OPINION

By Vinnie Iyer

updated 4:45 p.m. ET Jan. 13, 2008

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Having never covered a game at Lambeau Field before Saturday afternoon, I came to the NFC divisional playoff matchup between the Seahawks and the host Packers with great expectations for a typical game in Green Bay.

Anything less than a constant flurry of light snow and Brett Favre getting pumped up in leading Green Bay to another postseason victory on its hallowed home grounds would have been a disappointment. Asked and received, both from the skies above and Favre's performance in his team's 42-20 rout, which puts the Packers in next week's NFC championship game. Favre summed up the overall experience, the snowiest in which he had ever played, like I would have: "That was awesome."

Favre even threw in that special Favre moment — along, of course, with a near-perfect passer rating (18-for-23, 173 yards, three TDs for a 137.6 rating) in the most imperfect of conditions. With the Packers up 21-17 near the end of a wild first half, they faced a third-and-8 at the Seattle 14, with a good chance to go up by double digits at halftime.

What first looked like good pressure by the Seahawks led to Favre nearly stumbling down to the ground. But then Favre did some of his patented playground improv, scooping the ball forward to tight end Donald Lee for an 11-yard gain and a first down. Ryan Grant scored a touchdown on the next play.

Looking at Favre's solid wintry numbers and magic act on a play that facilitated the final lopsided score, there's a tendency to think he carried the team again. It's time to face facts, however: This team has a lot of offensive skill outside of Favre.

Obviously that skill starts with Grant, who rushed for the gaudiest stats in the game — 201 yards rushing and three TDs. Unfazed by two lost fumbles on his first three touches of the game that helped spot Seattle an early 14-0 lead, Grant tore through the Seahawks' front seven with pure explosion and dazzling cutback running.

In the past, Favre might have resorted to chucking the ball downfield after those early mistakes, but the Packers made a point to go right back to their young running back and he responded like a veteran. The Seahawks, meanwhile, had no response after the early takeaways.

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Running Grant often simply was a big part of the game plan that the Packers couldn't abandon. Coach Mike McCarthy said he never thought about benching Grant, and Grant and his teammates had the general feeling of "stick with it, there's plenty of time." Grant's slippery, elusive style fit well with what classic Packers football is all about at this time of year, as he rushed for a franchise single-game yardage record in the postseason.

Then there's the emergence of Favre's new go-to guy in the passing game. Greg Jennings had a great start to his rookie season in 2006, making some big plays, including a memorable streak to the end zone in Detroit to mark Favre's 400th career touchdown pass. But Jennings was hamstrung — literally — and hampered for most of the second half.

This year, however, he's stayed healthy and proved he's much more than the occasional home run threat. He's still the big-play guy — he had at least one catch for 30-plus yards in eight games during the regular season — but he also has improved as a route runner and is now smooth as an intermediate and red zone target. Favre threw two of his TDs to Jennings; both came inside the 20, one on a pretty fade/corner route. "I looked and Brett looked and it was like, 'This is one of the easiest touchdowns ever,'" Jennings said.

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