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Previewing Packers and TItans with five things to watch and a prediction.
The Green Bay Packers (11-3) and Tennessee Titans (10-4) will both be battling for playoff positioning on Sunday night at Lambeau Field.
The Packers are hunting for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the Titans are attempting to hold off the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South. The winner on “Sunday Night Football” will get one step closer to accomplishing their goal.
Here are five things to watch and a prediction for the battle between the Packers and Titans in Week 16:
Keep an eye on these five things as the Kansas City Chiefs hit the road to play the Denver Broncos in Week 13.
The Kansas City Chiefs will be back in Arrowhead Stadium as they host the Denver Broncos on Sunday night. Kansas City is coming off a big win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will be looking to continue their winning streak in a nationally-televised game. A win for the Chiefs will also clinch them a playoff spot, so Kansas City should have plenty of motivation to beat one of their division rivals.
Here are five things to watch as the Chiefs face the Broncos:
Five things to watch and a prediction for the Packers’ Week 12 showdown with the Bears.
The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears had to wait 12 weeks for their first meeting in 2020.
It was worth the wait. Sunday night’s showdown at Lambeau Field is another primetime battle between the two long-time rivals and a pivotal clash in the race for the NFC North title. The Packers, now 7-3, hold a two-game lead over the Bears, who are 5-5 after losing four-straight games.
Here are five things to watch and a prediction for Sunday night’s meeting with the Bears:
What to watch and a prediction for the Green Bay Packers’ Week 11 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.
The Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts are scheduled for a Sunday afternoon showdown between division leaders at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The NFC North-leading Packers, now 7-2 and with the third-ranked scoring offense in football, will go on the road to face the Colts, who are 6-3 and leading the AFC South with the fourth-ranked scoring defense.
Here are five things to watch and a prediction for Sunday’s clash in Indy:
Five things to watch and a prediction for the Packers’ NFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Seahawks.
The Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks will meet Sunday on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to determine which team advances to play in the NFC Championship Game next weekend.
Here are five things to watch and a prediction for Sunday’s playoff showdown:
The intensity rises significantly in the postseason, and no place on the field is the escalation felt more than the line of scrimmage. The Seahawks understand that shift after going into Philadelphia and beating the Eagles last Sunday, but the Packers are better up front on both sides of the ball and should eventually control the line of scrimmage. In particular, the Packers’ top-ranked pass-blocking offensive line should have a massive advantage over the Seahawks’ pass-rushers, and Za’Darius Smith and Kenny Clark – who combined for over 150 total pressures in 2019 – could feast against an undermanned offensive line, especially inside against Seattle’s lumbering guards and undersized center Joey Hunt. The Packers can win this game at the line of scrimmage.
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This could be the matchup of the game. The Seahawks will need explosive plays to win, and no player is providing more big plays for the Seahawks offense than rookie receiver D.K. Metcalf. He’s a massive receiver (6-4, 229) with incredible speed and strength, but the Packers have a potential counter in Kevin King, who brings his own unique blend of size (6-3, 200), speed and leaping ability to the table. King has played his best football lately while being more aggressive at the line of scrimmage. He’ll need to mix up looks and coverages against Metcalf, who produced 160 yards and a game-changing touchdown last week. If King can neutralize Metcalf, the Packers will likely make the Seahawks need long, mistake-free drives to score.
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The Packers love backup running back Jamaal Williams, who will return after missing Week 17 with a shoulder injury. But now is the time to feature Aaron Jones as the centerpiece of the offense, especially against a Seahawks defense that has really struggled against running backs this season. In Week 16, Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake ran for over 160 yards and a touchdown by slashing his way through the Seattle defense. Jones can do the same and more, especially if the Packers use pre-snap motion to keep Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright honest. And don’t forget: Jones caught a touchdown pass and was effective as an underneath receiver last year in Seattle. This is a game he could dominate.
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Third down could be a deciding factor. The Seahawks have been terrific lately, converting eight third downs against the 49ers in Week 17 and eight more against the Eagles last Sunday. Both are top-five defenses on third down. Wilson, who was responsible for all 16 first downs, does his best improvisational work when the stakes are high, and his magic acts often result in big plays. However, the Packers gave up first downs on just 34.5 percent of third downs over the final five games of the regular season, which ranked as the sixth-best mark in the league. Mike Pettine’s defense needs to create pocket disruption, limit Wilson’s running lanes and cover downfield even if the original play breaks down.
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This Packers team can win in multiple ways, but arguably no one thing is more important to Matt LaFleur’s club than taking the ball away. The Packers were 12-0 when securing at least one takeaway in 2019 and 1-3 without one. Often this season, the turnovers have arrived at pivotal times in games. A top pass-rushing front and an opportunistic secondary led to 17 interceptions, the third-most in the NFL. They’ve even taken the ball away in the red zone. If the Packers can keep Wilson under constant pressure and speed up his playclock, there will be takeaway opportunities. And don’t forget about Seattle’s defense, which produced nine games with two or more takeaways and finished third overall in turnovers (32). The final turnover differential could tell the story of Sunday night.
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An initial reading of the matchup pointed to another close game. A deeper evaluation of the Seahawks revealed a flawed team that could struggle to match up with the Packers on both sides of the ball. Unless Russell Wilson can pour on the big plays, the Packers have a chance to roll over their visitors by dominating the line of scrimmage, feeding Aaron Jones in multiple ways and creating one or two crucial takeaways. Wilson is a magician capable of saving the Seahawks, but a big Packers win is certainly possible.
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Five things to watch and a prediction for Monday night’s showdown between the Packers and Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The Green Bay Packers can clinch the NFC North title and secure a top-3 seed in the NFC playoffs by beating the Minnesota Vikings in primetime on Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium, a venue where the Packers have never won.
Here are five things to watch and a prediction for Monday night:
This matchup will feature four of the NFL’s most productive pass-rushers, with Green Bay’s Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith matched up against Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen. Who will be the most disruptive duo on Monday night? The Packers kept Kirk Cousins under consistent pressure in the first meeting, especially early, while Hunter and Griffen both got going once the Packers built a lead. Cousins has been terrific this season, but he’s prone to mistakes and inefficiency when pressured. This is a great opportunity for the two Smiths to take over another game. On offense, David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga have a big challenge awaiting them. Hunter and Griffen are tough to block in the noise at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings are 9-1 when they rush for more yards than their opponent and 1-3 when their opponent wins the rushing battle this season. Everything the Vikings do on offense is based around the run, and that probably won’t change even if running backs Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison don’t play on Monday night. They block well and stay committed to the run as a foundation of the scheme. Mike Zimmer’s defense has only allowed three opponents to rush for more than 125 yards this season, although the Packers accomplished the feat in Week 2. The Seahawks ran for 218 yards and scored 37 points against the Vikings. The Lions and Chargers managed 132 total rushing yards and scored just 17 total points the last two weeks. Can the Packers contain the Vikings on the ground and get Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams going on Monday night?
In the first meeting, Kenny Clark dominated rookie center Garrett Bradbury. The two will face off again on Monday night. Bradbury has improved, especially in pass protection, but Clark has overcome a midseason injury and is once again dominating. He’s controlling games up front, allowing the defense to play lighter against the run, and he’s getting – and winning – far more one-on-one battles as a rusher. Mike Pettine has found ways to get Clark freed up, using Za’Darius Smith as a rover to eliminate opportunities for teams to double-team the Packers’ nose tackle. Clark needs to be a game-changer on Monday night.
Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks is having an All-Pro season. He runs well, diagnoses quickly and is rarely out of position, and he’s arguably the best cover linebacker in football. His matchup against Aaron Jones could help decide the game. In the first meeting, Jones found cutback lanes and gashed the Vikings for chunk gains. Expect Kendricks and the Vikings front to put up a better fight this time around. Also, will the Packers prioritize getting the football to the running backs in the passing game? Jones and Jamaal Williams were effective as receivers in Week 2.
The matchup of the game: Jaire Alexander and Kevin King vs. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Both the Vikings receivers have terrorized the Packers in recent years, although Alexander and King finally put up a legitimate fight back in Week 2. Ideally, the Packers would stop the run and force Kirk Cousins to win the game with his arm. Can the cornerbacks prevent big plays and help the Packers get off the field on big third downs? Alexander has played at a high level all season but is lacking that one special game. Maybe he’ll produce it Monday night against Thielen and Diggs, one of the game’s best receiver tandems.
The Vikings aren’t going to have Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook, creating a real possibility for the Packers to win their first game at U.S. Bank Stadium. The worry here is that the Packers offense will struggle to move the football in a tough environment and the defense will allow too many explosive plays to beat a talented team on the road.
Five things to watch and a prediction for the Packers’ Week 15 visit from the rival Chicago Bears.
The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will be hunting for playoff position during the 200th edition of the rivalry on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The Packers, now 10-3, are in the driver’s seat in the NFC North and might need only one more win to clinch a playoff spot. The Bears are 7-6 and in need of three more wins to have a legitimate chance at sneaking into the NFC field.
Here are five things to watch and a prediction for Sunday’s rivalry game in Green Bay:
Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is coming to Lambeau Field after producing seven total touchdowns in the last two games, both Bears wins. How can the Packers end his hot streak? Confuse him before the snap and contain him in the pocket after the snap. Mike Pettine should disguise as many coverages as possible, give different blitz looks and force hesitation from the Bears quarterback. Everything has been too easy for him the last few games. Then, the Packers have to keep him in the pocket and force him to make throws from confined areas. Rush lanes will be vital. The Packers executed the strategy beautifully in Week 1. Can they do it again?
Sunday’s matchup against the Bears defense is a perfect opportunity for the Packers to prove they can keep Aaron Jones involved in a game against a top defense. When he’s rolling, the Packers are an elite offense that can score at will. But when he’s taken away or limited by opportunities, this becomes a much different unit. You can bet the Bears will be focusing their efforts on taking Jones out of the game on Sunday. It will be interesting to see if Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers can conjure ways of keeping him involved and ensuring he’s productive, even if he’s the focal point of the defense.
Special teams could make a huge impact on this game. Not only do the Bears have a pair of dynamic returners who will likely get chances on Sunday, but they also have a young, inexperienced kicker who might not enjoy kicking in the freezing temperatures expected at Lambeau Field. Which team will catch the break? It could decide the outcome. Can Cordarrelle Patterson or Tarik Cohen rip off a big return? And will the steady Mason Crosby give the Packers a big edge in the kicking game?
What a fun battle this could be Sunday. Jaire Alexander and Allen Robinson are two fiercely confident competitors who should see plenty of each other when the Bears pass the football. It’s a matchup both sides will feel they need to win. Can the Bears move the football consistently if Robinson isn’t a factor? The Packers may have Alexander shadow Robinson at times, although that wasn’t in the plan back in Week 1. The second-year cornerback is Mike Pettine’s best option for limiting Robinson’s impact on the game.
Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday that the deciding factor for the Packers offense over the stretch run will be consistency. A visit from the Bears isn’t going to make life easy on the Packers, but it will provide an opportunity to begin building that consistency as the playoffs near. Can they get into manageable third downs? Can they run the football when they want to? Can they protect Rodgers in obvious passing situations? Can secondary targets in the passing game find ways to make plays? These are all foundational parts of building the consistency Rodgers craves.
Three areas of focus for the Packers: Getting Aaron Jones going, confusing Mitchell Trubisky and winning in the red zone. The guess here is the Packers get it done against Trubisky and do more than the Bears inside the 20-yard line, and that’ll be enough even if Jones is contained. This will be another ugly one, but is anyone really expecting pretty in a game between the Packers and Bears in December at Lambeau Field? The Packers hold on late and get to 11-3.
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The Packers welcome the Redskins to Lambeau Field on Sunday. Here are five things to watch and a prediction for the Week 14 battle.
The Green Bay Packers can get to 10 wins for the first time since the 2016 season and take one more big step toward the postseason if they beat the visiting Washington Redskins on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Bill Callahan’s team is 3-9 after winning two straight games. The Packers are looking to get to 10-3 before the start of a three-game stretch against the NFC North to end the season.
Here are five things to watch and a prediction for Sunday:
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers wants the crowd at Lambeau Field hyped up and ready to go right away at noon. That’s because he’s looking for a fast, energetic start on offense that could put the game away early. The goal is to get an early lead, take the Redskins out of what they want to do and cruise to the team’s 10th win. The visitors will want to grind away on offense, protect their rookie quarterback with the run and try and make the Packers one-dimensional. A fast start and an early lead would provide the perfect counterpunch.
For the second straight week, the Packers are facing a rookie quarterback. Mike Pettine’s defense hit Daniel Jones seven times and intercepted him three times last Sunday. The goal this week should be to prioritize stopping the run and force Dwayne Haskins to win the game from the pocket in obvious passing situations. Get to second-and-long and third-and-long, and the Packers can then throw various coverages and blitzes at Haskins to create disruption and mistakes. He’s thrown eight interceptions and taken 22 sacks in just six games this season.
The foundation of Washington’s two-game win streak is easy to find: sacks and takeaways. The Redskins have 13 sacks and six takeaways in the last two games. The Packers must protect the quarterback and protect the football to avoid an upset. Considering they’ll have all five starters along the offensive line available on Sunday and are second in the NFL in total turnovers this season, the Packers are in good shape to defend against what Washington is doing well lately. It’ll be hard for the Redskins to leave Lambeau Field with a win if they don’t tally three or four sacks and two or three takeaways.
Za’Darius Smith might be having a better overall season, but don’t be surprised if Preston Smith has a little extra pep in his step on Sunday. He’ll be facing his old team for the first time. Over four seasons with the Redskins, Smith never produced more than eight sacks. He has 10.5 this season and is charging his way toward a potential Pro Bowl selection. The Redskins have allowed 40 sacks and a sack percentage of 10.3, so both Smiths could have a big game on Sunday.
This might be a good week for Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander to shadow a receiver. Rookie Terry McLaurin is Washington’s top option in the passing game and a terrific individual matchup for Alexander. They are both quick, explosive and competitive athletes. The best matchups for the Packers are Alexander on McLaurin and Kevin King on Kelvin Harmon. Having Alexander shadow McLaurin would help eliminate opportunities for the Redskins to isolate McLaurin on King, who has struggled throughout the season against quick, crafty receivers capable of winning to the middle of the field.
If they contain the run and avoid big mistakes, the Packers should win comfortably. The guess here is that the offense won’t be dominant against a good Washington front, but the Packers defense will get stops and takeaways and control the game.
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