands on Sept. 16. The Giants, however, are a league-best 9-1 on the road this season.
“We didn?t play very good football,” Giants running back Brandon Jacobs said. “We had some parts that weren?t in the right place, and I think we?re a better football team than that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
