Week 12: Packers vs. Vikings Preview and Prediction

It's about 90 minutes until kickoff between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis. Gone are the days of playing in the Humpty Dump and its piped-in crowd noise, replaced this season with the outdoor home field of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

But regardless of the venue these days, the Vikings are still the ViQueens. A team with a rookie quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, who will be good -- perhaps very good -- given a few more years in the NFL. But for now, he's still a rookie and one without many offensive weapons. RB Adrian Peterson is still on indefinite suspension by the league and depth for his replacement is an issue for Minnesota, although rookie third-round draft pick Jerick McKinnon has performed nicely, rushing for 489 yards overall and a 4.9-yards-per-carry average. You have to respect that, and the Packers had better. For receivers, you have to believe Greg Jennings wishes he had stayed in Green Bay. Do you ever hear of him any more? The 'Queens' offensive line is average at best and could be in for a long day if the Packers defensive scheme continues to perform at the same level as the last few weeks.

The 'Queens' defense, at least along the front seven, is probably it's strong suit. RE Everson Griffen may cause Packers LT David Bakhtiari problems. He leads his team in both sacks and quarterback hits. He will have to be accounted for and Bakhtiari will have to be up to the challenge or it could cause problems for Aaron Rodgers and the passing game. WLB Chad Greenway has played every snap and recorded 47 tackles in the last four games since returning from a broken rib that kept him out of the first game against the Pack. He likewise will have to be accounted for and handled. Greenway is a gamer and a good one. At age 31 and after 9 years in the league, he's perhaps not as fast as he once was. But he's still a smart ballplayer and can be a disruptive factor.

The weak spot in the Minnesota defense is the secondary. Some capable, but young, players there. Just the kind that Rodgers and his receiving corps can exploit if Rodgers is given protection.

Randall Cobb grabs a TD pass against Minnesota at Lambeau Field
Photo by Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The other part of that equation, of course, especially in a game where rain is possible, is a sound running game led by Eddie Lacy. We should expect head coach Mike McCarthy to call plays which not only allow Lacy to run from scrimmage, but to get him on the outside for screens and set up opportunities for yardage after the catch, which we have seen in recent games is something Lacy is getting better and better at.

Predicton
The 'Queens didn't play well against Chicago last week, particularly on defense. Expect them to come out fired up, especially in the first half where things could be tight. But over the course of the game, barring injuries or turnovers, the Packers' talent should take over at some point. In some recent games, that has happened very early and other teams have then be forced to try to play catch up. Ideally, that same scenario would apply today. We should get an indication of a fast start or a first-half dogfight early on. If Minnesota has to play from behind...well, good luck with that, Minnesota.

The Packers are favored by either 8 or 9 points going into this game, depending upon who you are looking at. We think this game should be a wider spread than that if things stay true to form. The over-under is 49.5 points. So scoring is anticipated...you have to assume it's skewed in the Pack's favor.

We're calling this 38-17 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers get two compensatory picks

Today was the day that the NFL in its generosity handed out -- assigned, actually -- compensatory draft picks to teams who lost players in free agency last season. The Packers got an additional third round pick for Greg Jennings and another fifth round pick for Erik Walden.

Here's how the Packers go into the upcoming NFL Draft:

• R1: 21
• R2: 53
• R3: 85
• R3: 98 (comp)
• R4: 121
• R5: 161
• R5: 176 (comp)
• R6: 197
• R7: 236

You can see the full draft order here.

Now, we all know that "Trader Ted" Thompson likes to move around and pick up more picks, if possible. That usually involves trading down somewhere along the way. There's been some speculation, because of the depth of the draft, that the Packers might trade out of the #21 position. It's possible that Thompson might move down a few spots to pick up an additional draft choice if he feels he can meet his needs with one of the players high on their draft board. I think it's equally likely that if "the guy" is there they want Thompson will select at #21 and then worry about other moves later. Time will tell.

In a related note, it now turns out that with compensatory picks included, the 49ers now have six picks in the top 100. The rich get richer.

Don't you just love that we're really starting to get into football talk again, Packer fans? Oh, yes. Yes, indeed.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers stomp Vikings, 44-31

It was, quite simply, a beat down of the woeful Minnesota Vikings by the ascending Green Bay Packers. It was a game of domination by the Packers on both sides of the ball. But don't just take my word for it. Look at the facts:

• Fact: the Packers possessed the ball for more than 40 minutes of the game.
• Fact: the Packers scored on every possession with the exception of the last, when QB Aaron Rodgers took a knee a few times in victory formation to run out the clock.

• Fact: Aaron Rodgers can make even practice squad receivers look good.
• Fact: Running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks provide a powerful and explosive one-two punch of a rushing attack.
• Fact: LT David Bakhtiari made ViQueen DE Jared Allen a non-factor all evening; Allen is nowhere to be seen in the defensive stats -- no tackles, no sacks, no pressures...nada.
• Fact: The Packers defense held last year's league MVP, 'Queens RB Adrian Peterson, to just 60 yards on 13 carries, roughly half his typical career average against the Pack.
• Fact: Cornerback and returner Micah Hyde makes himself more valuable to this team every game; in this game he had a 93-yard punt return for a touchdown.
• Fact: The Packers defense, despite so many injuries, is pretty darn good (although they tend to let up on the peddle late in the game and give up garbage points).
• Fact: Jordy Nelson has to be the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL.
• Fact: 'Queens WR Greg Jennings -- after an offseason full of trash-talking about his former team, teammates and QB -- had one reception for nine yards.
• Fact: Greg Jennings is starting to realize that you're only a "receiver" if you have someone who can actually throw you the ball...you know...like a quarterback. We can assume Jennings' post-game suck-up to Rodgers was very much a serving of humble pie for Mr. Jennings.
• Fact: There is a textual error in the Rodgers image above...do you see it? (Extra reward points if you do!)

We could go on and on and on. But anyone who watched or listened to the game already knows what went down. That would be the ViQueens...big time.

Da Bearz are coming to Lambeau

Next up for the Packers Monday evening: Da Bearz. Who, while not in as bad a world of hurt as the 'Queens are at present, still are...not good. QB Jay Cutler is out, LB Lance Briggs is out...they have problems. Still, it's certainly no walk-over for the Pack. But if the Packers play the way they did last night, they can stay with any team, and put most away. We'll have more on the Packers vs. Da Bearz later in the week and as game time approaches.

Until then...just really savor this delicious win, Packer fans. And...Go Pack Go!!!

Week 8: Packers vs. Vikings Preview

Tonight's game between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings will be the first meeting between the two teams this season and the last ever in the stadium generally referred to as the Humpty Dump. While the site of some epic battles between these two NFC North Division opponents over the years, players and fans alike will be glad to get into new surroundings next season.

But that's a side story to tonight's primetime game, obviously one of those scheduling decisions which didn't work out perhaps as well as imagined at the time it was set. The Packers, after all, are coming into the game atop the division at 4-2 riding a three-game winning streak despite a plethora of injuries, while the ViQueens are bringing up the bottom at 1-5 with a two-game losing streak and a mess at quarterback.

In our early-week glance at this game, we stated: "Packers and ViQueens is always a tough game, particularly when played in Minnesota. Even with the depleted roster the Packers are playing with right now, they should still win the game against this group of ViQueens. Especially if the 'Queens make the decision to start Freeman at quarterback once again."

Well, despite playing the entire game versus the Giants in a losing -- and inept -- effort Monday night, newly-acquired QB Josh Freeman will not play tonight. The decision was made earlier in the week. It was announced, to the surprise of many, that Freeman had actually sustained a concussion during the Giants game and would not be cleared to play against the Packers. Hmmm. How convenient. The announcement was met with some skepticism by pundits around the country. How was it that Freeman was not identified as being concussed during the Giants game? Some even asserted that Freeman or, more likely, the 'Queens, was faking the injury so Freeman wouldn't be fed to the Packers this weekend. We will make no such assertions here, but rather we leave it to you, dear readers, to come to your own conclusions.

So instead of a clearly not-ready-for-primetime Josh Freeman at quarterback, the Packers will instead see Christian Ponder. Ponder, as some have described him, is a capable quarterback. Not great, but if given protection and time, can execute a game plan and keep the 'Queens in the game. Especially with lots of handoffs to RB Adrian Peterson.

Let's not forget Greg Jennings

One of the best Packers receivers over the past seven years had been Greg Jennings. He was the epitome of class. Until he turned down more money to stay with the Packers and instead went to where many Packers' castoffs go, Minnesota. Then he began bad-rapping the Packers, Aaron Rodgers, you name it. Turns out he might have been a bit bitter. Now, when he has to line up against his old teammates, he claims all that mouthing off was just kidding around. Let's just hope Tramon Williams and the other D-backs hold Jennings to as few catches and yards as possible tonight. It will be a reminder to him that you're only as good a receiver as the guy throwing you the ball. Aaron Rodgers? Or Ponder, Freeman, Cassell...how's that all working out for you, Greg???

What's it going to be?
The 'Queens secondary is woeful, meaning Packers QB Aaron Rodgers should have a big day despite the loss of some of his best receivers. Throw in a now solid running game and it will be enough to give Minnesota fits all day. That's not to say that Minnesota DEs Jared Allen and Brian Robison won't cause some problems, especially with Allen going against Packers rookie LT David Bakhtiari. Still, Bakhtiari has held up well in each game against other good talent and we would expect him to do so tonight, as well.

Minnesota's offensive hopes rest on the legs of league MVP Adrian Peterson. The Packers can't give him any room to run, and they can't arm tackle. Peterson will get his yards, it's expected. But as long as there are no major game-long breakdowns in the Packers defense, Peterson won't be enough to overcome the ViQueens many other woes.

The Packers are favored by anywhere from 7-1/2 to 8-1/2 points depending upon who you are looking at for your line, with an over-under 47-1/2.

We're calling this game 31-20 in favor of the Packers.

It will be a battle, as these divisional games always are regardless of records, and it may even be close for a good portion of the game. But the Packers will separate and maintain the lead until the final seconds tick away, maintaining their lock atop the NFC North.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers training camp has begun!

At 8:20 a.m. CT this morning, Green Bay Packers coaches and players hit the practice field for the first time as summer training camp got underway. Head coach Mike McCarthy has indicated in talks with reporters that the reason for the 8:20 a.m. start time for nine of the team's initial morning practice sessions during camp is that he feels it will more closely approximate a typical game day schedule (at least in terms of getting the players up early) and help endurance. You can find a full training camp practice schedule here.

One of the initial observations coming out these early moments in camp is that instead of doing a jog through as is often the case, McCarthy reportedly had the number one offense going against the number two defense for a while. Nothing like jumping right into the fire.

PUP list
Starting camp on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) are seven players: OT Derek Sherrod (leg), DE Jerel Worthy (knee), RB DuJuan Harris (knee), S Sean Richardson (neck), OT JC Tretter (ankle), DE Mike Neal (abdomen) and S Chaz Powell (unknown). LB Jamari Latttimore was also placed on the non-football injury list.

There are no real shockers on this list other than Mike Neal, who was at and performed well during offseason OTAs and minicamp. No doubt more will come out about Neal's status as camp takes shape.

A disgruntled Greg Jennings?
It's not unusual for a pro athlete these days to bad mouth his former team, particularly if they felt they were not treated fairly or respected somewhere along the way. But Greg Jennings?

Now that he is with the ViQueens, Jennings has been mouthing off about the Packers and especially QB Aaron Rodgers. We won't dignify Jennings' comments by repeating them here as they are really not worthy of comment. Coach McCarthy said it best in his press conference yesterday when asked about Jennings' statements: "When you put on that purple, something happens to you." Yes indeed. And considering Minnesota is where some formerly great Packers players go to soon regret their new existence, it should be no surprise that Jennings is having his moment of ViQueen remorse by venting against his old team. That's OK, Greg. Good luck with that new guy throwing the ball in your general vicinity. What's his name? Oh yeah, Christian Ponder. Hope that works out well for you. I'm sure that will be much better for your career. (Insert sarcastic snort here.)

That's about all we have time for at the moment, Packer fans. But this is the beginning of the fun. Always great to see who emerges in training camp that is a total surprise. Wonderful to get the football juices flowing again, isn't it? You bet. It's great to be a Packer fan!

Say it with me: Go Pack Go!!!

What can we count on, Packers fans?

One of the things you can count on in the NFL offseason is that there really isn't much to count on. Oh, sure, there are draftee signings, undrafted free agent signings, veteran free agents moving from team to team, and so on. Even some rookie camps and OTAs. But aside from that...?

After all, who could have counted on the Packers braintrust deciding to flip-flop the offensive line? (Even though the consensus, it seems, among many Packer fans is that this is certainly worth trying in order to keep Mr. Rodgers a bit more upright than in past seasons.) Or that the Packers would be heading into this season without the veteran leadership provided by Donald Driver, Charles Woodson and Greg Jennings? What about the possibility of having an actual rushing attack for the first time in what seems like a generation...anyone here see that one coming? And yet, two big draft picks -- Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin -- may fill that void in a way not seen in Green Bay in ages. What about the defense? Did anyone here count on DE Mike Neal being tried out at outside linebacker? Who'da thunk it?!

But we can count on one more OTA from June 11-14, which is interestingly preceded by mandatory minicamp June 4-6. Packers players will report for the start of training camp July 25, with the first practice on Friday, July 26. Then, we can almost taste the football in the air. (Wait...that doesn't sound so appetizing, does it? Well, you know what I meant...I hope...)

Football will be with us in less than 100 days from now. So stay tuned. As long-time readers of PackerFansUnited.com know, as we get closer to the start of stuff that matters we begin to ramp up our coverage. Until then, for those who need their daily fantasy sports, you'll just have to find other ways to keep entertained.

Please keep checking back with us. Follow us on Twitter (@packfansunited). We appreciate you stopping by and spending a few moments of your valuable time with us. We hope to make it worth your while more often than not.

Go Pack Go!!!

Greg Jennings does some Ponder-ing

After signing his big deal (five years, $47.5 million, $18 million guaranteed), former Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings had a moment of reflection...Ponder-ing, one might say...

We have some catching up to do

It's been a while since our last post here, Packer fans. Far too long, in fact. Our apologies. Several reasons for that. Among them, the bad taste (still) of the loss to San Francisco in the playoffs. That's one that has stuck with us -- and many Packer fans -- for a long time. We won't rehash it...just check our last post for the angst-ridden post-mortem of that game. Another reason for the lapse between posts...something akin to the "interregnum" between Popes...not that anyone here retired or anything. Nor was there the gathering of Packer fans in foam cheeseheads electing a new leader here. It was just a time for a break. And, let's be honest. There really wasn't much going on except talking about what had happened and what might happen. (Wait...isn't that what we're still doing? Isn't that really about all we can do even now?)

But now that free agency has been in play for several days and the draft is upcoming at the end of next month...well, things start to get a bit real again, don't they?

So, let's just catch up on a few things that have happened since we last gathered here, shall we? This is by no means a comprehensive list. More of a top-of-mind thing. You can fill in the gaps.

• WR Donald Driver officially retired.
• CB/S and future Hall of Famer Charles Woodson was released.
• DE Johnny Jolly got reinstated by the NFL and the Packers (seemingly) have decided to give him another chance.
• LB A.J. Hawk took a pay cut and agreed to restructure his contract.
• LB Robert Francois was re-signed.
• WR Greg Jennings was not re-signed in free agency and wound up signing a five-year, $47.5 million(!) deal with the ViQueens, joining a long list of former Packers over the years who the 'Queens have scavenged from the Pack...oh, and Minnesota still hasn't won a Super Bowl.
• TE, human tatto canvas, and all-around fun guy Tom Crabtree was also allowed to explore free agency and the gamble by the Packers failed; Crabtree has apparently reached a deal with Tampa Bay. Dang it! (Good luck, Tom. We will miss you.)
• LB Erik Walden signed an unbelievable contract (reportedly four years for around $16 million!) with the Colts. Huge pay day for an average-at-best linebacker.
• LB Brad Jones may be about to reach a deal with Tennessee.
• Free agents whom the Packers had interest in but who signed elsewhere included DE Chris Canty and RB Steven Jackson.
• TE Jermichael Finley may still have his contract restructured...or he could also be playing elsewhere next season.
• Gaining salary cap room appears to be setting the Packers up to extend the contracts of QB Aaron Rodgers, LB Clay Matthews, and NT B.J. Raji.
• Packers GM Ted Thompson attended the Indianapolis Draft Combine as well as the University of Wisconsin pro day (and perhaps others as well). Thompson, according to reports out of the Wisconsin pro day, was very impressed with RB Montee Ball. Ball made himself some future extra money that day, by besting his Combine 40-yard time. Thompson is reportedly impressed with Ball's all-round skills.

Draft Stuff
Our last bullet point in the list above began to hint at the upcoming draft. This will be a big one for the Packers (aren't they all?) given the number of departures from the team, as well as the obvious needs: defense, running back, defense, offensive line and...defense.

Would the Packers use their top draft pick -- number 26 overall -- on a running back? Some mock drafts think so, with several projecting Alabama running back Eddie Lacey as the best of the crop and perhaps available when the Packers are on the board. Some compare him to Frank Gore. He's a powerful back, more adept at rushing than receiving and not a good blocker. In the Packers' scheme, blocking is a premium. That may mean -- if the Packers look to actually find a featured back for the first time in seemingly a generation -- that they look Montee Ball's way. The Packers could do far worse than taking Ball. But whether they see him as a first round pick...? Time will tell.

As for other possible first-round picks, the mock draft boards are all over the place. So until we get a little closer to the draft, where things may begin to sort themselves out a bit, we'll refrain for the moment from joining in the speculation.

Well, Packer fans, we did a bit of catching up today. Hope you found it helpful. We'll be a bit more regular here now that the off-season stuff starts to gear up a bit. So, please, check back once in a while, will you please? Thanks. We appreciate you reading. We really do.

Packers set to take down Titans

The 10-4 Green Bay Packers are set to take on the 5-9 Tennessee Titans in about 90 minutes' time. The weather in Wisconsin finally turned into a regular winter this last week. There was plenty of snowfall in Green Bay and surrounding areas Thursday. The team had to call for volunteer shovelers (who are paid $10 per hour, by the way) to help clear the snow from the seating areas. So no problems there. The weather today will see a high of about 27 degrees. Winds shouldn't be any problem. In short, perfect weather for The Frozen Tundra. And a Packers' victory.

The Packers are favored by 12-1/2 points. Yowza! The over-under is currently set at 45 points, seemingly in the middle of the pack for most of the games this weekend.

Keys to the game
What will be the keys to the game today? For the Packers, the one thing they have to do is stop the AFC's equivalent of the ViQueens' Adrian Peterson: Chris Johnson. He's rushed for 1,159 yards in 14 games. In 2009, he was a 2,000-yard runner. Like with Peterson, every time he touches the ball he can take it to the house. And, like Peterson, he's the kind of runner that typically has a field day with the Packers' defense. Let's not forget that Peterson ran for more than 200 yards in the meeting a few weeks ago between the Pack and the 'Queens. If the Packers haven't addressed some of their scheme issues -- and poor tackling techniques -- Johnson could also have a big day.

But just as in the game with Minnesota, the fact that Johnson might break one or two for huge yardage or scores will not be enough to secure a win for the Titans. What else have they got? Honestly, not much. Their quarterback, Jake Locker, is fast on his feet but doesn't have a great arm. Some say he's mismatched in the offensive scheme that would better utilize his abilities running more option plays. The receivers he has to throw to -- rookie Kendall Wright (who may not play because of a rib injury), Kenny Britt and Nate Washington -- are serviceable wideouts, but nothing that the Packers' improved secondary can't handle.

Defensively, LE Derrick Morgan and SLB Akeem Ayers are the best pass rushing threats the Packers will have to be sure to account for.

As for the Packers, the reconfigured -- again! -- offensive line might or might not look as originally planned for earlier in the week. Evan Dietrich-Smith was going to move to center in place of Jeff Saturday who got dinged up with a mild concussion in last week's game, with T.J. Lang moving back to his left guard slot and rookie Don Barclay continuing to hold down the right tackle slot; Marshall Newhouse continues at left tackle and Josh Sitton is at right guard, as usual. However, yesterday it was noted that Barclay may not be able to play today because of illness, which then moves everything around again. Will just have to see if Barclay can go or not. Then the thing to watch will be how well Dietrich-Smith handles the line calls from his new center position.

Running back Alex Green also sustained a mild concussion last week, so his availability is questionable, in which case DuJuan Harris will see a lot more playing time, as will Ryan Grant.

One would rightly expect Aaron Rodgers to have a good day, with Greg Jennings continuing his return, James Jones adding to his league-leading total in TD receptions, and Randall Cobb doing what he does from whatever position. One would be right to expect a big performance. Rodgers has thrown 25 TD passes versus three INTs in his last eight games vs AFC opponents (including Super Bowl XLV). Yes, it should be a good day in Mr. Rodgers' neighborhood.

Jordy Nelson will still be sitting this one out. But this may be the last regular season home game for veteran receiver Donald Driver. He knows it and everyone else pretty much knows it, too. This might also be the final regular season home game for Jennings as well, as some articles pointed out this week; has a lot to do with contracts, of course, his and that of other players. Would be a shame to lose Jennings. But with Nelson, Cobb and Jones, it may be the best the Pack can do. Worry about that after the season.

Defensively, the Packers just need to continue to display the toughness they did in Chicago last week. It was a very solid performance. But please, Clay, go back to your old Claymaker sack dance...don't care so much for the new one...although I know many of your female fans adored it. Still...be the beast, not the hoochie koochie man, OK?

Finally, what do we say about kicker Mason Crosby and his apparent relapse into field goal futility? Why head coach Mike McCarthy refuses to at least bring in someone who can put the ball through the uprights while letting Crosby kick off is beyond me and many others to fathom. Sticking with a player is one thing. Letting that loyalty cost you a playoff game and/or a Super Bowl win is another. And that's exactly where this seems headed unless Crosby gets his head on straight and regains his confidence. Luckily, today should not come down to needing 3 points to win the game. So figure McCarthy to continue to send Crosby out to kick 40-50-yarders-plus and probably have at least one miss on the day (that would then make nine straight games in which he's missed at least one field goal attempt); you just hope he's able to make one or two to help set himself up for the playoffs.

The prediction
So, after all this, what's the bottom line. I'm calling it 24-13 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers vs. Lions Preview and Prediction

The streak
The last time the Detroit Lions beat the Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin -- mid-December of 1991 -- Erik Kramer was their quarterback and Mike Tomczak was somehow quarterbacking the Pack. The Packers were playing out a 4-12 season and the Lions were preparing for the playoffs as NFC Central Division champs. Detroit won 21-17. Since then -- over the next 20 years -- the Lions haven't won another game in Wisconsin and have been favored just once.

As a great article by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn points out, "The Packers' 20-game winning streak at home against the Lions is the longest in National Football League regular-season history." Amazing. And the Packers are favored again in tonight's game, by 7 points.

McGinn's article quotes former Packers General Manager, Ron Wolf, as reminding us that during this time span the Packers have had Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers -- both future Hall of Famers -- as the starting QBs. Detroit? Not. That does explain a lot. But still, the ball has to bounce your way sooner or later, right? Yes, but let's not start tonight, OK?

If you want to see my pre-preview of this game I wrote a few days ago, check out my prior post below. Or just click here to take you right there.

The challenges
The Packers will, as has been the case all season, be playing shorthanded with starters on both sides of the ball still out. But they will likely be getting a few folks back, as well, at least for spot duty. The return of WR Greg Jennings (last week) will again take up some of the slack for the missing Jordy Nelson.

The biggest challenge for the Packers will be the same as it was when the two teams met a few weeks ago: the offensive line vs. the Lions' defensive front. Detroit held down the Packers running game so that Rodgers was forced to pass more often, opening up the pass rush for the Lions. The Lions harassed Rodgers for a good part of the last game, even causing a fumble on a sack attempt. The Packers O-line has to step up. Given that undrafted rookie lineman, Don Barclay, will likely be getting the start at right tackle in place of injured T.J. Lang, and that the line will be fending off The Mad Stomper, Ndamukong Suh, it could once again be a long day for Rodgers...unless the Pack can get -- and keep -- its running game going.

To that end, and with RB James Starks being injured yet again, that effort will fall to Alex Green and newly-resigned veteran Ryan Grant. It's also possible that the Packers might try first-year player DuJuan Harris if the rushing game stagnates. He's a bit "undersized" at 5'8" but as has been shown in a few cases -- Barry Sanders (5'8") and Emmitt Smith (5'9") come to mind -- undersized is a relative term.

The bottom line prediction
As noted earlier, I wrote a pre-preview article a few days ago regarding this game, so you can get some further detail there.

The Lions are 4-8, have not won a game in the division, and have nothing to play for other than pride, and finally winning a game in Wisconsin after a generation. The Packers, at 8-4 atop the NFC North, must continue to win in order to control their own destiny.

Tonight's game will, according to forecasts, be cold, not too windy, but with anywhere fom 2-5 inches of snow predicted for the day...at the time of this writing, snow is already falling at Lambeau Field. This may very well mean more relianace on the rushing game or short passing attack. Fans would hope and expect that the "outdoors" Packers would have the advantage over the "indoors" Lions but we need to remember that the Packers haven't had to play in bad weather in quite a while either.

As noted earlier, the Pack is favored by 7 points. The over-under is 49 points, second highest for the weekend's games.

With the weather conditions being iffy at best, this is a game that could turn on turnovers and special teams play...that proverbial bounce of the ball we mentioned at the outset. If it's a close game, as the last game was into the fourth quarter with the Lions leading, anything could happen. But the Packers are the better team. The Packers are at home. The Packers have more to play for. The Packers will win.

I'm calling this one 24-17 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Still time to enter the Sweepstakes!
Larry the Cable Guy is in Green Bay tonight to crank up the official tailgate party. You can check out what he's been up to, and what he will have gotten up to while in Green Bay, at www.WildBerryFlavor.com. While there, you’ll have the opportunity to embark on an out-of-this-world flavor adventure of your own by entering the Wild American Flavor Sweepstakes. From now until January 7, 2013, enter at WildberryFlavor.com for a chance to win trips to three of America’s most flavorful cities, including tickets to some of the country’s biggest sporting events courtesy of new Prilosec OTC Wildberry. One winner will be chosen at random to receive the prize pack, including tickets to the big football game in New Orleans (February 3, 2013), the first big auto race of the year in Daytona Beach (February 24, 2013) and the basketball championship game in Atlanta (April 8, 2013), travel and accommodations (a two-night hotel stay and air transportation for each destination), and one $5,000 check to be used in any of these flavorful cities.

What are you waiting for, Packer fans? Git-R-Done!

Packers vs Vikings - It's Time

After the disappointing dismantling of the Green Bay Packers by the NY Giants last Sunday night, we don't quite know what to expect today. Will the ViQueens' defensive front, led by Jared Allen, wreak havoc on the Pack's sieve-like offensive line and take away any chance for Aaron Rodgers to connect with his receivers before getting mauled in a collapsing pocket? Or, will the guys on the line look for some redemption? Will their collective pride be such that they want to emulate the Wisconsin Badgers' offensive line who thoroughly dominated the Nebraska Cornhuskers last night to win their third straight Big 10 title and trip to the Rose Bowl? (Can you tell I'm a proud Badgers fan?)

Of course, last Sunday's problems weren't only with the offensive line; there were problems aplenty on the defense, as well. But as we saw last season, if the Packers' offense does what it's capable of doing, even a Swiss cheese style defense can be covered up.

So, the key on offense today will be the Packers offensive line and how well they are able to stand up to the 'Queens pressure and protect Aaron Rodgers. They need to give their QB time to make his throws. The return of WR Greg Jennings today, even in a limited role, should help open up the passing game...if Rodgers has time. The line also needs to create just enough room to let the running back committee have an impact. If there is no running game for the Packers, as there wasn't against the Giants, it's going to be another long day for the line and Rodgers and that would not bode well for the final outcome.

The key on defense -- as it always is facing the 'Queens -- is keeping RB Adrian Peterson from scampering all over the field and into the endzone. No easy task. And it's a task made even more difficult with the absence again today of LB Clay Matthews, as well as defensive lineman C.J. Wilson who was injured in last week's game. Peterson is a medical marvel not even a year removed from his reconstructive knee surgery. He's amazing to watch...against other teams. The Packers must keep him from deciding the game.

Apparently, the pundits think the Packers will rebound from their New York fizzle, staking them as 7-1/2 point favorites over the ViQueens. If the Packers play their game -- get their mojo back at home as they should -- they should get the win, although I'm not so sure about covering the spead...if someone was a betting person, that is. By the way, the over-under for the game is set at 47 points -- only three games are higher today.

I called last week's game in favor of the Giants. I had a feeling that the Packers were due for a dip after five straight wins; plus the Giants and Eli Manning seem to always play well coming out of a bye. I hoped I was wrong. But I was right.

Will I be right today? I hope so, this time around. We'll know in about four or five hours' time. The Packers under coach Mike McCarthy rarely play clunkers back-to-back (think about the games versus Colts and Texans). Make no mistake, this will not be an easy game to win and, depending upon whether Packer pride shows up on the field or it continues to snooze, that win could be in doubt. The Packers are a better team, especially at home. They just have to play like it.

I think it will be close. I'm calling it 27-24 Packers. Yes, I realize that means heretofore unreliable kicker Mason Crosby will have to make two field goals. But given the great weather conditions -- balmy for Dec. 2 in Green Bay -- I think today is the day Crosby starts to get the monkey off his back and helps win one for the Pack (fingers -- & toes -- crossed!). It's time. It's definitely time.

Go Pack Go!!!

Two to IR and two to roster
As an article by Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, "The Green Bay Packers put tight end Andrew Quarless and safety Sean Richardson on injured reserve and signed running back DuJuan Harris and wide receiver Jeremy Ross off their practice squad to their 53-man roster, the club said Saturday."

It's possible we might actually see some action by Harris today. As Silverstein notes, "The decision to elevate Harris was evident this week when he started getting snaps with the No. 1 offense and with the special teams units. The 5-foot-8 Harris has been a standout on the practice squad after being signed Oct. 24." Ross might see action on special teams.

For the complete article, go here.

So, there was that Giants thing...

It's taken me several days to process the Nightmare in New York (or Jersey...or wherever the heck The Meadowlands is located). After days of detailed review and analysis, we can say this: the Packers played poorly. How is that for understatement?

In every phase of the game, the Giants pounded the Pack. Whether sacking QB Aaron Rodgers five times, or running through tackles, or...where does it stop?...the Giants outperformed the Packers. That goes for head coach Mike McCarthy, as well, who was simply outcoached. We don't need to recount the mistakes.

In my preview, I had predicted a Giants' win, although a much tighter game; I made the mistake of thinking the Packers would show up. Also, the Giants and QB Eli Manning typically play well coming out of their bye week...and they did. Very well.

Where do the Packers go from here? They have now fallen behind Da Bearz by a game again. Four out of the remaining five games are against NFC North Division opponents, with three of the five at home. They have the ViQueens coming to Lambeau Field on Sunday, followed by the Lions at Lambeau. Then, on Dec. 16, the Pack has their second meeting of the season against Chicago, this time at the "Mistake by the Lake," Soldier Field. A final home game against the Titans is followed by the last game of the regular season at Minnesota. As Aaron Rodgers and others are saying, if the Packers win out they win the division; if it comes down to a tie between the Packers and Da Bearz, the Pack will win based upon the head-to-head tiebreaker...Green Bay will have beaten Da Bearz twice.

Now, it's a big assumption to say the Pack will win their final five games in a row. However, prior to the loss against the Giants, they had a five-game winning streak. So they can do it. They will be getting WR Greg Jennings back perhaps this weekend. LB Clay Matthews should be back perhaps the following week. S Charles Woodson and others should also be returning to the team. So key areas of the offense and defense will be getting boosts. But the area of the team that seems weakest at this moment -- other than Mason Crosby and the kicking game -- is the offensive line. It is a unit which is giving up sacks at or near a league-leading rate and will get Aaron Rodgers sidelined with injury if it doesn't get its collective act together. The loss of RT Bryan Bulaga was huge in terms of its domino effect on the line. And there are not many options available. The team was not deep on the offensive line coming out of training camp and a season-ending injury to arguably its most important member didn't help. If one of the current starters goes down there are only two untested players behind them to fill in. Not good, but it is what it is.

We'll post our preview and prediction of the ViQueens game nearer to game day and game time. For now, just try to put aside the memories of yet another beat down by the Giants. It isn't easy. Especially when there is the likelihood the Pack will be seeing them again somewhere in the playoffs. Let's not think about that just. There's a lot of football to be played before we even get to that point. How well the Packers bounce back at home against the 'Queens will go a long way to determining the chances of making and succeeding in the playoffs.

Bulaga to Injured Reserve

The big news -- and bad news -- of the day for the Green Bay Packers, hinted at toward the end of last week, was that veteran RT Bryan Bulaga is being placed on the Injured Reserve List with what has so far been described as a hip pointer, and is done for the season. He joins rookie LB Nick Perry who also was placed on the IR recently because of wrist surgery. They join 10 other players who were starters or projected starters who have been hurt this year, missing a total of 40 games. Ouch!

This move of Bulaga to the IR list means LG T.J. Lang moves to right tackle and Evan Dietrich-Smith takes Lang's placed at left guard, just as happend after the injury during the game with the Cardinals. The depth of the offensive line is now a serious concern with not many favorable options available should another starter get injured.

To take Bulaga's spot on the roster, the Packers signed linebacker Vic So’oto. So’oto played in seven games with the Pack last season and was with the Oakland Raiders for four games this season.

Others return to practice today
According to a blog post by Mike Spofford at packers.com, a number of players returned to practice today in preparation for this Sunday's game against the Lions, including CB Sam Shields, DL Jerel Worthy, and -- surprise! -- T Derek Sherrod, who has been on PUP list since the start of the season. The Packers can allow Sherrod three weeks to practice, apparently, before deciding what to do with him for the rest of the season. The fact that he is practicing at all shows what a sad state the O-line depth is in as it was only about two weeks ago that articles were being written saying he wouldn't see the field at all this season. That may still play out in the end. But for now, it's wait and see.

LB Clay Matthews, FB John Kuhn, WR Greg Jennings and DE Mike Neal did not practice today.

If things feel like the 2010 season with the MASH unit Packers, let's just hope it has a similar ending. The fact that both the Lions and especially Da Bearz lost yesterday tightens up the NFC North considerably. With five of the seven remaining games coming against division opponents, injuries or not, the Pack will have to be ready to roll.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers vs. Jaguars preview and prediction

Despite perhaps having more players injured than at any time since 2010, a beat-up Green Bay Packers team has a few things going in its favor today: they are playing at home for the first time in nearly a month, and the 1-5 Jacksonville Jaguars are the opponent.

Now, in any given game...blah blah blah. If this is that kind of game, Packer fans, we should all fill our pockets with rocks and walk into the nearest body of water available. The Packers are favored by 15 points at the time of this writing. Yowza! Oddsmakers don't just lay out that kind of spread for no reason.

Jags' offensive woes
So what might at least one of those reasons be? How about second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert? Since trading a second round pick in the 2011 draft to Washington for the right to move up from the No. 16 to No. 10 slot to pick the Missouri QB, and giving him the starting role in game 3 last season, Gabbert and the Jags have gone 5-15. He isn't very likely to run although can when flushed from the pocket, but he is more of a pocket passer. There are questions as to whether he sees the pass rush well. He was also struggling this week with a shoulder problem sustained in last weekend's game. All in all, this should set the Packers up for a sack marathon today.

Now, LT Eugene Monroe is regarded as the Jags' best O-lineman. Generally, we can expect LB Clay Matthews to be lined up against him most of the day. It will be a good match up on athleticism but Matthews strength and speed give him the definite advantage in this match up. As for the rest of the Jacksonville offensive line...well, if the Packers don't pick up more than a handful of sacks today something is very wrong.

As for the Jags' offensive weapons, there aren't many. Rookie WR Justin Blackmon hasn't shown much yet depsite being a No. 5 overall draft pick. But the biggest blow to the Jaguars' offense was the loss last Sunday of RB Maurice Jones-Drew, who suffered a major foot injury. He will be replaced by Rashad Jennings who is just an average running back at best.

The Jags have scored 88 points in the six games they've played so far. Their one win on the season came in Week 3 when they beat the Colts in Indianapolis, 22-17 (there's that "In any given game..." thing again!). The Jaguars' offense ranks dead last in points scored, passing yards, and total yards gained. Its defense ranks near the bottom in all related categories.

Without the threat of a legitimate running game, a so-so offensive line, an average set of receivers, and a second-year QB who is still trying to figure out the pro game and will be under pressure all day, the Jags are justifiably two-touchdown-plus underdogs coming into Lambeau Field.

Packers problems today
The biggest problems the Packers will have today are themselves, namely in the way of injuries. WR Greg Jennings is out for an undetermined length of time as he has opted to have surgery for his lingering groin problem. FB John Kuhn is out today with a hamstring problem. LB Nick Perry is out with a knee injury sustained in last week's game, as are CB Sam Shields (ankle) and CB/S Charles Woodson with a broken collarbone. WR Jordy Nelson is listed as questionable with a hamstring problem that developed during the course of this week; my guess is he will not play today. On the positive front, the Packers will see NT B.J. Raji return to the D-line...that's a great thing for the Pack and not so great for whoever is across the line from him.

The injuries to the linebacking corps, defensive backfield, and receivers open up opportunities for other players to step in. I think that will be very much the case today for the Pack. This squad is nothing if not deep. The depth of the Packers backups, combined with the skill of the starters, will be more than enough to handle the Jaguars. And, of course, there is also Aaron Rodgers. 'Nuff said.

Prediction
I'm calling this one Packers 41 - Jaguars 13.

Say it with me: Go Pack Go!!!

No blues for the Packers in St. Louis

The Green Bay Packers did Sunday what they usually do when playing in St. Louis: win. The Pack beat the Rams by a score of 30-20 and it really was not even that close. The Packers dominated on both sides of the ball, despite moments defensively where an opposing team with more weapons might have lit the Packers up. More on that later.

Woodson's out for extended time
For now, the Packers are 4-3 with the Jaguars and Cardinals coming into Green Bay over the next two weekends. And just when you thought the Packers escaped the major injury bug -- although DE Mike Neal went out with a leg injury during the first half -- we learned today that future Hall of Fame defensive back, Charles Woodson, broke his collarbone with less than three minutes left in the game; he'll be out at least a month, with most reports putting it at six weeks. Ouch! In more ways than one.

If Woodson can come back in a month, his absence might not be missed all that much over this stretch, although losing a veteran of Woodson's caliber is a blow for whatever time he's not on the field. But in addition to the Jags and Cards over the next two weeks, the third week -- ninth week overall of the NFL season -- is the Packers' bye week. Coming out of the bye, the Packers travel to Detroit to take on the Lions. It would be great to have Woodson back then. But it will be even more important the following week when the Packers travel to New York to play the Giants. Woodson's presence on the field -- even if not for the entire game -- would be huge. On the other hand, if he's indeed out for six weeks, he'll not only miss the aforementioned games but also a crucial division game against the ViQueens. If Woodson's out for the full six weeks, he won't return until the Pack's second game against the Detroit Lions on Dec. 9. That's a long stretch for a young defensive backfield to cover on its own, but that group is a talented one as we're already seeing. M.D. Jennings or rookie Jerron McMillian or a combination of both will be called upon when the Packers are in their base defense to fill Woodson's spot.

Rodgers and receivers roll
While credit must be given to head coach Mike McCarthy for sticking with the running game despite Alex Green not being able to get untracked (20 carries for 35 yards), it was once again QB Aaron Rodgers and his receivers who dazzled. With starter Greg Jennings still sidelined with his groin injury, Rodgers threw for three touchdowns against the Rams, two to the amazing Randall Cobb and one to Jordy Nelson. Once again, James Jones was also one of Rodgers' preferred targets on the day. Despite being pressured a fair amount on Sunday, Rodgers was able to move in -- and out -- of the pocket to buy time and make some amazing throws. He's looking very much like he's getting his MVP mojo back, throwing for nine touchdowns in the past two games. Rodgers was 30 for 37 and 342 yards. Oh yeah.

Defense bends, doesn't break
The Packers' defense had a better showing against the Texans last weekend, but they were able to carry some of that new-found confidence into St. Louis. Despite appearances, the Pack held RB Steven Jackson in check, limiting him to 57 yards. Receivers too often were running open, and that's something the Packers will have to correct going forward. And they will.

I could give more of a recap but why do that when my favorite Packers sportswriter has already done a really great job. Check that report out here.

Then, stay tuned through the week and weekend. We'll be back with more about the upcoming game against the Jaguars.

Go Pack Go.

Packers vs. Rams: preview and prediction

Coming off their much needed victory against the Houston Texans last Sunday evening, the Green Bay Packers make a stop in St. Louis today as the third of their back-to-back-to-back road trips on the schedule. Sitting at 3-3, the Pack has yet to win back-to-back games. Today offers an opportunity to get on a roll and go into their bye a few weeks down the road at 6-3.

But first, the Rams. Also sitting at 3-3, but one could -- and I will -- make the argument that these are very different 3-3 teams facing each other. The oddsmakers apparently have a similar view as they have the Pack installed as 5.5-point favorites. Granted, the Packers will be without five key starters in this game: WR Greg Jennings, NT B.J. Raji, LB Nick Perry, CB Sam Shields and LB D.J. Smith. Note that four of these five are on the defense. For a unit that seemed to just be getting its mojo in gear, it's not ideal. The Packers have become particularly light in the linebacking corps; don't forget that Smith was starting in place of the injured Desmond Bishop. So look to Brad Jones and Robert Francois to plug in the gap. Replacing Sam Shields will likely be Casey Hayward, the rookie who had two interceptions in last week's game and already has three on the season in a backup role. He always seems to be around the ball, and may have opportunities again today, particularly if the Pack's front seven can hold down the Rams' running game and then create the kind of pressure on third-year QB Sam Bradford the way they did against Matt Schaub. Also look for CB Davon House to get some action today for the first time this season. He was showing great promise in camp before being injured.

On the offensive side of the ball for the Packers, with the exception of Jennings, QB Aaron Rodgers will have his full complement of receivers. James Jones seems to be finally rounding into the player that everyone thought he could be. Jordy Nelson had his belated season coming out party last week with three TD catches after only one in the preceding five games. Randall Cobb continues to emerge as a threat on many levels. RB Alex Green will again get the start. Green did a servicable job last week keeping defenses honest and thus opening up the passing game for Rodgers and crew. If he can continue to do that this week, the offense gets a boost. If not, there are really not many options for the Packers at running back right now, especially with the season-ending injury to backup RB Brandon Saine...and of course, Cedric Benson was lost the week before for at least a couple months if not the season. That pretty much leaves James Starcks as the primary replacement, and he hasn't seen much action at all this season, nor can he seem to avoid nagging injuries and stay on the field when given the chance. The Packers did claim RB Johnny White off waivers from Buffalo this week, but don't expect him to probably even be active today.

The Packers' offensive line will have its collective hands full with a very good defensive front on the part of the Rams, led by Chris Long. The Rams have also drafted DE Robert Quinn (2011) and DT Michael Brockers (2012) to help bolster the D-line. Given how well the Packers' offensive line handled JJ Watt et al in Houston, if they can reprise that effort today, Rodgers could have another big day. Remember: this is another dome game and Rodgers and the receivers like that fast track as it opens things up downfield. While mis-firing in that regard a bit too often early in the season, it seemed as if things started to finally click last Sunday night. Again, that pattern should continue today.

Prediction
I'm a big fan of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Packers beat writer, Bob McGinn, as frequent readers of this space know. Here's his take on today's game: "In three of their six games, the Rams have faced rookie quarterbacks. They're 2-1 there, and they've also defeated Arizona's Kevin Kolb. Given their voids in the offensive line, at wide receiver and at safety, the Rams should not compete with, let alone defeat good teams. It's the Packers in a rout."

I concur with McGinn. It's a big "if" given the Packers injuries in key spots. But it seemed as if last week was the Pack's first complete game of the season; it was how we expected this team to be. I think they've found their groove, injuries aside.

I'm calling it 38-24 in favor of the Pack. Don't know if that qualifies as a rout or not, but it's a win and that's all that matters.

With the Jaguars and Cardinals coming to Lambeau Field over the next two weekends, this game is the key to being 6-3 heading into the bye. Then, with five of their remaining seven games coming against NFC North Division opponents -- twice against both the Lions and ViQueens and once against Da Bearz -- the Packers would be well set to make a playoff run -- if not outright division title -- down the stretch.

First things first, though...say it with me: GO PACK GO!!!

Packers vs. Texans: who lassoes who?

Prior to the start of the 2012 NFL season, both the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans were projected to be the likely winners of their respective divisions. At 5-0 coming into tonight's game, the Texans certainly look like they are on their way. The Packers? Not so much right now.

Sitting at a mediocre 2-3, and while referees of both replacement and regular stripes have certainly done them no favors overall, the Packers have to look in the mirror and blame themselves for their sorry state. They are two games behind Da Bearz and the ViQueens...the 'Queens, for gosh sakes!

Whatever the reasons there are for their failures -- including a collapse of Biblical portions in the second half of last Sunday's game versus the so-so Colts -- it's up to the players to execute, regardless of who is on the field. Yes, not having WR Greg Jennings impacts the offense in any number of ways but it doesn't explain the one touchdown to date by WR Jordy Nelson or his drops in key situations. As to the seemingly emerging malcontent TE Jermichael Finley, he should do less talking about everyone else and do his job: catch the ball! The loss of RB Cedric Benson for at least 8 weeks if not the season -- just as he was starting to get rolling as a key element of the offense -- isn't something the Packers needed. They finally had a running game that defenses had to respect. Now, unless Alex Green (who gets the start today) or James Starks or Brandon Saine can keep defenses honest the already-beleaugered Packers' offensive line is going to appear to be even more of sieve than it has through the first five games. Today, going up against what is arguably one of the best defensive lines in the NFL will be a real challenge for this offensive line. Does the name J.J. Watt ring a bell? Let's just hope he's not ringing Aaron Rodgers' bell today. Time for the line and the receivers and the running backs to step up.

On defense, communication -- particularly in the defensive backfield -- supposedly continues to be an issue. How and why this isn't resolved by this point in the season is certainly a question that needs addressing. With B.J. Raji still questionable for today's game, stopping the Texans potent offense is going to be a challenge. They have a very good passing game and strong running attack. The Packers' defense needs to bring its "A" game all day long. In fact, that would be a good motto for the Pack in today's game: play a full four quarters! That's something they really have yet to do.

What, if anything, should we say about special teams? Some brilliant play on "trickeration" as the saying goes. But K Mason Crosby had better get back to being his reliable self after his own personal collapse in last week's loss. The wild shank to the left on his final field goal attempt to send the game to overtime was something you expect to see out of a high school or college kicker, not the kicker for the Green Bay Packers. Let's just hope it doesn't come down to a field goal again today.

It's possible, of course, that this team -- players, not coaches -- felt they could step on the playing field and win on last year's reputation. Not going to happen. Teams have had plenty of time to scheme how to handle the Packers' receivers...and they are. That begins the domino effect: QB Aaron Rodgers goes through his progressions, sees everyone covered, and by that time is either running for his life because of the pass rush or is getting sacked for having held onto the ball too long rather than throwing it away.

Things are still out of sync on both sides of the ball. But tonight's game would be a great time for them to finally come together. Head coach Mike McCarthy has a good history of rallying the troops when their backs are against the wall. And, they basically are. But with Chicago having their bye week and Minnesota at Washington, the Packers could pick up a game on both with a win. That would be critical as things start to get close to the half-way point of the season. Falling three games behind in the division wouldn't necessarily end the Packers playoffs hope at this stage, but it certainly makes the hill to climb much higher. Most of the Packers' division games come in the latter part of the season, so ground can be made up there. But that doesn't leave much room for errors...especially the kind of errors we've seen on display so far and far too much this season.

What's the call then?
What's the take on this week's game? Depends upon who you read or listen to, of course. SI's Peter King says this: "File this in desperate-team-plays-better-especially-against-team-coming-off-short-week category. The Texans have to adjust to the loss of inside 'backer and signal-caller Brian Cushing, out for the season with a torn ACL suffered Monday night, and that will provide a hiccup or two to overcome. I say the Pack will have an easier time overcoming the Cedric Benson loss -- as long as Aaron Rodgers can evade a terrific rush." King calls it 23-20 in favor of the Pack.

Interestingly, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Packers guru, Bob McGinn, says the Pack will upset the Texans (who are favored by 4 points with the over-under pegged at 46.5 points), although McGinn never predicts a score. Three of his fellow writers, however, all give the win to the Texans by anywhere from 1 to 17 points...ouch! Check out their analysis and comments here.

So, what's the take of yours truly after all the above? I hate to say it, Packer fans, and I truly hope that I am wrong, but not even my green 'n' gold-colored glasses have me seeing a win for the Pack tonight. Maybe, just maybe, this is what the team needs to gel. But given what we have seen so far this season, we are looking at what is at this moment a mediocre team, and one playing on the road at the home of a very good team.

I'm calling this one in favor of the Texans, 31-24. I hope I'm wrong. I really do. The Packers need this game as much as they've needed any game in recent years.

But I can still say this and keep my fingers, toes and eyes crossed for a win: Go Pack Go!!!

Packers vs. Colts preview and prediction

The Green Bay Packers begin a consecutive three-game road trip today in Indianapolis. The Colts are coming off their bye week during which their head coach, Chuck Pagano, left the team to receive treatment for recently diagnosed leukemia. The Colts have a record of 1-2. The Packers are coming off a hard-fought battle against the Saints -- and the referees, for a second week in a row. With a 28-27 win, the Pack went to 2-2 on the season.

The Colts come into the game with a very good rookie quarterback in the person of Andrew Luck. Figure Dom Capers to throw a number of different looks at the young QB. Hopefully, the defense will confuse the offense rather than themselves as seemed to be the case for the Packers last weekend when it resembled last season's sieve. Of course, Luck is not Drew Brees, at least not yet. Expect the Packers to have their defense much more together than it was against the Saints. The Pack will also get a boost from the newly-activated DE Mike Neal who is coming off his four-game suspension. According to reports from Green Bay throughout the week, Neal looked very good in practice, much better than anticipated. If he views this as a bit of a new start to things, and plays the way he is capable of playing, he could be a huge factor in this game and going forward for the Packers' defense.

As for the offense, after being sluggish in their first three outings, the Packers seemed to find a bit more of their rhythm against New Orleans. Look for that to continue today agains the Colts. Cedric Benson is getting rolling and provides a much-needed and long-overdue spark to the running game. Aaron Rodgers and the receivers looked much more in sync, and that should also continue today. WR Greg Jennings, however, will not see the field as he is being held out due to his groin injury. Expect Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Randall Cobb and Jermichael Finley to get lots of action against a bland secondary. Donald Driver will appear in his 197th career game for the Pack, which ties him with QB Bart Starr for second place in franchise history. Congrats, Donald!

The pundits have an over-under on this game at the time of this writing of 48 points, with the Packers favored by 7 points. The week after the game against the Colts the Packers play the Houston Texans, who are currently undefeated at 4-0 and looking very good on both sides of the ball. This game against the Colts could be a trap game in the sense that the Packers could wind up looking past them and ahead to the Texans. I don't think head coach Mike McCarthy or the veterans on this team will allow that to happen. The Colts could also come out emotionally charged up to win one for their absent head coach. That may carry them for a while but not throughout an entire game.

I'm calling this one in favor of the Packers (shocking, I know) 34-17.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers vs. Bears: week 2 preview and prediction

As Sports Illustrated's Peter King said Wednesday on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, tonight's game at Lambeau Field versus Da Bearz is about as close to a must-win game for the Packers as a team can have in just the second week of the season.

After losing at home to the 49ers in the season opener on Sunday, the Pack didn't have much time to straighten out its flaws. Those flaws in the first game were many: no rushing game, little pass protection, an inconsistent pass rush, and pass coverage that was nearly non-existent. Oh, and did I mention poor tackling despite the supposed emphasis on that during training camp? While we're at it, toss in some questionable play calling and time management and it was not the way the Packers were expected to perform. At all. As a result, they trail each of the other teams in the division by a game. Yes, even the ViQueens (shudder!).

It's only the first game, of course. But this is where the sense of urgency that Mr. King referred to comes into play: lose this game and after just two games into the season the Pack would already be down to Da Bearz by two games. Not good.

The Packers need this game. They're at home, on a national stage. Again. There are lots of new and young players who are obviously still trying to understand what it takes to play in the NFL and for the Green Bay Packers. There's plenty of veteran leadership on the field and in the locker room, so that will not be an issue. Performance is what it's about. The offensive line needs to get some push and open some holes so that Cedric Benson can one-up his old team...you know he is looking forward to that opportunity. And along these same lines, head coach Mike McCarthy can't be so quick to bail out on the rushing game. Benson had the ball a total of nine times the entire game Sunday; that's not going to get it done. Obviously, the offense is built around Aaron Rodgers and the receivers, but you still have to have enough of a run threat to keep the defenders honest. By bottling up the run and getting a pass rush with just three or four linemen, the Niners were able to disrupt the Pack's passing game all day long.

Another potential downside for the Pack in this game is that WR Greg Jennings is not expected to play because of a groin injury. The Packers are deep at receiver, as we know. But taking your top receiver off the field in a must-win game is not what you want to have happen. Someone will have to step up. Several receivers will have to step up. And TE Jermichael Finley will need to hang on to the ball when it's tossed his way. He had some great catches against the Niners. But he also had a key drop or two that killed drives.

Now, Da Bearz' defense isn't near the caliber of the Niners. But they will be jacked up, as always, for the game against the Pack. Execution at all levels must be much higher than it was in the opener. If not, the Pack will be 0-2 to start the season.

Still, let us remind ourselves that Da Bearz QB Jay Cutler is 1-7 against the Packers. For whatever reason, the Packers seem to have had his number over the years. One might argue that the odds have got to be in Cutler's favor at some point. Let's hope not. At least not tonight. Of course, being the diplomatic person he is, Cutler also opined on Tuesday that the Packers' defensive backs had better watch out. Let's hope he and his team pay for that challenging remark.

The way to make sure Chicago has a bad night is to get to Cutler often. When that happens, he gets happy feet and starts flinging the ball all over the place. Even fans of Da Bearz admit this (c'mon, you know who you are!) Assuming that the Packers can cover receivers better than they did Sunday, that would bode well for interceptions.

Of course, the receiving corps for Chicago got a significant boost with the addition of Brandon Marshall. If the Pack takes care of Cutler, Marshall will become less of a factor; if they don't get to Cutler, we could see a reprise of Alex Smith's aerial success Sunday. The Packers also have to contain Matt Forte...no easy task...particularly after the way they let Frank Gore et al scamper about.

Game Prediction
The Packers are favored at the time of this writing by 5.5 points. I'd be happy to see that kind of margin. Many of these games, as all true Packer fans know, are slugfests. Sometimes they are decided by special teams, as this could well be. (Does the name Devin Hester ring a bell? Of course, we can now counter with Randall Cobb, can't we?) This could be a game where everything -- including wounded pride -- kicks in for the Pack. That would be great to see. The oddsmakers have the over-under at 51.5 so they seem to be counting on a shootout.

I think this will be a close one, as the Packers still have way too much to figure out. But I think they will have figured out enough. There will be more offense than defense on both sides.

I'm calling it 27-24 Packers. My good friend, Billy Da Bearz fan, agrees with the oddsmakers and says it's going to be a shootout, and calls it 38-35...for Chicago. (I'll refrain from going into his sad personal history which obviously has led to this wild-eyed hysteria on his part.)

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers' first preseason game an ugly one

Well, Packer fans...we've been waiting a long time for football season to roll around. The excitement was building since OTAs, mini-camp, and finally the start of summer training camp. The Twitter-sphere was abuzz yesterday with anticipation for the 2012 Pack's first preseason game (by the way, you can follow yours truly on Twitter @packfansunited). As always, San Diego was presenting its sunny charms.

Unfortunately, the game then got underway.

This nationally-televised game on ESPN showed the Packers not ready for primetime. The final score was 21-13, but it never really seemed that close. Granted, it's the first preseason game. But it looked more like a Pop Warner League game than an NFL game. Oh sure, we know that the starters aren't going to play long because coaches don't want to expose them to injury. In fact, the Packers played last night without 16 injured players, including starters Greg Jennings and Jermichael Finley, among a slew of others. Defensive back Charles Woodson was withheld.

Last night, it might have also done well for the coaches to save the starters from embarrassment. Turnovers, dropped balls, missed blocks, missed tackles...those can be expected from the young guys getting their first taste of the NFL. But for starters to be so sloppy? The starting offense ran three series for a total of 14 plays, generating all of two first downs and 32 yards. They turned the ball over twice and punted once. Oy.

Now, it's not time to hit the panic button. It's only the first game...it's only the first game...it doesn't count...it doesn't count. The coaching staff and starters are too good to let these errors go unaddressed. But the game also shows just how far the team has to go in the next month to get ready for the season opener at Lambeau Field against the 49ers.

A lone bright spot of sorts is that backup QB Graham Harrell seemed to acquit himself fairly well. In the second half, he was able to execute some nicely thrown passes. He could handle the team if something were to happen to Rodgers, although the drop off would of course be considerable.

Concerns and Injuries
Particularly disconcerting was the play of nominal starting running back, James Starks, who is being counted upon to step in and replace the unsigned Ryan Grant. On his first touch of the ball, a little safety valve pass from QB Aaron Rodgers, Starks simply dropped the ball. Easy pass, easy catch...nope. Just one pass, but it goes to reinforce the knock on Starks from last season that he has trouble catching the ball. The third time Rodgers handed him the ball, he fumbled, leading to the Chargers' first score of the game two plays later. Starks didn't seem to be running with aggressiveness or playing with confidence...both somewhat necessary traits to have in a starting running back.

Another area of concern is the lack of depth at certain positions along the offensive line. With starting left guard Marshall Newhouse sitting the game out because of injury, and second-year player Derek Sherrod still not cleared to play from last season's injury, the starting nod went to journeyman lineman Herb Taylor. Rodgers' interception was directly a result of Taylor getting whipped like a rented mule on a bull rush by the Chargers' rookie linebacker, Melvin Ingram. The play prior, Taylor was called for holding Ingram. Not good.

The defense had its own share of problems despite taking the ball away twice in the first quarter, including a great pick by Tramon Williams. Rookie Nick Perry got an early sack, but then was promptly penalized 15 yards for celebrating that fact. Overall, Packer fans saw much of what we saw last season: little pass rush, pass coverage breakdowns, and tackling that is more suitable for flag football than the NFL.

To add insult to injury, actually injury to injury, LB Desmond Bishop was injured in a tackling pile and had to be assisted from the field; he was reportedly seen in the locker room after the game on crutches and with a brace on his leg. Head coach Mike McCarthy said they weren't sure whether it was a leg or hamstring issue, but from watching replays of the play on which Bishop was injured the guess from here is leg and that he will be out for a while. Hopefully, that while won't turn into a lost-for-the-season type of thing. Stay tuned. The other injury was that of defensive back Davon House, who left the game after taking a hit to his shoulder. He is scheduled for X-rays today to assess the damage; best case scenario, some commentators thought, might be a dislocation. The Packers were looking for House to step up this season and make significant contributions to the secondary, so let's hope this isn't something which limits that.

So, next up in the preseason football follies is the Cleveland Browns who come to Green Bay next Thursday. Let's just hope McCarthy and his coaching staff get this team whipped into better shape than we saw last night. Still, it's probably helpful to remind ourselves that McCarthy's record in exhibition games is now 12-13, including a 2-5 record in openers. Moral to that story: at this stage of things, don't worry about it.