2023 NFL Week 5: Packers vs. Raiders Preview & Prediction

First, a word about the Thursday night game vs. the Lions: patooie!

Can you relate, Packer fans? I thought so. Moving on...

Packers QB Jordan Love will need a balance game plan

to beat the Raiders in tonight's game in Las Vegas.

(Photo by Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Preview

This will be the Pack's first-ever visit to Las Vegas. Let's hope its many distractions can be kept to a minimum for the players. They will have enough to deal with on the field. While the Raiders are 1-3, they could cause problems. Let's not forget that this is the home of former Green Bay receiver Davante Adams. He can cause problems of many kinds. And while Jaire Alexander is expected to be on the field for the Packers tonight, it will be interesting to see how defensive coordinator Joe Barry decides to deploy him in coverage. Does he put Alexander on Adams every play? Does he keep Alexander in a particular spot and rotate coverage of Adams? We each likely know what we would do. But Barry??? Let us pray.

The Raiders also had a great ground game last season which hasn't quite come around yet this season. Let's hope they don't decide to make tonight the night they choose to return to old form. Because, as Packer fans know all too well, the Pack's run defense still leaves much to be desired.

The Raiders QB is someone who is 3-1 against the Packers, including playoffs: yes, ol' Jimmy Garappolo. But that record was with the Niners; the Raiders are definitely not the Niners. While he is coming off the concussion protocol for this game, Garappolo has been consistent in his propensity to toss interceptions. If the Packers pass rush can put pressure on him, Jimmy G should put a couple of passes up there for picks.

On the Packers side of the offensive ledger, QB Jordan Love should have Elgton Jenkins back to help protect his blind side and give some stability to the offensive line, which has been less than stellar the last few games. John Runyan should also return. In terms of weapons, RB Aaron Jones and WR Christian Watson should be on the field more than versus the Lions, which bodes well for the offense. (LATE UPDATE: RB Aaron Jones has been declared inactive for the game. Packers elevated RB Patrick Taylor to the 53-man roster.)

The Prediction

At the time of this writing, the Raiders are favored by 2 points...which amazes many. Not the full home field advantage, but...

This is another one of those early season games where both teams are still trying to figure out their identities. Granted, injuries for both teams have played a role in their respective records to this point. 

But it's about time the Packers took hold of that challenge on both sides of the ball. With a Week 6 bye coming up for the Packers following this game, it should be all hands on deck. They need to go into the bye at 3-2, which would put them right where we predicted they'd be in our pre-season prediction (look for yourself in the prior posts).

We're calling this game Packers 31 - Raiders 27.

Go Pack Go!!!

NFL Week 7 Review of Packers win vs Raiders, NFL Week 8 Preview vs. Chiefs — Yes, another twofer!

We're now at the halfway point of the NFL season, Packers fans. Sitting at 6-1, things are looking pretty good. Let's be honest, better than likely many expected. 

The Raiders Leave Lambeau with a Loss

Last Sunday, we saw the Pack beat the Raiders 42-24 in a game in which QB Aaron Rodgers had a perfect quarterback rating, throwing for 5 touchdowns and running for one. He received help from 8 different receiving targets, if memory serves correctly. It was a great game from an offensive standpoint. Defensively, the Packers still are giving up too many explosive plays particularly through the air in the secondary. Seemed as if in many cases there wasn't even a defensive back in the same zipcode as the Oakland receivers. Somehow, someway, that has to be tightened up. But they also seem to make enough plays at the right time, goal-line stands, etc., that have been making wins possible. So there's that.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers on his way to a perfect QB rating
and win vs. the Raiders on Oct. 20, 2019 at Lambeau Field.
(Photo: Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Kansas City, Kansas City Here We Come

But what about now? What about tonight's game in Kansas City? In this rematch (in name only) of the teams in Super Bowl 1, the Packers are favored by 4-1/2 points at the time of this writing. The Chiefs will be without their MVP QB, Patrick Mahomes, as well as reportedly about 5 other starters. That likely helps explain the Pack being favored. Arrowhead Stadium is arguably the loudest stadium in the NFL and opponent offenses often have to rely on hand signals to make their calls. Not an easy place to play so getting the Chiefs with so many missing parts right now is a bit of a gift. 

While still without WR Davante Adams, the Packers have been winning as other receivers have begun to step up in his absence. The Pack's running game also has to be respected with the two-headed threat of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.

We have to believe that a Rodgers-led Packers offense will get it done against a Mahomes-less Chiefs. The biggest challenge for the Pack's defense will be to somehow minimize the damage that wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins, along with TE Travis Kelce, can do. The secondary, as noted, as had its issues this season, and covering good tight ends — of which Kelce is among the best in the league — has also been a challenge. But if the defense can keep these weapons in check and the offense does what it's capable of doing, the Packers are likely to leave KC with a win.

The Prediction

We already gave it away in the last sentence above, didn't we, Packers fans?

We're calling it Packers 31 - Chiefs 24.

Go Pack Go!!!

Self-Check at the Midway Point of the Season

We'll revisit this after today's game, but taking at look back at our Preseason Preview, we had the Packers coming through the first half of this season at 5-3. Depending on what happens against the Chiefs, the actual record will either be 7-1 or 6-2. Either way, glad to know we underestimated this team. Better and deeper than earlier looks indicated.

NFL Week 6 Review of Packers win vs Lions, NFL Week 7 Preview vs. Raiders — Again with the twofer!

It's sad, isn't it? Not that the Green Bay Packers keep winning, but that we can't seem to get out of this combo Review-Preview kick. Sorry about that, dear readers. But, as we heard so well from the White House this week, "Get over it!".

With that out of the way, let's take a quick look at the Pack's win over the Lions.

Wow. That. Was.Close.

The Packers beat the Lions 23-22 on a last second field goal by K Mason Crosby. It wasn't the prettiest of games. The Pack went down 13-0 early on a couple of big plays by the Lions. But that score begins to tell the tale of the game: a TD and 2 FGs...the first 2 of 5 by the Lions kicker. Yes, just 1 touchdown given up by the Packers defense. Extreme bending, but no breaking.

As for the Packers offense, down to back up receivers deep on the depth chart, a potential new target for QB Aaron Rodgers showed up big time: Allen Lazard. If not for some of his catches, including a spectacular over-the-shoulder TD catch, the Pack would not have won the game. There were 3 turnovers by the Packers that kept the Lions churning. And there were some questionable hands-to-the-face penalties against the Lions at crucial times that kept the Pack drives going, including the last game-winning drive. Being able to run out the clock with just under 7 minutes left on the clock? Oh, yeah, that was key as well. Part of that was RB Jamaal Williams having the presence of mind to go to the ground instead of going into the endzone to keep the clock running. Just so many moments, big and small, in this game that allowed for the Pack to get to 5-1 and increase their lead in the NFC North.

Packers OLB Za'Darius Smith (ground) celebrates a sack against the Lions.
Such celebrations may be curtained a bit in the future, but hopefully the sacks
will continue.
(Photo: Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wis)

The Raiders visit Lambeau Field

As you may recall, there was a preseason game between the Packers and Raiders this year. In Winnipeg. Remember that? There were problems with the field so some on-the-spot rules were made up to accommodate a shortened field. It was...odd, on many levels. So that game tells us nothing as no starters played.

The Packers, as noted earlier, are 5-1 coming off a short week (having played Monday night) with the Raiders at 3-2 and coming off a bye after their game and win against Da Bearz in London.

The Pack are injury-riddled at wide receiver and tight end. The team did add veteran WR Ryan Grant this week to boost weapons for Rodgers, but don't expect much of an impact at this point. He could, however, prove valuable as a much-needed slot receiver. The Raiders come in on three straight road games, winning against both the Colts and Da Bearz.

The Prediction

The Packers are favored by 5-1/2 points at the time of this writing. We have a sense this game could look a bit like the game against the Lions (hopefully without the turnovers), with the offense getting just enough production out of its running backs and receivers to stay on top. That's if the defense continues its winning ways. Which we expect they will. Although it would be nice to minimize those big plays over the top that have been the defense's real weak spot this season.

We're calling this game Packers 27 - Raiders 20.

Go Pack Go!!!

NFL Week 15: Packers vs Raiders

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers kick Cowboys to the curb, get ready to rip Raiders

As noted in our Packers vs. Cowboys preview last weekend, we said we expected RB Eddie Lacy to have a big game. He did. After being in the doghouse the prior week for missing curfew, he and fellow running back James Starks generated the best ground game -- more than 200 yards rushing combined -- that the Packers have seen in years. Kudos to the offensive line for opening lanes and for Lacy and Starks for running with a passion that hasn't been present in quite a while.

After being a tight 14-7 game deep into the third quarter, the Packers finally went on to win 28-7. The Packers offense, with head coach Mike McCarthy once again calling plays, looked more in sync than it had since before the bye week. And the Packers defense once again was stellar in shutting down the opposing offense. The Packers lost CB Sam Shields early in the game to a concussion; he will reportedly be held out of Sunday's game against the Raiders as he still has not passed the league's concussion protocol. Shields was replaced by rookie Damarious Randall who, as Shields did, shut down Dallas WR Dez Bryant all day long.

Packer Jeff Janis greets Cowboy Lucky Whitehead on punt returns.
(Photo by Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Another perhaps overlooked aspect of this victory was the performance of the special teams. While K Mason Crosby was not called upon to make a game-winning field goal, P Tim Masthay had a great day punting aided in no special measure by the tremendous coverage play of WR Jeff Janis, who was clearly the fastest man on the field. In one fantastic play, Janis was pushed about 5 yards out of bounds by the defender, but ran around and by him to meet Dallas punt returner Lucky Whitehead at the same time the ball arrived. No fair catch? Meet Mr. Janis! Not so lucky, Lucky! (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Janis had three coverage plays in total that were superb. If he can only learn to run his pass routes as effectively as he covers punts, the Packers will at long last have their deep downfield receiving threat.

This the performance Packer fans have been looking for. Combined with the ViQueens loss, it increased the Pack's lead in the NFC North.

Next up: the 6-7 Oakland Raiders. In Oakland. Some interesting story lines emerge with this game: Charles Woodson playing where he started, but against his old Packer compatriots; Oakland GM Reggie McKenzie building a team with the lessons he learned while in Green Bay; WR James Jones playing against the team for which he was the leading receiver just last season before being cut in the offseason; Packers QB Aaron Rodgers trying to outwit Woodson...lots of possibilities for drama. Not to mention the Packers offensive line having to take on one of the better young defenders in the league, Khalil Mack, who had five sacks last week in a 15-12 Raiders upset win in Denver. The Raiders are still in the AFC playoff hunt and will be playing like it.

This trip to the West Coast is an important one for the Packers. With another away game coming up at Arizona (currently 11-2 and arguably the best team in the NFC despite the undefeated record of the Carolina Panthers) before the final home game at Lambeau Field against the ViQueens, the Packers need to win this game against the Raiders. If they play as they did against the Cowboys, that should happen. If they revert to the level of play of some recent weeks, it could be a challenge. The Packers, at the time of this writing, are favored by 3 points. It could very well be that close. But more on that in our game day preview on Sunday. Please check back then for more on the Packers vs. Raiders.

In the meantime, Go Pack Go!!!

Packers...win? Packers...WIN!!!

For nearly 60 minutes Thursday evening in Detroit, it was the worst of times for the Green Bay Packers. They went down by 17 points in the first quarter to the Lions and then were ultimately down 20-0 in the second half before staging one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent memory and, overall, the fourth-greatest points comeback in team history. Final score: 27-23 Packers over the Lions.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and teammates celebrate a zero-seconds come-from-behind win at Detroit.
(Photo USATSI)
The winning score, as the entire football world now knows, came on an untimed "extra" down courtesy of a defensive penalty on the Lions with the clock reading zero. It was a "Hail Mary" pass of epic proportions -- 61 yards from scrimmage but about a million miles in terms of the arc on the pass -- from QB Aaron Rodgers to TE Richard Rodgers who made a leaping grab in the endzone to resurrect the Packers from their recent doldrums and send the Lions back to their den for yet another year thinking about what might have been.

The pass -- the Miracle in Motown -- has been discussed for the last day in terms of its scope. Not only for what it did to get the Packers to 8-4 and stay clearly in the NFC Division title and playoff hunt, but also in terms of just the pass itself. Check out the photo below for how close the arc of the pass came to actually hitting the rafters inside Ford Field. Amazing.

This photo above was clipped from a fan's cellphone video of the final play. You can view that video here. It's worth your time to check it out. Really amazing.

There was a lot of what has been typically wrong about the Packers for the last six games on display in this game, ever since the bye, particularly on offense. The defense, once again, kept the team in striking distance if only they could figure out a way to score.

Somehow, someway, the improbable -- the near-impossible -- happened. Perhaps it was just what this team needed to see them through this final stretch of four games. The team now has a few extra days to get healthy -- and they are definitely banged up, especially on the offensive line -- before taking on the Cowboys at Lambeau Field on Dec. 13. They then have back-to-back road games against the Raiders and the Cardinals, with the final game of the season at home against the ViQueens...a game which might very well be for the division title.

Go Pack Go!!!

Lacy missed curfew, Smith cut, Crockett gets opportunity

The big news coming out on Friday was that the reason RB Eddie Lacy didn't get the start and didn't see more than a handful of snaps was because he and fellow RB Alonzo Smith missed curfew Wednesday night. The result for Smith was worse than for Lacy: he got cut with no chance of return according to reports out today.

The situation opened an opportunity for practice squad RB John Crockett to get a chance. He did. He was signed to the active roster three hours before game time. He started the second half of Thursday's game and injected some energy into what had been up to that point a moribund rushing game.

Will the Packers keep three running backs (including James Starks) active for the remaining games? We'll have to see. Whether Lacy emerges from the doghouse he seems to have put himself in, only time will tell.

Packers RB John Crockett made the most of his first NFL opportunity Thursday night against the Lions.
(Photo by Mark Hoffmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Voice of the Packers, Wayne Larrivee, had said in post-game comments that Crockett had been playing the part of ViQueens RB Adrian Peterson on the scout team during the Packers build up to the game against Minnesota. He was running hard and really showing great ability during those practices. Crockett has obviously made a positive impression on head coach Mike McCarthy: "I'll just say, it just puts a smile on my face when I think of Crockett," McCarthy is quoted as saying. "You come off the field here at Lambeau, he's the first guy in the tunnel, greets the team. He's got unbelievable energy." For more about Crockett, be sure to check out this great article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Tom Silverstein.

Personally, this writer liked Crockett coming out of college as an undrafted free agent. He may finally get his chance to show what he can do to help the Packers this season and beyond.