2020 NFL Week 17: Packers vs. Bears Preview and Prediction

Happy New Year, Packers fans! Welcome to 2021. May this year be better than the last. Hard to imagine it being worse. Let us pray...

The last game in 2020 saw the Pack trounce the Titans at a snowy Lambeau Field. Tennessee was supposedly the team that would be the toughest challenge for the the Packers until they (hopefully) reach the Super Bowl. RB Derrick Henry would reportedly run roughshod over a Packers defense that has been less than stellar for a long time against the run. Despite the weather, despite Henry (who was held to under 100 yards rushing), despite it all, the Pack triumphed 40-14. It was not the game we, or many expected. And for that we were grateful.

The game was a coming out party of sorts for rookie RB A.J. Dillon who rushed for 124 yards and his first 2 TDs of the season. QB and soon-to-be three-time MVP Aaron Rodgers threw for 4 TDs and 1 INT, while all-world receiver Davante Adams had 11 catches for 142 yards and 3 TDs. It was also a coming out party for a Packers defense that we hadn't seen in a while. As noted, they shut down arguably the top running back in the league and that left the offense in the hands of QB Ryan Tannehill, who had been having a pretty good season. But against the Pack he was picked off twice, only his sixth and seventh interceptions of the season, and wound up throwing for just 121 yards with a completion rate around 45 percent.

Game, set, match ... Packers.

Now, on to Chicago and our neighbors to the south, Da Bearz.

QB Aaron Rodgers will have to deal the rest of this season and likely

to mid-season next year without starting LT David Bakhtiari. Bakhtiari

suffered a season-ending freak ACL injury during practice on Thursday.

(Photo via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Preview

The first item of note is that starting LT David Bakhtiari is lost for the rest of this season and into the next as a result of a freak ACL injury that occurred during practice on Thursday. Not great. At all. But the Packers O-line has been dealing with injuries throughout the season and is used to shuffling players around. It's likely that Billy Turner will play LT, Rick Wagner will play RT and Lucas Patrick will play RG. Thankfully, starting center Corey Linsley returned last week to return stability to the middle of the line. Elgton Jenkins also give the Pack a lot of flexibility in case anyone else goes down on the line. Let's hope not.

Secondly, with RB Jamaal Williams returning today, head coach Matt LaFleur has indicated that he'd like to find ways to use all 3 running backs — Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon and Williams — on the field at the same time. He even said he'd be challenged not to overdo that formation. So let's see if that happens today. We'd think it would give Chicago's defense fits, as all 3 cannot only run the ball aggressively but can catch the ball, as well. Then throw in the Packers corps of receivers. Can you imagine trying to defend that? Oh, and did we mention that Da Bearz will be without 2 of their starting defensive backs? (In best Seinfeld voice) That's a shame.

Chicago has a good running back of their own in David Montgomery who has already surpassed 1,000 yards on the season. In order for the Packers to enhance their chances for victory today the defense will need to shut down Montgomery the way they did Henry last week. That means  Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Rashan Gary will need to once again protect the edge and funnel things inside as much as possible. That was a key to success last week and will be so again today. Oh, and lest we forget: the Packers signed NT Damon "Snacks" Harrison this week and he was able to practice. It will be interesting to see how much the Packers work him into defensive schemes today and how he plays. He should be a valuable pick up for the playoff run.

Back to Da Bearz. QB Mitchell Trubisky has been having a better end to the season than start. After being benched for Nick Foles, he's responded well to the challenge. But it's also been against so-so defenses, to say the least. The Packers defense has been getting better as the season has progressed. If Chicago's chances rest in his hands...good luck with that.

The Prediction

The Packers are 4-1/2 to 5 point favorites depending upon who's making that call. I consulted my good friend, Billy Da Bearz Fan, to get his take on the game. He told me that I'm not supposed to say that he really thinks the Pack will go up by 3 or 4 touchdowns early and then start resting players. Instead, he says since its in writing, I should say that he's calling it 28-27 Bearz.

So there's one point of view. Or two, if you're counting.

Here's a third. Despite the hard hit incurred with the loss of Bakhtiari, we think the Packers are on a roll right now and things are gelling at the right time. We expect Da Bearz to put up a spirited game — after all, they are playing for a potential playoff spot. But the Pack is playing for the #1 overall seed, a bye, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. If they play for 4 quarters, they'll win with room to spare. If they let Chicago hang around, well, if it comes down to Rodgers or Trubisky making a play to win the game, c'mon.

We're calling it Packers 34 - Bearz 24.

Go Pack Go!!!

2020 NFL Week 14: Packers vs. Lions Preview and Prediction

A quick review of last week's win at Lambeau Field over the Philadelphia Eagles ... the Green Bay Packers won, 30 -16.

But wait, there's more! The Packers defense actually played pretty well, getting some sacks and second-year D-back Darnell Savage picking up his third interception of the season. As usual, on offense QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Davante Adams and RB Aaron Jones had great games individually. Rodgers threw his 400th TD pass and was the fastest ever in NFL history to do so in terms of the fewest games needed (we know, fastest/fewest sounds a bit confusing, but it works here). Not surprisingly, Adams was the recipient and was aware enough not to toss it into the empty stands. Instead, he knelt down and presented it to Rodgers as A-Rod was then symbolically "crowned" by TE Robert Tonyan. A real keeper moment, that.

And Jones scampered off to an amazing 77-yard TD run, as well. Another great moment, made even more memorable by the fact that LT David Bakhtiari himself trundled all the way down to the end zone as part of the escort. Analysis by those with the tools to do so showed that the big man was trucking along at 16.75 mph (NextGenStats)! Holy Roadrunner, Batman! Good hustle from the now highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history. Shows leadership and commitment. Kudos, Mr. Bakhtiari!

Oh, not that anyone pays much attention, but we were again close on our prediction: we had it 31-20 Packers. That missed PAT from Mason Crosby and one also by the Philly kicker who returned the favor...go figure.

We should expect to see a lot of TD celebrations in Detroit.

(Photo from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Preview

What to expect today? Well, for Detroit, we know QB Matthew Stafford can have some big games against the Packers. He's thrown for more TDs against Green Bay than any other team during his career. He's coming off a 400-yard passing game. And the Lions still, even with a 5-7 record coming into the game, are only a game back in the Wild Card hunt. So they have something to play for, certainly.

Plus, after former head coach Matt Patricia was relieved of his duties (about time) and replaced by offensive coordinator and former Wisconsin Badgers QB, Rose Bowl winner, Packers QB coach Darrell Bevell (was that enough Badgers/Packers ties for you?) as interim head coach the Lions got a win last week. We love to see Bevell do well as he is genuinely a good guy. But not when he plays against the Pack. So no love here today, Darrell, sorry.

The other thing that might be expected based upon past history is that the Packers could very well fall behind early. As Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Packers reporter Tom Silverstein points out: "In the last seven games – four of them at Lambeau Field – the Packers have fallen behind. Going backward from the teams' first meeting this season on Sept. 20, the deficits were, in order: 14-3, 17-3, 13-0, 31-0, 24-0, 27-3 and 20-3. The Packers rallied to win the most recent three games but lost the four prior to that, so falling behind again could be a recipe for disaster against a team trying to stay in the playoff race."

So...there's that. For most of this season, the Pack has gotten off to a hot start. It would do well for them to do so once again today in Detroit or they may wind up feeding the Lions' new confidence level following last week's 34-30 win against Da Bearz in Chicago. The Lions have been putting up points, even in their losses and, with a few notable exceptions — including their 42-21 loss to the Packers in their first meeting of the year and the 20-0 loss to the Panthers — usually keep the game within a score or two.

For the Packers, unless last week was an aberration, the defense looks to finally be on an upward arc. They got at Carson Wentz last week, even forcing a QB change, because they had him so rattled. They've started to generate some turnovers. Folks on that side of the ball seem to be generally healthy. May it continue thusly!

On offense, the Pack has been averaging nearly 32 points per game, leading the NFL in that category, while giving up an average of about 25 points per game. We'll take that any game of the season, won't we, Packer fans?

With WR Davante Adams having what some are beginning to call an MVP season in his own right, a complement of other receivers that Rodgers has confidence in — particularly TE Robert Tonyan — and a backfield consisting of Jones and Jamaal Williams, and an offensive line that, even missing starting center Corey Linsley is arguably the best in the NFL, there's no indication that the Pack won't again be putting up at least their season average of points today. Plus throw in the entrance of new returner and WR Tavon Austin and that may help spark some special teams magic ... which, let's admit it, certainly needs some magic on its coverage units. If the coverage units continue to plays as they have, i.e., not well, and the game is close, giving up a long return and or return for touchdown could be just the thing that flips the game to the opponent's favor.

The Prediction

It seems as if, not matter how poorly the Lions play over the course of a season, they play the Packers tough. We would expect nothing less today.

The Packers are listed as 7-1/2 point favorites at the time of this writing. Seems as if that's fair.

We're calling it Packers 38 - Lions 27.

Go Pack Go!!!

------------------------------------

A late addition: My good friend, Billy Da Bearz Fan, after reading my prediction today, texted to say I'm living in fantasyland. Yeah, he really said that...and he being a Bearz fan! Anyway ... his prediction is 20-17 Lions. I know. But remember: he is a Bearz fan. Hasn't seen a good team in ages. So...be gentle with him. He's a nice guy. Really.

2020 NFL Week 13: Packers vs. Eagles Preview and Prediction

Packers fans: regardless of what else might be going on in the USA and around the planet, all is well and in balance in the universe when the Green Bay Packers beat Da Bearz. And that is exactly what happened last week when the Pack beat Chicago, 41-25, at Lambeau Field in front of a primetime TV audience. Doesn't get better than that. Oh, and let's just add that the game was nowhere near as close as the final score may indicate. Our prediction indicated it would be a bit tighter of a game. Very glad to say that it wasn't. The Packers now sit at 8-3 in the NFC North with the ViQueens and Da Bearz following at 5-6 and the Lions in their usual spot at the bottom of the standings at 4-7. The Packers can pretty well lock things up in the division today, if not officially then practically speaking, with a win over the 3-7-1 Eagles.

This is how we hope to see Packers QB Aaron Rodgers exit

the field after today's game vs. the Eagles: victorious!

(Photo by William Glasheen, Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-WI)

The Preview

The Packers have the highest scoring offense in the NFL once again this week, edging out Kansas City. The Pack is averaging 31.7 points per game. The Eagles come in at about 10 points less per game, 21.5. That spread bodes well for today. The Eagles offense has lost a lot of its offensive line, and will be starting its eleventh configuration in 12 games today. This should open some opportunities for the Packers pass rush today if they can get it going consistently. Put pressure on that line and sacks and turnovers would likely be in store.

Philly is also out some of their key offensive weapons. And while QB Carson Wentz is just a few years removed from an MVP calibre season, he seems to have faded a bit, particularly in terms of his passing accuracy when you look at the stats. But as Wayne Larrivee, "Radio Voice of the Green Bay Packers", said in a pregame discussion today, if you look at poor quarterback play you can usually factor in poor offensive line play and lack of weapons to rely on. Still, if the Pack's defense can exploit that weak offensive line and pressure Wentz, he will be off target. Now, Philly has a good running back who gave the Pack problems in last season's Eagles' win. So, the Pack's suspect run defense needs to show up as they did (except for one 50+ yard run) last week. Wasn't great, but it was better. That progress needs to continue.

The Eagles defensive front is solid. As for what that translates to for the Packers offense remains to be seen. Starting center Corey Linsley was placed on the 3-week IR list this week following the knee injury he sustained last week. Uber-utility lineman Elgton Jenkins will get the start at center today with rookie lineman John Runyan getting his first start. Runyan has filled in admirably when needed so we wouldn't expect any drop-off in play from the O-line.

We do hope that the line is able to open up some holes for the running game today. And they should be able to do so. For as problematic as the Packers run defense has seemed for most of this season, it actually ranks higher than Philly in terms of total yards given up (i.e., meaning giving up fewer yards). So yards should be had by the Pack's backs, thus opening up the passing and play action game for Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers and his receivers should have a big game today against the Eagles undersized defensive backs.

Special teams play for the Packers hasn't really be special this season. Newly-acquired returner/wide receiver Tavon Austin might have a chance to make a big difference. He brings speed. And while expected to be active today, news just hit that reportedly he is not, meaning Tyler Ervin likely is healthy and active for the game. Great to have fast options either way. Will be interesting to see which way the Packers go with these two players today.

The Prediction

The Packers are winning and the Eagles have lost 3 in a row. Admittedly, and as crazy as it sounds with that record, Philly is still alive in the horrible NFC East Division so they do have something to play for today.

The oddsmakers have put the point spread at 8-1/2 to 9 points in favor of the Packers, depending upon who you're looking at. We think that sounds about right.

We're calling it Packers 31 - Eagles 20.

Go Pack Go!!!

2020 NFL Week 4: Packers vs. Falcons Preview and Prediction

The Green Bay Packers come into tonight's primetime game against the Atlanta Falcons at 3-0, looking fairly dominating in their performances to date, especially on offense. But before we say more, first, let's take a moment and raise a toast to that win in New Orleans last week. A great team win. We won't take the time to rehash it here. 

Back to tonight's game ... The offensive domination has been especially impressive given the team's top receiver, Davante Adams, hasn't played basically in the last 2 games and most likely will be held out again tonight despite his Tweet of early morning today indicating his frustration with that decision being taken out of his hands by management. The Falcons? Zero wins so far. Two 4th quarter lead collapses of epic proportions. But, they have weapons, including WR Julio Jones who is dressed and on the field right now for warmups. He seems to always have big games — of the 100-yard-plus variety — against the Pack. And they have QB Matt Ryan who can always go deep to receivers who can cover a lot of ground quickly.

Tonight will be a bit different for the Pack. QB Aaron Rodgers will be throwing to the B-squad receivers tonight. In addition to Adams being out, so will be Allen Lazard after a huge coming out game. It's likely there will be some other guys out, perhaps even Center Corey Linsley and, on defense, Jaire Alexander, to name just two.

So the Pack will not be firing on all cylinders tonight. Will the Falcons? And even if so, in what is a real desperation game for them (to avoid going 0-4), can they still beat the Packers?

The Prediction

The Packers come into this game favored by 7 points ... which always makes us nervous. So does the coming bye week, which can sometimes set up the current game as a trap game. Expect the Falcons to score points, expect them to go deep more than once, and likely score off those opportunities.

But the Packers have Rodgers, a creative play-caller in head coach Matt LaFleur, a versatile running back in Aaron Jones, and young tight ends who are coming on. Yes, they don't have their best wideouts in this game. But one or more of those young players will step up tonight and make a name for themselves. The Pack activated former CFL standout Reggie Begelton from the practice squad today so we may get a chance to see what he can bring to the field, too.

We think there will be a fair amount of points put up by both teams. But the Packers, unless they really are already checking out for the bye week, will put up more. And in the end, that's what matters. Let's hope the Pack can get up early and take some of the steam away from Atlanta. If that happens, the Pack will be 4-0 going into the bye.

We're calling it Packers 30 - Falcons 20.

Go Pack Go!!!

NFL Week 17: Packers vs Lions ... The End.

Week 17 of the 2017 NFL season brings with it, mercifully, the end of the Packers waylaid season. Striving to finish at 8-8 today against the Lions in Detroit, after beginning the season with Super Bowl hopes, the Pack will be hard-pressed to make that happen being without at least 7 starters. This will be essentially a preseason game for the Packers with lots of youth on display and probably not much else. Backup QB Brett Hundley needs all the help he can get and then some to score points; that will be in short supply today. The only thing that creates a possibility for avoiding another shutout is that the game is on the road where Hundley somehow performs marginally better.

The Prediction

Yes, we're getting this out of the way early for those who wish to move along quickly. While some players might be playing for contracts, or auditioning for other teams, playing for pride just doesn't seem to matter much lately. If it did, we wouldn't have seen the level of play -- even from back ups -- that we've seen over the last several weeks. Whether that's a coaching problem or player problem or even a general manager problem, the effect has been the same: poor play. Why would we expect that to change today? Don't.

The Lions are favored by 6-1/2 points. Let's see: Matthew Stafford at QB vs. Brett Hundley at QB? C'mon.

We're calling it Packers 10 - Lions 24.

Still...Go Pack Go!!!

After the Game...After the Season...

The now well-documented demise of this season began with the broken collarbone to QB Aaron Rodgers and an ongoing rash of injuries decimating virtually every other unit on the team. As we know, though, injuries don't explain all of the problems.

The autopsy of the 2017 Packers has been underway for weeks and will continue long into the post-season. It's not shocking. Word already has it the long-suffering (at least on the part of Packers fans) defensive coordinator Dom Capers is out once the season is over. Who will head coach Mike McCarthy choose to replace him? There are many good options, as this article by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's great writer, Tom Silverstein, points out.

Some talk has been floating that it's time for GM Ted Thompson to move on, despite one year remaining on his contract. We would be shocked if Packers President Mark Murphy were to force Thompson out before the end of that contract, even though there are mounting reasons it would be a wise move to make at this time. Expect Thompson to be pulling the trigger for the 2018 NFL Draft and free agency.

Thompson did get an early start on the offseason in the last several days signing WR Davante Adams and C Corey Linsley to contract extension. Wise moves, although the money for a three-times-concussed Adams might be a bit on the high side. Time will tell.

Again, we'll have plenty of time to dissect this past season and project our collective hopes onto next season in the weeks and months ahead. We'll be seeing you around. Be sure to follow us on Twitter for more real-time commentary!  :-)

2016 NFL Week 9: Packers vs. Colts Preview and Prediction

The Green Bay Packers play their only home game during the month of November today at Lambeau Field vs. the Indianapolis Colts. After today, it's three straight games on the road, continuing the goofy schedule they were dealt this season by the league.

Coming off a 1-point loss in Atlanta to the Falcons last week, the Colts might be what the doctored ordered to get the Pack another home win before starting that tough road stretch.

While the Colts have one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Andrew Luck, they also have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. With the number of sacks they have given up, Luck should be getting hazardous duty pay...oh wait...he's overpaid already...never mind.

The key thing is that Luck should be under steady pressure today from the Packers defense. If the front seven can get regular pressure on him, his group of reliable receivers shouldn't be able to take advantage of the still-wounded Packers secondary. The defense will still have to account for veteran RB Frank Gore, though. While not capable of carrying the ball 25 or 30 times a game like he used to, he can still cause damage if left unchecked, whether running the ball out of the backfield or as a receiver.

Packers WR Randall Cobb is likely out
for today's game against the Colts.
Photo by Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports
On the other side of things, QB Aaron Rodgers returned to form last week despite the loss. With no running game to speak of, the Pack has gone to using receivers out of the backfield when and where possible -- Ty Montgomery should be in the backfield today -- although it's possible we may see more of RB Don Jackson today, too. But the Colts woeful secondary should present plenty of opportunities for Rodgers and his many receivers. Expect a lot of passes again today from Rogers.

One change to the starting offensive line today is that C Corey Linsley has come off the PUP list to replace the now-injured J.C. Tretter. It will be interesting to see how he does given all the time missed in getting into game shape.

The Prediction
The Packers are favored by 7 points at the time of this writing. The over-under points is projected at 53.5, which is the largest total for this weekend's games. In other words, the oddsmakers think there will be a lot of points scored between the two teams, and that the Packers will win. That's a likely scenario. But we also think the majority of those projected points, today, will be going the Packers way. Yay.

We're calling it 34-24 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

NFL Week 15: Packers vs Raiders

The Green Bay Packers and the Oakland Raiders meet today for a rare game between the two franchises. The Packers, with a win today (or a loss by either Washington or the New York Giants) will secure their seventh consecutive post-season appearance. Are we spoiled or what, Packer fans? Answer: yes. Believe it or not, this accomplishment under head coach Mike McCarthy is something that no other coach in Packers history achieved. Again, this has never been achieved before in Packers history! In the language of this Christmas season, let us rejoice and be glad!

The 6-7 Raiders are still in the AFC playoff hunt, as well. They are a young and upcoming team, no doubt about it. Oakland GM -- and former Packers personnel man -- Reggie McKenzie has taken the lessons he learned in Green Bay and is building the Raiders accordingly. He's got big offensive and defensive linemen, including a sack-monster in the person of linebacker Khalil Mack, a hot young quarterback in Derek Carr, formidable receivers in veteran Michael Crabtree and rookie Amari Cooper, and a wise old veteran in the defensive backfield by the name of Charles Woodson, who made a habit of intercepting Packers QB Aaron Rodgers in practice when he was in the Green 'n' Gold.

Packers offensive linemen will have to contain LB Khalil Mack if they hope to come away with a win in Oakland.
(Photo by Jim Matthews/Press-Gazette Media)
But seeing how the Packers kicked the Cowboys to the curb last Sunday we can certainly feel a bit more confident going into this game than we might have been had the game been played a week or two earlier. It seems as if some of what ailed the Packers -- primarily a lackluster offense -- was cured in that game...or at least, we hope so. Rodgers and his receivers finally looked as if they were back on the same page of the playbook, the special teams players, particularly Jeff Janis, were in full-on mode, and the thunder-and-lightning running combo of Eddie Lacy and James Starks racked up rushing yardage that the team hadn't seen logged in years.

The only player listed as questionable today is C Corey Linsley, but it can certainly be argued that J.C. Tretter resumed his starter role without missing a beat. The offensive line is still a bit beat up, but who isn't at this time of the season. They need to do what they did last week and if running early and often is what gets them into beast mode, then by all means, Coach McCarthy, run! Of course, we still expect Rodgers and company to have a good day, as well...especially if that running game can help keep Khalil Mack from bull rushing on every dropback.

The Packers defense today should take care of business. They are holding opposing offenses to an average of 15.6 points per game. That's pretty darn good, especially when you expect Rodgers et al to put up at least 17 points in their sleep (at least, on a good day).

The Prediction
We know the Raiders, especially coming off their upset win in Denver last week, will be playing with gusto to keep their playoff hopes alive. That effort will go up a notch, if that's possible, with the Raiders playing at home. The Packers are playing for playoff positioning, too, of course. So, there's that. The Packers are the better team, but that still didn't stop them from losing to Detroit and Da Bears at Lambeau, did it? This game, in The Black Pit of Oakland, will certainly not be easy. The Pack will have to be at their best, as they were last week, in order to come away with the win.

But if the Packers do what they should do, the current 3-1/2 point spread in favor of the Packers should hold.

We're calling this game 24-17 in favor of the Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers whack Vikings, get ready to smack Bears

The rejoicing over the Green Bay Packers 30-13 victory Sunday over the up-and-coming Minnesota Vikings is still continuing several days later. At least among Packer fans. While the players also feel much better from an attitude standpoint than they have in the last month, they didn't have much time to celebrate the big NFC North Division win. After all, the rival Chicago Bears come to Lambeau Field Thanksgiving night. It's a short turnaround for both teams. But the Pack come in with a much-needed win while Da Bears arrive following a loss to Denver in Chicago.

Since the players can't take time to recount Sunday's glories, however, allow us to do so briefly.

First, kicker Mason Crosby did what had never been done before in NFL history: kick -- and, more importantly, make -- five field goals of more than 40 yards each in a single game. Wow. Congratulations, Mr. Crosby! I guess you could say he more than made up for that clunker in the closing seconds of the loss to the Lions the week before.

Secondly, RB Eddie Lacy, despite not getting the start, rushed for 100 yards on 22 carries, shaking off not only ViQueen defenders in the process but also the doubters among the Packers faithful who were beginning to wonder, "What's wrong with Eddie?". Apparently, not much when the O-line does its job opening holes and Eddie decides to make decisive cuts. Yay.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers regained some of his mojo against the Vikings on Sunday.
(Photo by Ann Heisenfelt, File/Associated Press)
QB Aaron Rodgers, after a few weeks of looking not-at-all-Aaron-Rodgers-esque, regained a good portion of his mojo, throwing for two touchdowns. His 16-for-34 passing for 212 yards still wasn't outstanding -- Rodgers at less than 50% completion rate? C'mon! -- but he did hit important third down conversions that had almost been non-existent in recent weeks. WR James Jones accounted for nearly half of Rodgers' passing yards, catching six balls for 109 yards and one fantastic TD that is the stuff of highlight reels; Jones had practically disappeared from action in the prior weeks' losses.

Kudos also go to a banged up offensive line for doing a much better job than had been the case recently. Despite losing starting center Corey Linsley in the first quarter (replaced by J.C. Tretter who didn't miss a beat), the line performed admirably.

As for the Packers defense, which hadn't gotten a sack in the last three games, they came up huge on Sunday, accounting for six quarterback sacks. ViQueens QB Teddy Bridgewater was under pressure constantly. The Packers "D" dominated Minnesota from start to finish. Perhaps nowhere was this seen more than in the shutdown of star RB Adrian Peterson who had just 45 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown. He also lost a fumble at the Packers 21 early in the fourth quarter which was a huge turnover and game-changer.

Anyway, it was a win. A big win, as the Pack took control of the NFC North. While still tied with the Vikes at 7-3, the Packers hold the tiebreaker by virtue of this win.

Bring on Da Bears!
Any game against Chicago is epic. The fact this will be a Thanksgiving game played in Green Bay will only be the second such occasion since 1923. Yeah, that's right: 1923. The historic series stands at 93-92 in favor of Da Bearz, so the Pack can get things back to square with this win Thanksgiving night.

But as important as these historic aspects are for this game, there is another: the retirement of former QB Brett Favre's number to the Ring of Honor in Lambeau Field, forever to be immortalized among the Packer greats...as if that wasn't already the case. Another element to this halftime event will be the appearance of Packer great Bart Starr who, in all likelihood, will be making his last appearance at Lambeau Field. After serious health issues over the last year or so (heart attack and stroke), Starr is lucky to still be with us according to all reports. He's gone through a great deal of physical and mental rehab work to be on hand when Favre's number joins his among the Packer legends. He and Brett always had a great relationship and it could be suggested that Favre delayed this whole event so that Starr could be on hand. To say it will be an emotional moment is an understatement. The only thing that could put a damper on the festivities is the weather, with rain currently forecast for the evening.

We'll be back tomorrow with our Packers vs. Da Bearz preview and prediction. So, stay tuned to PackerFansUnited.com, Packer fans.

Go Pack Go!!!

Bye-Bye Bye Week, Hello Bears Week!

The Green Bay Packers went into their mid-season bye week on a down note last week. After reeling off four consecutive wins, the road trip to New Orleans saw the Pack face a rather desperate Saints team on its home turf where they usually come away with a win. And they did.

Still, at 5-3 at the mid-point of the 2014 NFL season, the Packers are right where we thought they’d be (see our season preview and prediction here).

Monday News
Yesterday, the Packers made several moves, only one roster related. The team extended head coach Mike McCarthy’s contract another five years. Effectively, McCarthy, GM Ted Thompson, and QB Aaron Rodgers are pretty much hitched to the same wagon for the next half-decade. We’ll assume most Packer fans are pretty happy with that arrangement. The one main knock on McCarthy, despite a string of consecutive NFC North Championships, playoffs in six of his eight years, and winning one Super Bowl, is that his defenses under defensive coordinator Dom Capers have been inconsistent to put it mildly and downright dreadful to be blunt. How McCarthy will up the ante in the second half of this season and beyond as regards his defenses may well tell the tale of whether he adds another Lombardi Trophy to his list of accomplishments. Offensively, they have things covered. Defensively…not so much.

The other move of the day on Monday was the release of 2011 first-round pick Derek Sherrod to make room for the return from the Injured Reserve – Designated for Return list of center/offensive lineman, J.C. Tretter. Tretter’s return will add some much needed depth to a sparse Packers offensive line. While slated to be the starter at center this season, an early injury opened the way for rookie Corey Linsley to take over the job. He has performed so well that replacing him with Tretter at this point is not even being considered. Instead, look for the Packers to use Tretter as back-up at either of the two guard positions, and at center, of course, should Linsley suffer an injury.


Derek Sherrod was released by the Packers Monday
Photo by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
As for Sherrod, three-and-a-half years into his pro career, with roughly two years spent sidelined due to a horrible leg injury, the Packers finally decided to cut bait. There was, according to reports, no shortage of effort on the part of the young man to get back onto the field and be productive. Everyone raved about his character. But as the season opener clearly showed for the world to see, when Sherrod was placed in the role of having to play tackle and protect Aaron Rodgers, he couldn’t do it physically. It was time to let him go and they finally did. We wish nothing but the best for Mr. Sherrod going forward.

Here come Da Bearz!
With the bye week behind them, the Packers find themselves in second place in the NFC North behind the surprising Detroit Lions. First up on the schedule is the foe from south of the border, the Chicago Bears, who now find themselves in last place in the division at 3-5. Desperation will accompany them to Lambeau Field for the Sunday night contest, as a loss will likely doom any outside chance Da Bearz have of making the playoffs barring a miraculous turnaround. Considering the chaos that has been widely reported in recent weeks surrounding the team, a miracle of that nature seems unlikely. This is somewhat of a do-or-die game for Chicago if they hope to stay within spitting distance of the Packers and Detroit.

The Packers can do their part this weekend by keeping Da Bearz down. With only one win in his career against the Packers, don’t expect Jay Cutler to author one on this occasion. Yes, the odds at some point should turn in his favor. Even a blind squirrel finds a few nuts once in a while, as the saying goes. And, granted, Chicago has many weapons on offense. Running back Matt Forte could chew up what has been a miserable run defense on the part of the Packers. If Chicago has any chance for a win at Green Bay Sunday, they should hand the ball to Forte at least 30 times during the game.

On the other hand, if the Packers can figure out a way to minimize Forte’s impact and put the game in the hands of Cutler, the Packers should come away with interceptions and seal a win, particularly if the Pack can get up early and force Chicago to play from behind, a scenario which is clearly not in their favor despite their acknowledged receiving talent.

As we get closer to game time, be sure to visit us again for updates. The Pack is currently listed as 7-1/2 point favorites, with a high-scoring game expected by the oddsmakers. Keep up to date on all the latest by visiting our Amazing 2nd Page! and by following us on Twitter.

Week 3: Packers vs. Lions Preview & Prediction

Today, the Green Bay Packers begin a stretch of games in which they will play half of their division schedule in about 11 days: Detroit Lions today, Chicago Bears next Sunday, and the Minnesota ViQueens the following Thursday evening. Only the last is a home game. It's a tough and critical stretch. (Thank you, Captain Obvious!)

At 1-1, and with the first of these three divisional games on the schedule today, the Packers need to return home with a victory in Detroit. Despite the Lions being 2 to 2-1/2-point favorites -- home field advantage factor -- the Packers should win this game. Not that it probably won't be a shoot out (don't you hate double negatives in a sentence?). There are two good quarterbacks -- one better than the other, certainly -- who can put up points quickly and often if allowed to do so. One is also more prone to making bonehead throws. We'll let you figure out which is which between Lions QB Matthew Stafford and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers. (Calling Captain Obvious, calling Captain Obvious...)

The Lions have a very fine defensive front which will likely make it difficult for the Packers to get a running game going today. That's something they haven't yet been able to do well this season, and it's unlikely RB Eddie Lacey, James Starks or DuJuan Harris will see much running room today. But Rodgers should have a big day passing as the Lions' secondary has injuries and was questionable to begin with.

On offense, the Lions have Calvin Johnson. He'll be working on the much smaller Sam Shields probably for most of the day. It will be a challenge for the Packers, as it is for every team, trying to defend Johnson. He'll score, certainly. The trick is not to let him score a lot. If the Pack can get a pass rush on Stafford, he will make bad throws into coverage. That will be the key on that side of the ball.

For the Packers, just taking a look at this infographic (courtesy of State Farm) should give you, dear reader, a clue as to how things should go...

With a win today, the Packers will have attained 700 wins in franchise history, joining Da Bearz as the only teams in the NFL to have ever reached this milestone. (Da Bearz?! How'd they get in there...?)

Rodgers is also 9-1 in games against the Lions. As the stats in the graphic indicate, he always seems to do well. We should expect another similar performance from Rodgers today. WR Jordy Nelson and the other receivers should have a big day going against the Lions secondary.

At the time of this writing, however, it's not yet clear whether RT Bryan Bulaga will start or we'll be relying on Derek Sherrod once again. That could be a big factor in the game. Last week, the Packers had to keep a tight end in to help Sherrod block, which effectively took away that threat in the passing game. Whether Bulaga plays or not is viewed here as more of a factor than rookie center Corey Linsley going against Ndamukong Suh. That won't be a cake-walk either, but Sherrod is certainly not a tackle you want to rely on for very long, especially without help.

Prediction
Without further ado (or needless blathering on about this or that...you can find enough of that as it is), today's prediction is: Packers 27 - Lions 24.

We hope it's not that close. The score for the Packers could well be more than 30 points. But if the Pack's defense is able to keep the Lions to 24 points or less -- as we expect -- the Packers will come away with a "W."

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers vs. Seahawks in 2014 NFL Season Opener: Tonight's the Night!

In a totally gratuitous paraphrase of Robert Frost, there are now just hours to go before we cheer. And hours to go before we cheer.

Yes, Packer fans (and those who wish they were), tonight is the 2014 NFL season kickoff. And it can't get any better than this: the Green Bay Packers visit Seattle to take on the Super Bowl Champion Seahawks. Let us be quick to remind everyone, however, that while Seattle won it all last season, it's a new season now and there are more than a few pundits who are picking the Pack to win it all. They'd get things off to a great start by beating the 'hawks. And there will be no doofus replacement referee to help Seattle steal a victory, either.

It goes without saying (then why am I saying it?) that this will be no easy task tonight. The Packers are 6-point underdogs at the time of this writing. Seattle is the loudest stadium in the league. The Packers are starting a rookie at center across from a dominant veteran nose tackle, have a new defensive scheme which we really haven't yet seen on display at all in the preseason, and have some unproven talent at tight end. But, the Packers also have a few things going for them. Do the names Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Clay Matthews, Tramon Williams and Julius Peppers ring a bell?

Packers RB Eddie Lacy
(Photo by Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Now, Seattle also has weapons. Lots of them. On both offense and defense. QB Russell Wilson, RB Marshawn Lynch, and CB Richard Sherman to name just a few. Unless the Packers' defense plays with an intensity not seen much last season, the Packers will probably lose by a nose. Now, don't get me wrong, Packer fans: I'm not saying the Pack will lose, only that it certainly isn't beyond the realm of comprehension given the place and the opponent.

Will the Packers offense put up points on this tough defense? Yes, despite not being able to hear signals and relying primarily on hand motions and body language from Aaron Rodgers to make play calls. The biggest challenge for the offense will be to help rookie center Corey Linsley handle the pressure of the moment and that across the line from him. Packers coaches and Rodgers are confident Linsley is ready. The Packers will also have their hurry-up, no-huddle offense to keep the Seattle defense on their heels and prevent them from making situational substitutions. The Packers goal is to have 70 plays on offense. If they do that, they will likely win. They need to keep Russell Wilson et al off the field and control the time of possession.

Our game prediction?
Not to cut preview analysis (is that even possible?) short, but I will. It's going to be tight, but the first game of the season is probably the best time to take on Seattle, even in Seattle.

We're calling this one 27-24 in favor of the Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers on cut-down day

The Green Bay Packers wrapped up their 2014 preseason campaign with a win at Lambeau Field versus the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. Score? Does it matter?

No starters played, with the exception of rookie and new starting center, Corey Linsley, who needs the work after the loss of J.C. Tretter in the prior game against the Raiders. Several backup players got hurt who might have contributed this season; now, not so much...or at all. There was a distinct quarterback competition for the number 2 spot behind Aaron Rodgers. While both Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzein performed well, the edge (in this writer's opinion) went to Tolzein who just has a stronger arm and bigger upside than Flynn. We'd like to see the Pack keep all 3 QBs, but whether the roster numbers will allows for that is another matter altogether.

But we won't have to wait long for the answer to this and the other question of the day: who's making the final 53-man roster and who's getting cut? Each team must submit their cuts to the league office by 3 p.m. CT.

If you're looking to get the early inside information, you can do no better than Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Tom Silverstein's Packers Blog which has the running updates of cuts. Check it out and then check back here over the weekend for our take on all the moves today and tomorrow.

Packers meet Chiefs in 2014 preseason finale

In the final game of the 2014 preseason, the Green Bay Packers take on the Kansas City Chiefs this evening at Lambeau Field. This is essentially the "make-it-or-break-it" game for those players looking to grab a coveted spot on the final 53-man roster come this Saturday. We won't see much if anything of the starters. Although rookie and newly-slotted starting center, Corey Linsley, will likely get lots of work since being thrust into the starting spot following the revelation of J.C. Tretter's injury in last week's game against the Raiders.

Other than that, it will be the bubble game: players on the bubble of making the squad or not will have perhaps just a few plays in which to make an impression. It's a nervous time for those players, as well as the coaches and general manager who will have to make the difficult decisions over the next couple days as to who stays and who goes. To this last point, be sure to check out Tyler Dunne's synopsis of Ted Thompson's new conference from yesterday in which he talks a bit about some of these issues.

As for the game tonight, it doesn't matter whether the Packers win or lose, really, does it? What matters is that all players escape without injury and that Thompson, McCarthy et al get the information they need to put the Packers on the road to the Super Bowl.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers 2014 Draft Review: Rounds 4-7

The 2014 NFL Draft for the Green Bay Packers (and the rest of the league, of course) wound down this afternoon. The Packers had nine picks going into the draft; they made four yesterday (see prior post) and five today. Contrary to form, GM Ted Thompson stayed pat with the selections the team started with...no wheeling and dealing, no moving up or down, no Trader Ted. How unusual. But, all in all, it looks as if Thompson and the Packers' brain trust had very good reasons for sticking with their allotted selections. All the players selected -- even the later round picks -- could potentially make the team. They were the best available athletes available, and they met needs. The only real need going into the draft that was not addressed was inside linebacker. When asked about that in his post-draft press conference, Thompson reportedly replied that "It just didn't work out." So it goes.

So who are the latest additions to the team?

Top row L-R: Carl Bradford, Corey Linsley.
Bottom row L-R: Jared Abbrederis, Demetri Goodson, Jeff Janis.

ROUND	NUMBER	PLAYER	POSITION	SCHOOL
4	121	Carl Bradford	OLB	Arizona St.
5	161	Corey Linsley	C	Ohio State
5	176 (compensatory)	Jared Abbrederis	WR	Wisconsin
6	197	Demetri Goodson	CB	Baylor
7	236	Jeff Janis	WR	Saginaw Valley State

Analysis on each player can be found here; kudos to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for providing a great overview of the newest Packers.

Our take?
In general, we like the Packers' picks very much. Given where the Pack was picking and the depth available, these picks makes sense. And, as noted earlier, it would seem at least on paper that each of these players from top to bottom has a chance to make the final roster. A lot of things will obviously play out between now and the start of the season. But we grade this an A- draft, given that inside linebacker was not addressed. But other than that...?

We especially like the fact that, for the first time in his tenure as Packers GM, Thompson finally drafted a player from the University of Wisconsin. Finally! Jared Abbrederis, some felt, dropped a bit in the draft because of his conussion history. But sitting there at number 176 -- a compensatory pick, that cannot be traded, by the way -- Abbrederis was just too good to pass up. Personally, we're very happy he got the call from 1265 Lombardi Avenue. Another former Badger we would have liked to have seen the Packers get was ILB Chris Borland. Unfortunately, he wound up going about eight selections ahead of the Packers in the third round...to the (ew!) 49ers. Dang!

Next up for all teams is signing undrafted free agents. These players are much more of a long-shot to make a team, but they can and do. Let's see if Thompson gets an inside linebacker and quarterback in that group. Here's betting he does.

Ah...football! Nothing better. And especially nothing better than being a Packer fan!

Go Pack Go!!!

If you have anything to say about this draft, here's your chance. We don't open up for comments very often, so make it good.