GREEN BAY, WIs. — Tom Coughlin, once the master in this department, lost his eighth consecutive replay challenge near the end of the first quarter last night — and this one would have been extremely hard to accept for the Giants if they hadn’t defeated the Packers 37-20 in a Divisional playoff upset at Lambeau Field.
There’s no doubt the Giants, and nearly everyone else watching on TV, believe Big Blue got a raw deal when it appeared to have a turnover. Greg Jennings, after a 6-yard reception to the Giants’ 32-yard line, was hauled down by safety Deon Grant, the ball came loose and cornerback Corey Webster scooped it up. For some reason, the ruling on the field was that Jennings was down by contact, and Coughlin took a few seconds before throwing the challenge flag.
When referee Bill Leavy came out from under the hood, he announced the ruling on the field was upheld. Replays seemed to clearly indicate the ball came loose before Jennings was down.
PHOTOS: GIANTS BEAT PACKERS, 37-20
Mike Pereira, the former head of NFL officials who now works for Fox, tweeted, “It looks to me that the ball comes out before he is down.’’
After the ruling was upheld, Pereira tweeted, “They must have said the calf was down. I still think the ball is coming out.’’
Coughlin, shaking his head afterwards, said: “I’m 0-for-100 right now. Everyone wants me to challenge, I challenge and we don’t win.’’
The non-reversal proved costly, as the Packers followed with their first touchdown when Aaron Rodgers hit John Kuhn with an 8-yard scoring pass to tie the game at 10.
* The Giants made good on Jason Pierre-Paul’s “guarantee’’ they would win.
“I called it and it came true,’’ Pierre-Paul said. “That’s all that counts.’’
* Grant had to leave the field with a head injury, was given tests for a concussion, was cleared and was able to return to the game.
“I hit the guy, hit him dead on the shoulder pads and just dazed out,’’ Grant said. “They wouldn’t let me back in the game. Made me mad. I was back there arguing with them. They were doing a good job by not letting me.”
* Defensive tackle Chris Canty got up slowly after going down with what looked to be a knee injury but he said he was “100 percent.’’ … Taped onto safety Antrel Rolle’s locker was a picture of Aaron Rodgers and an arrow pointing down to a red tootsie roll and the word “sucker’’ written nearby.
* Strange call by Packers coach Mike McCarthy: After scoring to pull even at 10 early in the first quarter, Mason Crosby tried an onside kick. The play did not fool the Giants, who were ready for it, and Derrick Martin scooped up the loose ball to give the Giants the ball on the Green Bay 41.
* Eli Manning made a rare block when Ahmad Bradshaw reversed field on a fourth-quarter run that gained 24 yards.
“Eli’s not the most athletic, so when he starts throwing his arms in there you tend to swallow a little faster than normal,’’ Justin Tuck said. “Give him credit, he went out there and gave a great block and sprung our running back for some yards.’’