NFL Week 14: Packers vs. Bears Preview & Prediction

Before getting into Sunday's game, let's take a victory lap for the Packers 31-24 win over the Lions in Detroit on Thanksgiving. Big win. A season sweep!

There. That's enough.

Now onto the game for the NFC North Division lead and the #1 seed in the NFL Playoff standings.

But first, I need to apologize for all the links that appear in this post. Some funky auto-insert thingie from Google that seems to be set to "on" and we haven't figured out how to turn it off. Sorry. Ignore them.

The Preview

Contender. Pretender. Da Bears. The Packers. Not necessarily in that order. One sitting at 9-3 atop the NFC North. (The horror ... the horror ...) The other, a half game behind at 8-3-1. But which team is really the better one? And which will emerge as the bona fide leader of the NFL and begin to separate a bit from the others as we head down the final stretch of the season? Yeah, a game with big consequences. Not a be-all, end-all. But with four out of the next five  games (including this one) in the division and two of those versus these same Bearz, this begins crunch time for playoff seeding, a first round bye, wild card, all that.

Da Bearz come into this game as a team not to be overlooked. They are atop the standings for a good reason, namely they create turnovers which has helped them cover up a number of glaring deficiencies. As Mina Kimes pointed out recently, Chicago is "leading the NFL with 26 takeaways, including 17 interceptions. But this is a boom-or-bust strategy. The Bears are 8-0 when they force at least two turnovers, but 1-3 when they create one or fewer takeaways." Digging into that stat further, she noted "The Bears' defense — dead last in success rate versus throws of 15 yards or more."

So, two things: the Packers have only had seven turnovers all season, including four fumbles. Packers QB Jordan Love has thrown only three interceptions. And when he throws downfield, he has had a good success rate, especially now that WR Christian Watson is back on the field. Dontayvion Wicks has also come on recently, especially with his big game on Thanksgiving.

Look for Packers WR Jayden Reed to be back

in the lineup against Da Bearz.

(Photo via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Packers will also likely have wide receivers Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden available for the game against Chicago, as well as LB Quay Walker. Unfortunately, as Packers fans know, DT Devonte Wyatt is lost for the remainder of the season with an injury suffered in the win over the Lions. At the beginning of the season, Kenny Clark and Wyatt were the two guys being counted on to stuff the run. Now, neither is on the field, one via trade and the other via injury. That leaves a large hole in the defensive line which some young and recently-signed players are expected to fill. Per this article by Tom Silverstein in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "... rookies Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse will have to play meaningful snaps, along with newcomer Jordon Riley, to fill the void. The 6-foot-5, 338-pound Riley was signed off the Giants’ practice squad for one reason. “Run game, man,” Riley said. “I’m here to stop the run, especially this week with Chicago.” Even though he’ll have had just three days of practice, Riley should be active against the Bears."

With Chicago's running success in their last game on the road versus the Eagles — two running backs each with more than 100 yards rushing! — it could be a test for the Packers run-stopping defense which, let's be honest, has been hit and miss over the course of this season although in the game versus Detroit the Pack held Jahmyr Gibbs (the league’s No. 4 rusher) to 68 yards on 20 carries, and David Montgomery to eight carries for just 32 yards. Detroit is still primarily running the Ben Johnson offense which he brought with him to Chicago in his first year as head coach. So the Packers had a bit of a trial run against that offense on Thanksgiving. So there's that.

Bottom line: the way for the Packers to beat Da Bearz is for the Packers defense to stop the run and force the ball into QB Caleb Williams' hands while also keeping him from scrambling and beating you with his legs. Oh, did we note that Williams pass completion percentage is under 60 percent, which even Johnson noted was an element of their game that they were viewing as winning not because of but "in spite of". Hope you get that. By the way, Williams' favorite receiving target, Rome Odunze, is listed as out for the game. That's huge. Odunze is his security blanket. Will he now look more to his tight ends? Dump offs to the backs? Will be interesting to see the adjustments in the Chicago game plan as well as what Williams does when protection breaks down and he's about to get sacked by Micah Parsons. The game within the game, so to speak.

You can bet that Chicago will do their collective best to keep Jordan Love and the Pack offense on the bench. The best way to counter that approach, along with the Packers defense clamping down on Da Bearz running game, is for the Packers to get off to a fast start and have the "All gas, no brakes" mentality on both sides of the ball for a full 60 minutes.

Making Da Bearz play from behind puts the Pack in the driver's seat given Williams' issues. When Chicago stays close, they can pull off some late-minute heroics (remember the Pack's three-point losses to Cleveland and Carolina?). Da Bearz point differential — +6 — for a team with 9 wins is anemic. Again, all those takeaways have worked in their favor. Defensively, they are ranked towards the bottom of the league in a number of categories. Can't let them stay close. Need to put them away early and not let up.

An overlooked factor in the game today is the punting weapon for the Packers named Daniel Whelan. He's got a powerful leg (a 72-yard official yardage punt vs. the Lions ... yes, indoors, but still ...) and can definitely flip the field to the Packers advantage. We must also mention kicker Brandon McManus who seems to have rectified his accuracy issues since coming back from his quad injury. The one remaining issue is that he has been having trouble putting his kickoffs in the so-called "landing zone" and has been putting them into the opponent's end zone, which then brings the ball out to the 35-yard line. Not great. Can't give Da Bearz that kind of free yardage to start their possessions.

The Prediction

The Packers are currently favored by 6-1/2 points at the time of this writing. That seems like a lot for a game of this kind. But ... maybe not?

The playing conditions need to be factored in. It's December. In Green Bay. With a 3:25 p.m. CT kickoff and temps ranging from about 17 degrees down to about 11 degrees when the game ends, it will make the ball hard and slick. Runners and receivers will need to take extra care of the ball. Kickers and punters will need to be sure-footed, as will linemen, linebackers and defensive backs. A slip can make the difference between a win and a loss. But it's the same for both sides, as they say. Still, to get his team acclimated, head coach Matt LaFleur had his team practice outside all week. Can't hurt. Other than the possible frostbite.

We're calling it Packers 31 - Da Bearz 24. There's the contender and pretender order.

Go Pack Go!!!

NFL Week 13: Packers vs. Lions Thanksgiving Day Preview & Prediction

Before having a quick look at the Turkey Day extravaganza in Detroit, let's have a brief look back at this past Sunday's beat down of the ViQueens at Lambeau Field. The synopsis: the Packers won in dominating fashion behind a run-centric offense led by backup RB Emanuel Wilson, a pound-the-first-year-starting-quarterback defense, and a game-changing special teams play that turned the game on its head.

Do we need to say anything further? You know about all these things already if you are a Packers fan. And if you are reading this blog, you definitely are!

For the second week in a row, we also had the margin of victory correct, albeit again with a difference of 7 points on either end of the prediction, 23-6 final vs. the 30-13 prediction. Not bad.

Will we see a similar game plan offensively on Thursday? We hope not, frankly. Defensively, we'll definitely take the sacks, pressures and turnover the Packers generated. And if we can get a special teams play that turns the game, well, that would be just fine, as well. Because we expect this to be a close one. Let's take a look.

Packers fans hope to see QB Jordan Love successfully opening

up the passing game today vs. the Lions.

(Photo via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Preview

Let's begin with the Packers having RB Josh Jacobs return to the backfield. They rested him vs. Minnesota to give him a few extra days to get healthy for this Detroit game, with a longer break afterward to recover before the next game against Da Bearz. Of course, Wilson proved on Sunday that he can carry the full load once again if Jacobs is limited. We expect a mix of Jacobs and Wilson depending upon the flow and needs of the game, with head coach Matt LaFleur hopefully scheming and maximizing the strengths of each.

While not having their full complement of receivers available (see the injury report below), there will be enough to give Detroit problems. This assumes, of course, that the Pack's offensive line is stout enough to not only have the running game be effective but to also protect Jordan Love. Recall that Love has a left shoulder separation, according to reports, from taking that unnecessary hit on a scramble a couple weeks ago. He didn't even do handoffs using the left hand during Sunday's game, opting for doing it all with his right hand only. Now, as the game evolved, the bulk of the offense wound up featuring the running game. LaFleur actually said for the first time ever that he called the same running play five times in a row because Minnesota just couldn't stop it (Lombardi would have loved that!).

Against the Lions, however, the air attack will need to ramp up considerably. With WR Christian Watson now seemingly stepping into that Receiver 1 role since coming back from his ACL injury, both downfield and in other patterns, this helps open the door for other receivers, as well. And keep in mind, too, that Jacobs is also a very capable receiver and perhaps an even better run-after-the-catch threat that can be used out of the backfield. Yes, TE Tucker Kraft is not returning this season, and TE Luke Musgrave hasn't taken advantage of his opportunities, with the other tight ends appearing to be used more in recent weeks.

Along the offensive line, it appears that rookie and second round draft pick Anthony Belton may have beaten out Jordan Morgan for the right guard spot. After a bit of rotation in the first half on Sunday, Belton was at the spot the entire second half and did a very good job moving people off the line, opening holes for Wilson, and usually giving Love enough time to execute the limited passing plays that were called. We'd expect to see him start at the position today.

Defensively, the Packers will just need to keep doing what they've been doing, i.e., get after the quarterback. Lions QB Jared Goff, statistically, is very good when he is not under pressure but is, statistically, not so great when he is pressured. If the Packers can do against Detroit what they did against Minnesota they will go a long way to increasing the chances for a Packers win. 

One of the facets of the Packers defense, however, that still needs tightening up — in Week 13! — is the run defense. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs has been having a good season overall. You don't want to let him have explosive runs for big yardage, take the pressure off Goff and help the Lions control the time of possession. If the Packers come out the way they did in Week 1 against this same team, the result should also be the same.

Packers who are out for the today game include DL Karl Brooks, WR Jayden Reed (darn it!), DE Lukas Van Ness (again) and WR Savion Williams. Players currently listed as questionable include WR Matthew Golden, CB Nate Hobbs, CB Keisean Nixon, and LB Quay Walker. The Lions will also be missing some players, especially along the offensive line which should open up plenty of opportunities for DE Micah Parsons et al to get after Goff.

If the defense can contain Gibbs and get after Goff ... game, set, match.

The Prediction

The Lions are 2-1/2 point favorites at the time of this writing and according to one metric have about a 54 percent chance of beating the Packers. Really.

Yes, we, too, figure this will be a tight and close game...perhaps another one of those where the last team to possess the ball will win...or not. Hope not. But with the Pack sitting at 7-3-1 and the Lions at 7-4, it is a toss up. Either the Packers will be in first place (assuming Da Bearz lose on Friday to the Eagles) or in third in the NFC North depending upon the outcome of this game. We prefer first place, don't you?

While most pundits are giving this one to the Lions, we're calling this one Packers 24 - Lions 23.

Go Pack Go!!!

2024 NFL Week 18: Packers vs Bears Preview & Prediction

Here we are,  Packer fans: the final game of the 2024 regular season. (Boy, it went fast, didn't it?!) And this game comes against the Pack's longest-standing rival, Da Bearz! What could be better? OK, OK, perhaps a Chicago team that's actually competitive once again. But let's be careful what we ask for, right?

On Sunday, there is a chance to continue to dominate a currently woeful Chicago franchise. That's always a good thing. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is 11-0 heading into this match up with the team from south of the (Wisconsin) border. When the game is finished, that personal coaching record will go to 12-0 and take the Pack to 12-5 on the season overall. More on that in a bit.

But first, a quick return to last weekend's loss vs. the Minnesota ViQueens. Turns out, we were spot on with our score prediction, 27-25. How 'bout that? But ... we just had the teams reversed. Dang it!

Yes, the Pack came up short — again — against Minnesota, just as was the case twice versus Detroit this season. And once against the Eagles. Darn it. One of the keys to victory that we noted in our Minnesota preview was getting to QB Sam Darnold so he wouldn't pick apart the Packers defense. Weeeelllll ... that didn't quite happen the way we hoped. And the Packers offense misfired just enough to let the Vikes take the game. That early fumble on the first drive by Josh Jacobs ... how many times do things such as this seem to be an early indicator of how the rest of the game will go? QB Jordan Love was not as sharp as he needed to be, either. Just too much. And a 2-point loss. (Sigh...)

OK, let's get on to this game against Chicago, shall we?

Packers RB Josh Jacobs scoring vs. Da Bearz. While it is hoped that Jacobs doesn't have to play the entire game on Sunday, we do hope to see him once again entering the end zone a time or two on the way to a Packers win.

(Photo by Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Preview

The Packers, sitting at 11-5 currently and in third place in the NFC North, have already locked up a wildcard playoff spot. The only things undetermined are whether it will be the sixth or seventh spot and the resulting first round opponent. For Da Bearz, at 4-12 and on a 10-game losing streak after a 4-2 start, they have already locked up last place in the NFC North and a fast trip to the offseason following the conclusion of the game.

While Chicago has some weapons on offense, particularly at wide receiver, their offensive line has been a sieve, leading to rookie QB Caleb Williams not having exactly the kind of season management had hoped for when he was drafted with the number one overall pick. He's been under pressure and sacked a ton. Combine that with coaching firings during the season and one might speculate that Williams will find himself in the same spot a few years down the road as a few other recent high Chicago QB picks that have fallen by the wayside. Much will depend upon who the McCaskey family decides to hand the head coaching job to in the coming season. Fans at Soldier Field during the game vs. Seattle were chanting "Sell the team" ... so ... things there are not good on just about any front.

That's enough space talking about Da Bearz.

As for the Pack, it should be a matter of getting out to a fast start and putting up points early and often. This has been the key to the Packers success this season, and the key to its five losses when they haven't been able to do so. Pro Bowl RB Josh Jacobs will be important in that effort. Given the amount of work he has taken on this season, it will be most helpful if he can hit the bench early and get some rest going into the playoffs. Coach LaFleur has said he's not going to rest any of the starters going into the game. But he obviously would be in favor of giving as much rest to these players as possible and that means having a comfortable lead at some point in the second half.

The Packers will have all their regular offensive weapons on display. WR Christian Watson should be available, too, and TE Luke Musgrave might also see a bit more action than last week where they eased him back into things. There were hints from the coaching staff that they felt Musgrave could finally be one of those receiving threats they had anticipated when drafting him — in addition to all the others — that could really open up the offense even more during the playoffs.

Defensively, the Packers received the news this week that CB Jaire Alexander underwent surgery for the PCL injury that has been bothering him a good portion of the season. With hindsight, instead of trying to get back on the field, someone in the Packers organization should have pulled the plug on him early, put him on IR, made an additional roster spot available, and now would likely have him back for the playoff run. Instead, the earliest he might be available would reportedly be the Super Bowl. Which raises the question, as we have noted before, as to whether Alexander will even be back with the Packers at all next season despite his contract given his limited availability for the past two years in particular. But that decision is down the road.

Besides Alexander, the other inactives for the Pack include linebackers Quay Walker and Zane Anderson, S Evan Williams and OT Andre Dillard.

One big highlight in recent weeks for the Packers has been the emergence of LB Edgerrin Cooper. Expect more good things ahead from "Super Cooper". He should have a big day versus Da Bearz.

Now, Seattle had a field day last weekend vs. Chicago, getting to Williams with their blitz schemes. Still, they only won in a snorer, 6-3. The Packers do not and will not blitz anywhere near as much as the Seahawks so they will need to get pressure on Williams with their front four and occasional blitz packages. They can and must do so.

The Prediction

At the time of this writing, the Packers are favored by 10 points. Surprised it isn't more than that. This is a game the Packers should — and will — win. Even with the noon CT kickoff weather conditions in Green Bay those of a typical early January affair, i.e., about 17 degrees at game time and with blustery winds of up to perhaps 23 mph, there is no snow in the forecast at the time of this writing. So the game should favor the running attack and short to medium range passes. Both of which, along with the defensive play, favors the Packers. But, as noted earlier, the Pack need to get up early on Da Bearz. Don't let them hang around. Put them away and don't let up.

We're calling this one Packers 34 - Da Bearz 10.

Go Pack Go!!!

2024 NFL Week 8: Packers vs. Jaguars Preview & Prediction

Before we get into the preview and prediction for this weekend's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, here's a quick review of last Sunday's match up between the Packers and the Texans ... it was certainly closer than we thought it would be ... or that it needed to be, for that matter. But that's what three turnovers can do when you don't reciprocate in kind (for the first time this season).

It all came down to a last-second field goal by a veteran kicker — Brandon McManus — who was just signed to the team and arrived about two days beforehand replacing rookie Brayden "Wide Right" Narveson. McManus actually had to make that game-winning 45-yard field goal twice, as Houston called a timeout just as he kicked the first one. It was good. But didn't count. Had to do it all over again. While the first one was perfect on all counts — snap, hold, kick, down the middle — the second kick, oy: bad snap, recovery-mode hold by the punter, Daniel Whelan, with the ball appearing to start a bit to the left but it stayed inside the goalpost. Yowza! WHHHEEEWWW! That's the way to start your Packers career, Mr. McManus! And thank you for your service! (We wish Narvey well on his kicking career; big leg, just has to get the consistency thing down.)

It was also another opportunity for the Pack's rejuvenated defense to help pull a victory from the jaws of defeat in what was not, shall we say, one of QB Jordan Love's best games (2 INTs). The D kept Houston's sophomore standout QB C.J. Stroud under pressure all afternoon. Ten of Houston's 22 points came off Packers turnovers...and it could have been worse if the defense hadn't really buckled down in some key situations.

But a win is a win. And the Packers find themselves just a half game back at 5-2 in the race for the NFC North and, arguably, a Super Bowl contender. Still, lots to work on. Especially Love taking more after Rodgers and less like Favre in terms of taking care of the ball. But let's enjoy that exciting 'Winter Warning' win and look at the upcoming game against the Jaguars in Jacksonville.

Packers TE Tucker Kraft gets down and funky while making a catch against Houston last Sunday. He's really becoming a breakout star for his blocking and receiving capabilities this season.

(Photo by Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

The Preview

First, in the interests of disclosure, we must note that we are writing this post mid-week instead of on the weekend as usual because of other weekend commitments; likely won't even see the game until replays. And, of course, final injury reports are premature at this point. As of Wednesday, Quay Walker, Corey Ballentine, Josh Myers and Elgton Jenkins did not practice. DT Devonte Wyatt did return to practice after missing three games due to injury. Defensive lineman Jonathon Ford was elevated off the practice squad on Monday perhaps to provide additional depth depth just in case Wyatt can't go again this week. Walker sustained a concussion early in the game last week and is still in the concussion protocol. If he can't go, veteran LB Eric Wilson more than stepped up to the challenge in replacing him; he had himself a heckuva game. Beyond that, the Packers good luck on the health front seems to be holding steady, although any hits to the offensive line would not be to Love's or the Pack's advantage. But right now, it seems as if all hands should be good to go (Let us pray...).

For the Jags, offensive lineman Cam Robinson is in the concussion protocol, so who knows whether he will be available or not. RB Travis Etienne missed their game last weekend with a hamstring injury. Again, who knows?

The Jags are 2-5 and, well, not great. QB Trevor Lawrence is an up-and-down talent, it seems. Big arm, lots of possibilities and occasional big plays. Just not the consistency I'm sure the Jags coaches and fans have been waiting for. The only way we see Jacksonville staying in the game is if the Packers let them...through turnovers by the offense and special teams and/or the defense not playing up to their abilities. Jordan Love should have a big day against this Jacksonville secondary as long as he doesn't try to force things the way we have seen since his return from injury; we need more second-half of last season Love rather than first-half. Keep spreading the ball around, push it downfield when it's there, and try to get RB Josh Jacobs at least 20 carries in the game.

The Prediction

At the time of this writing (see above) the Packers are favored by 4-1/2 points with an over-under of 51 points. While the Jags need to win to turn their season around in a bad AFC, the Packers need a win to stay in touch with the ViQueens and Lions who are each now a half-game up in the standings. And, of course, to stay ahead of Da Bearz (ewwwww).

We're calling this game Packers 34 - Jaguars 17.

Go Pack Go!!!

2023 NFL Week 10: Packers vs. Steelers Preview & Prediction

OK, Packer fans: we finally got a win last week over the Stafford-less LA Rams. We'll take it. Definitely. It showed what could be possible given the presence and performance of RB Aaron Jones. Also showed what could happen when a young defense flies around with some energy. What are the lessons that can be drawn for today's game against the Steelers? Let's see.

The Preview

Unfortunately, it appears as if CB Jaire Alexander will once again be missing from the playing field. Not good when the Steelers will have a receiver the calibre of George Pickens coming at you (btw, the Pack selected Christian Watson ahead of Pickens in last year's draft). On the other hand, Pittsburgh also has a young QB, Kenny Pickett, running the offense. So if the Packers defense can get pressure on Pickett and hold down Pickens ... well, both would be good. (Thank you, Captain Obvious!)

Rookie safety Anthony Johnson Jr. had a big day

against the Rams. He may or may not see the field today

if Rudy Ford is able to play.

(Photo by Mike De Sisti / The Milwaukee Journal)

The Packers will also likely be without LB Quay Walker and have listed as questionable DL Kenny Clark, S Rudy Ford, C Josh Myers, LT Yosh Nijman and RG Jon Runyan.

The latter three are concerning because the Steelers have a servicable defensive front, led by edge rusher T.J. Watt (remember that draft where the Pack could have picked him and instead went with DB Kevin King? Yeah... "Hulk sad.") The Packers offensive line has been a problem area all season, with very little continuity because of injuries. This has led to a plethora of pre-snap penalties and pressures on QB Jordan Love, who needs all the help and time he can get to connect with his equally young receivers. If Aaron Jones can replicate his game of last week and take pressure off Love, and the O-line can hold its own and minimize the pre-snap mistakes, the Packers have a chance today, despite being on the road.

The Prediction

The Packers and Steelers have both had their challenges this season. The Pack are 3-5 despite having chances to pull out at least 1 or 2 more wins. The Steelers are 5-3 despite, as Ryan Wood notes in his prediction for the game (see here) "an offense that ranks 28th in yards gained and a defense that ranks 31st in yards allowed. Both marks are worse than the Packers (24th offense, 11th defense). The Steelers have one of the few NFL quarterbacks with a lower passer rating than Jordan Love (Kenny Pickett is 26th in the NFL with 81.6, Love 25th with 81.9)." Wood also notes that Steeler head coach Mike Tomlin seems to always put his team in a position to win despite their deficiencies, which are more than they have had in past seasons, it seems.

So it seems as if the game is close, the Packers have tended to not get it done while the Steelers somehow find a way. Pittsburgh is at home and with a crowd that can get into the game if you let them. Neither are to the Pack's benefit.

Pittsburgh is favored by 3 at the time of this writing. Yup, home field advantage.

We're calling this Steelers 20 - Packers 17.

Still ... as always ... GO PACK GO!!!

2023 NFL Week 2: Packers still own Da Bearz, Plus Falcons Preview & Prediction

Well, well, Packers fans. Glad to say our win prediction for last week's regular season opener in Chicago came true. Not even as close as expected: 38-20. Yay. The Pack still owns Da Bearz. Won't see them again until an end-of-season game in Lambeau Field. We'll certainly know the tale of these two teams after a long season then. As it stands, and as most national media also opined, Chicago has a lot more work to do than do the Packers.

The new owner of the Chicago Bears: Packers starting QB

Jordan Love had a spectacular opening game vs. Chicago.

(Photo via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Preview

But for this week, against the Falcons, what do things look like? At this stage of the season, do we still really know anything much about either the Packers or Atlanta? Both 1-0. Both young. Heard one pundit say that both teams are actually fairly similar. So where do we go from here?

While it's encouraging to hear that RB Aaron Jones and WRs Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson participated in walk-throughs Friday, Jones and Watson are both listed as questionable on the injury report at the time of this writing. So is LT David Bakhtiari, but that will probably be the case for most of the season, it would seem. While we won't know the final status of these players until 90 minutes before Sunday kickoff, we do know that if the key players on offense are out or limited it will certainly impact the game plan. Conversely, LB Quay Walker got out of concussion protocol and will play, which is certainly a boost to the defense.

And that will be needed as the Pack defense will have to keep speedy rookie RB Bijan Robinson in check, along with tight end Kyle Pitts. There's enough there to present challenges, particularly if it's a tight game.

In a game such as this, a special teams play either way, for either team, could be the difference.

Still, we know that Jordan Love is not one to get rattled easily. He's playing behind a very good O-line. If Aaron Jones can't go, A. J. Dillon will need to step up. He had a bit of a down year last year and didn't show well in the first game. It's a contract year for him, so now would be a good time for him to return to his form of a few years as Quadzilla.

OK, not much of a preview, but for now...good enough.

The Prediction

The Falcons are currently favored by 1.5 points; recall that Da Bearz were favored by 1 last week against the Pack. So, basically the same...not even getting the full home field advantage. The over-under is set at 40.5 points right now; a low scoring event, in other words. To which we say: maybe.

We like the vibe of this young Packers team. They are talented and maybe they just believe it. This is a pick-em type game. And we will.

We're calling it Packers 24 - Falcons 23.

Go Pack Go!!!

2022 NFL Week 11: Packers vs. Titans Preview & Prediction

Have we exhaled yet from Sunday's overtime thrilling win vs. the Cowboys, Packer fans? Wow. Down 14 and ultimately giving the 'boys their first loss with a lead by that much in the 4th quarter in 196 games. Yay. They finally showed up on both sides of the ball. Special teams? Well, a missed FG early by Mason (even a long one) usually is not a good harbinger of things to come. Then toss in the now-departed-from-the-Packers Amari Rodgers' punt problems and it nearly looked as if things were just too much to overcome. Thought my prediction of a loss would unfortunately come to fruition.

But not.

Thankfully, rookie wide receiver Christian Watson had his coming-out party with 3 touchdown catches, including a few long ones. Finally. Finally. If he can keep the injury bug away, and keep hanging on to the ball, he will continue to create issues for opposing defenses.

While it was a gutsy win, and not perfect, it sure was the best we've seen the Packers perform all season. That level of play will need to continue this evening, on a short turnaround, vs. the Titans.

QB Aaron Rodgers and the Packers will be wearing their all-white 'color flash'

uniforms tonight at Lambeau Field. Let's hope they bring the team continued luck.

(Photo by Jonathon Daniel/Getty Images)

The Preview

We know that the Packers may have found a winning formula on offense: running the ball at least as much or more than passing it. That includes having the starting 5 offensive linemen start and finish the game for the first time this season. That was huge. The trick tonight will be how well David Bakhtiari's and Elgton Jenkins' surgically repaired knees hold up on a short week. This will be a key to success tonight against one of the league's top rushing defenses.

The Packers will need to stick with the run early and not become one-dimensional in the passing game, as was the case for most if not all of the 5-game losing streak. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon will have to really pound the ball tonight, and to open up passing opportunities. WR Randall Cobb will be coming off IR and will likely see limited play, but may come up with a key catch or 2 to keep drives alive. Watson will stretch the field. Allen Lazard can be the mid-range over-the-middle guy. But in those passing situations that line is going to need to give Rodgers time as it did on Sunday. And if nothing is there, and the field opens up ... "Run, Aaron, Run".

As for how to handle the Titans' offense, that really boils down to handling that beast-of-a-running-back Derrick Henry. He's fast and as big or bigger than some linebackers...a one-of-a-kind threat. The Packers will need to jam up the inside lines and contain on the edges. A tough challenge. If Henry could be limited to under 100 yards that would be a win for the Packers defense. As would minimizing explosive plays, something which hasn't been the Pack's strong suit much of the season. We have been witnessing better play out of Joe Barry's defense over the last several games. So, maybe. But with De'Vondre Campbell being out again tonight that doesn't help. Young players such as linebackers Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie will have to fill the void in major ways tonight. If the Packers can hold Henry in check, Titans QB Ryan Tannehill will have to win the game. Not impossible. But the Packers secondary should be able to hold down the Titans' passing game if they continue to play the way they did vs. Dallas.

Tennessee will be missing some key players of their own tonight: K Randy Bullock, OL Bud Dupree, S Amani Hooker, DB Lonnie Johnson, and C Ben Jones. Those missing pieces are not insubstantial. If the Packers can get through the game as relatively unscathed as on Sunday, they have a great shot of emerging on top tonight.

The Prediction

Given the prime time focus of this game tonight — on which Rodgers seems to thrive, as we know — and the 3 out of 4 wins in prior games wearing the all-whites, the cohesiveness we saw play out on Sunday should continue this evening. The weather advantage favors the Pack, as well: it will be cold, with air temps about 24 F and with wind chills likely in the single digits. Perhaps even some flurries. Yes, both teams have to play in it. But this is the time of the year when the Frozen Tundra feel starts to work its magic for the home team.

The Packers are favored by 3-1/2 points at the time of this posting.

We're calling it Packers 24 - Titans 21.

Go Pack Go!!!

2022 NFL Week 4: Packers vs. Patriots Preview & Prediction

Before we begin our current game review, if you haven't yet exhaled from the Packers hold-on-to-your-hats win in Tampa last weekend, you can now do so: Packers 14 - Buccaneers 12. Whew!

It was a much closer game than it needed to be or should have been. The Pack would have all but sealed things up early on if RB Aaron Jones had been able keep possession of the football as he was tackled just shy of the end zone. That would have given the Packers 21 points in the first half. But...not. Still, thanks to the defense and special teams (who would have imagined ever saying that?!), the Pack held on to go to 2-1 on the young season. Yay.

The Preview

Today, Green Bay takes on the New England Patriots at Lambeau Field. The Pats' starting QB, Mac Jones, will not play today leaving instead veteran QB Brian Hoyer as the man under center. Advantage: Packers. Still, this is a Bill Belichick-led team. He will do the best to scheme with who he has. Particularly on defense. It will be a bit of a chess match at the outset, perhaps, as the Packers offense, especially with the young receivers, attempts to outwit Belichick's defensive calls. Look for rookie WR Romeo Doubs to continue to shine. TE Robert Tonyan could also resume his key-play role for the offense. The platooning of LT David Bakhtiari and Yosh Nijman that worked well last weekend in its first iteration will likely continue today with equally good results.

Packers rookie linebacker, Quay Walker, has already shown his

value as part of the Pack's defense. He's a playmaker.

(Photo by Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

We should feel good about where the Pack's defense is right now. It is ascending. And so is its young talent.

Certainly, being able to stifle Tom Brady and the Bucs last weekend has to bolster a unit which already possesses a good deal of confidence in its abilities. Whether or not DB Jaire Alexander is able to play today, the defense knows it can handle whatever comes its way. Rookie LB, Quay Walker, has been making plays like a veteran since the first game. He is an impact player. There are quite a few of them on this side of the ball right now. That means if the offense can do what it is capable of doing, the defense can close out games.

The Prediction

The pundits have put the spread at anywhere from 8-1/2 to 9-12 points, depending upon when and what source you are looking at (bad grammar there, sorry). These same oddsmakers have put the over-under at 40-1/2 points. So, clearly, looking at just these numbers, the Packers are viewed as definite odds-on favorites.

The Pack's defense should hold a so-so, Brian Hoyer-led Patriots offense in check. The only question is whether the Packers offense is able to put together a complete game and not shoot itself in the foot. That, and whether the special teams can hold its own which so far has been the case.

With all that being said, we're calling this game Packers 27 - Patriots 13.

Go Pack Go!!!