2020 NFL Week 8: Packers vs. Vikings Preview and Prediction

Packers fans, the universe (at least the football version) was in balance once again this past week. After their 38-10 loss in Tampa Bay coming out of their bye week, the Pack resumed their winning ways in Houston last Sunday by a score of 35-20. And they looked fairly good doing it. 'Nuff said. Oh, except Da Bearz lost, so the Pack resumed their first place standing in the NFC North. There's that, too. Yay!

The Preview

The ViQueens make their annual visit to Lambeau Field. The 'Queens will be without their top 3 cornerbacks which, under normal conditions, would seem to make it an arial field day for QB Aaron Rodgers and his receivers, especially Davante Adams who had a huge receiving game in the season opener in Minnesota. The problem is the weather forecast calls for windy conditions, 25 mph, with gusts even higher. That may well affect the downfield passing game. But against the 'Queens defense, the short and medium passing attack should be able to keep the chains moving and the score increasing.

Conversely, Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins has had his issues with interceptions this season even under good weather conditions. He's been intercepted 10 times, including once by Packers CB Jaire Alexander.

Packers CB Jaire Alexander grabs an interception off Vikings QB

Kirk Cousins intended for WR Adam Thielen in the season opener.

(Photo by Dan Powers/USA Today Network-Wis)

In game conditions such as these, the ground game for both teams will be key. Minnesota will have RB Dalvin Cook back and will no doubt hope he can take over the game and keep Rodgers and company off the field. The Packers defense will have to see to it that doesn't happen. Stopping the run will be key, as will getting to Cousins and forcing him into a bad throw or two with interceptions the result. The Pack D has to start generating turnovers and playing against Cousins could be just what the doctor ordered.

The Packers will unfortunately be without RB Aaron Jones, who is out with a calf injury. Still, Jamaal Williams and A.J. Dillon will handle the running game just fine against a suspect defense and give Rodgers just enough flexibility to keep the 'Queens on their heels.

An area of real concern is the availability of kicker Mason Crosby who missed some practice time this week with a left calf and back injury. He's currently (at the time of this writing late Saturday), listed as questionable. If he can't go, backup plans call for either using punter JK Scott in that role or signing rookie kicker Nick Vogel, who had a tryout Friday. Not a great situation under good weather conditions, let alone what's expected Sunday in terms of the havoc that wind conditions can have on punters, kickers and long snapper. Let's hope that the game doesn't come down to that. It shouldn't.

Other Packers listed as questionable at this moment are LT David Bakhtiari, RB Tyler Ervin, safeties Darnell Savage and Raven Greene, DL Tyler Lancaster, and TE John Lovett.

The Prediction

The Packers are favored by 6-1/2 points coming into this game. The over-under is set at 50. We see the Pack continuing its domination of the NFC North.

We're calling it Packers 31 - Vikings 20.

Go Pack Go!!!

2020 NFC Championship Game: Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers - Preview & Prediction

Quick review: The Packers beat the Seahawks in Green Bay in the Divisional round of the NFC playoffs last weekend, 28-23. It was a battle, as was expected. The Pack played one of their better games in all phases of the game. And they closed it out by never giving the ball back to Seattle late in the game due to timely and needed third down conversions. Packer fans breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Of course, that was temporary. Because next up, for the NFC Championship, was and is the San Francisco 49ers who the prior day had dispatched the Minnesota Vikings.

Which brings us to today.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will need to be "in a Superman cape", according
to former Niners QB Steve Young, for the Pack to have a chance to win today.
(Photo: Stan Szeto, Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports)

Preview by way of review

Outside of Packers fans, of course, not many are giving the Packers a chance today. The Niners are favored by 7-1/2 points going into the game. Much of this, or at least a good deal of it, has to due with the Week 12 blow out that the Niners won by 29 points on their home turf, 37-8.

Well, here we are once again, on their home turf in Santa Clara. But while home field is important, typically 3 points to the favor of the home team, that doesn't explain the dismissiveness with which the Packers are considered in this game. Frankly, the Pack just didn't show up at the earlier game. They were lethargic, playing-calling was mediocre, and they allowed themselves to get beat in every phase of the game. Yes, there were some horrible penalty calls that didn't help matters, as well as turnovers that set up the Niners in great position to score. And they did. When the Niners had to go a long ways they usually did so passing to receivers who had no defenders within the same zipcode. It was horrible defense and the offense did nothing to help mitigate the damge. By all measures, it was a throw-away game.

But the Packers learned from that loss. The defense had a closed-door players-only meeting after they returned to Green Bay from that game. They wouldn't be as porous or soft in a game since. And the Packers haven't lost since, either. They tightened up. And with the Packers offense finally getting more in sync, albeit still not seemingly firing on all cylinders for lack of receiving threats other than Davante Adams, the team learned how to battle for a full 4 quarters, right down to the wire. In the end, a 13-3 record was the result...the #2 seed...only missing the top seed by virtue of about 12 inches and a TD on a stop in a game in which they were not participants. Oh, and their opponent is also 13-3. Seems pretty even doesn't it?

Not if you listen to the pundits. They emphasize the strength of the Niners defense, particularly the front four, who were able to dominate the Packers O-line in the last outing, a line which, by the way, lost RT Bryan Bulaga early on and had to replace him with Alex Light who was an unmitigated disaster in a backup role. Bulaga is back and is also now backed up most capably by veteran lineman Jared Veldheer.

The Niners offense will have its trio of running backs — Tevin Coleman, Raheem Mostert and Matt Breidain — in gear. They ran and ran on the Vikings last week and wore down that defense. The Pack's defense must find a way to minimize the Niners rushing attack in order to force young QB Jimmy Garoppolo to beat them. Given time and porous coverage, Garoppolo can certainly do damage; he's got a good arm and, admittedly, a winning record in his young career. His offensive line has protected him well, which accounts for a good deal of his success; defenses this season, with few exceptions, haven't made life difficult for him in the pocket. Somehow, someway, the Packers defense has to make him uncomfortable. A few sacks and lots of pressure by the Smith Brothers, Kenny Clark and others would go a long way to making a Packers win more of a possibility. That, and somehow also finding a way to tackle TE George Kittle when he gets the ball in his hands. He could single-handedly do some big damage if left unchecked. Not going to be easy to do.

The Packers offense, has shown signs of being on the same page in the last six games or so. Even QB Aaron Rodgers has said, “The last six weeks, I’ve felt really locked in on the preparation, and I think that’s helped us on offense to really be on the same page.” What else has helped are receivers and tight ends stepping up and making clutch catches instead of drops. Having a solid running game behind Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams is going to be key to opening up the passing game for Rodgers and keeping the Pack in the game. Special teams also needs to come up big. The pick up of Tyler Ervin and his insertion as returner and occasional running threat has been a boost, as well.

Bottom line: all the pressure is on San Fran as no one expects the Packers to win. But the Packers can match up with the Niners.

The Prediction

This game will not be a reprise of Week 12's blow out loss for the Packers. This will be a 4-quarter game, likely down to the wire as has been the case for the Pack throughout much of the season. The Packers have nearly perfected into an art form this season the "bend-don't-break" defense. They should be able to get at least one turnover that will be converted into points. We think they'll also give up more field goals than touchdowns today. Finally, in a close game, who would you rather have with the ball: Garoppolo or Rodgers? Yeah, us too.

We're calling this game Packers 27 - 49ers 26.

Go Pack Go!!!

NFL Week 13 Review of Packers win vs. Giants, NFL Week 14 Preview vs. Washington — Yet another...twofer!!

A disturbing pattern has arisen, Packer fans. Not with our beloved Green Bay Packers per se, but with yours truly. Despite the best intentions after each week's game to offer a timely review of that game and another separate post looking ahead to the coming game...not. So things have devolved to doing a combo posting — a "twofer", as you will — with a brief review of last week's game and a preview and prediction for today's game. At this point in the season, if you are a regular reader — and you are, aren't you??? — you're used to it. So...let's carry on then.

Last Sunday saw the Pack bounce back, as we expected they would, from their disappointing drubbing at the hands of the 49ers the prior week with a solid win vs. the New York Giants in the Meadowlands. In a game that saw rain, sleet and snow, the final score was 31-13 Packers. (Our prediction, by the way, had the Pack winning 31-20 ... so we were once again spot on with the Packers' points. Just didn't count on our defense getting 4 turnovers and the Giants being even a bit worse than initially anticipated.) 

The Packers showed, once again, that when they are able to generate and come away with turnovers that they are difficult to beat (but let's be real: any team that is able to benefit from 4 takeaways in a game should darn well win that game, right?). In fact, if memory serves, the Pack's only losses have come in those games where they don't get turnovers.

Solid play came pretty much on both sides of the ball. Yes, there were the 4 takeaways by the defense, but as has been the case pretty much the entire season, there remain concerning gaps and lapses in terms of giving up big plays. But, it's also been the case that generally, the defense has stiffened up when the opponent nears or gets into the redzone. So there's that.

QB Aaron Rodgers did what he needed to do in helping guide the Packers
to a big bounce-back win out east against the Giants last Sunday.
(AP Photo/Adam Hunger) (Photo: Adam Hunger, AP)

It's also the case that the Packers offense may have discovered a reliable Number 2 receiver behind Davante Adams. Allen Lazard had a great game with big catches totaling over 100 yards in receptions, if memory services, including a huge TD catch. Rodgers has confidence in him that seems to be growing each game. Head coach Matt LaFleur said this week when asked that Lazard is the type of player that really gives his all each week in practice whatever he's asked to do. Remember that he's also been very good on special teams coverage. Big and fast are always two great attributes on a football field, any time. RB Jamaal Williams seems to also have some "mudder" in him, reminiscent of the running prowess of Edgar Bennet in his heyday. He showed power and moves in less-than-ideal playing conditions. And Aaron Jones continues to be a multi-dimensional threat that defenses have to account for whenever he's on the field.

The game was really never in doubt. The Packers had to get back on track after their second West Coast flop of the season to get ready for the 4-game stretch run, with 2 games at Lambeau Field and the final two on the road, with the final 3 being against NFC North Division opponents Da Bearz, the ViQueens and the Lions.
.

The Preview

As for today's game against Washington, it is a team that comes to Green Bay with a record of 3-9, the mirror image of the Packers 9-3. Washington has won its last 2 games in a row behind rookie QB Dwayne Haskins (the second rookie quarterback in a row to be faced by the Packers) and a reliance on its running game that includes a veteran running back by the name of Adrian Peterson. Remember him? He may be on the outer edges of his career these days but he can still cause problems if not attended to. The Packers defense will need to stop, or at least contain, the run today as we could expect Washington to try to keep Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines as much as possible by running the clock with its ground game. Washington's defense is said to be coming on, particularly its front.

Offensively for the Packers, it should pretty much be business as usual. Protection for Rodgers and opening some running lanes will be key offensively for the Pack. Such a simple game, really, isn't it?

The inactives list hasn't been published at the time of this writing so we're not entirely sure who's in today and who's out. The injury report had a few players listed as questionable, most notably RG Billy Turner who was out late this last week due to illness; expect shuffling on the O-line in terms of personnel if that lingers into today's game.

We would expect also to see the first action for newly-acquired running back/returner Tyler Ervin who may finally give the Packers something that they haven't yet had all season: positive yardage on returns.

The weather forecast has it set for a balmy 40-degrees for the game with no precipitation anticipated. Good football weather, especially for fans. Just not great December weather advantage football for the Pack.

The Prediction

The Packers are favored by a whopping 12-1/2 points for this game. Yowza. We actually never like to see the Pack favored by this much because it seems as if they often fall short of covering the spread in situations such as this. However, for today's game, we think that's pretty realistic all things considered.

We're calling it Packers 34 - Washington 17.

Go Pack Go!!!