Shawn (12-3) — So, here we are, where many thought we’d be several months ago. For the second season in a row, the Green Bay Packers will play for the NFC North title in the final week of the season.
Ever since the Packers’ emergence as a consistent NFC contender in 2009, the Packers have perhaps been overrated against the NFC as a whole, but they have without question dominated the NFC North, winning nearly every big game played against an NFC North rival, including playoff games against Chicago and Minnesota and the play-in game against Chicago last season.
And, of course, you’d have to be living under a rock to not know that the Packers’ dominance includes an obscene winning streak in Wisconsin against the Detroit Lions.
Ironically, that streak could provide some extra motivation for the Lions this Sunday. While the Lions try to end a horrific blemish to their franchise’s history, the Packers are merely playing for homefield advantage and the bye. Those should motivate considering how the Packers have played on the road this season, but we will see about that. The fact remains that regardless of what happens on Sunday, both teams are in the playoffs.
Both the Lions and Packers enter Sunday 11-4, but perhaps having played their best ball earlier in the season. While the Packers collapsed in Buffalo and then pulled out a defensive battle against lowly Tampa Bay, the Lions were fortunate to eke out close wins against the Vikings at home and the Bears plus their backup QB on the road. So, even though the No. 2 seed is up for grabs in this game, it is quite possible that neither of these teams will have success in the playoffs.
The Lions probably have their best chance in years at knocking off the Packers at Lambeau Field. They have two straight dominating wins over the Packers, for one. They have a strong defense that can stop Eddie Lacy and pressure Aaron Rodgers with just four guys and they have an inconsistent, but explosive offense that is for once capable of being fairly balanced.
The two biggest concerns for the Packers that I have in this game are Jerk Bell and Calvin Johnson. Obviously, Johnson is always a concern unless he is on the sideline in street clothes, and the Packers have struggled lately against big receivers. They don’t get any bigger than Johnson. In Bell, the Lions have the Packers’ nemesis — the power back. The Packers must tackle well to win this game. I believe that if Bell averages over 4 yards per carry in this game, the Packers are in big trouble.
Offensively, I am actually more confident after the performance in Tampa. The Packers offense merely needs to repeat a similar performance, minus the failure on 4th and goal. Aaron Rodgers needs to throw the ball into the middle of the field and take the dump downs when they are there. He needs to stay patient and let his offensive line block. The Packers need to remain balanced, but they shouldn’t bang their head against the wall if it isn’t working. Eddie Lacy had a poor game at Detroit, and it could make a huge difference if he played well here.
Ultimately, this game will come down to whoever plays better. Yeah, that’s brilliant, I know, but it is also probably the most overlooked factor when doing game analysis. Probably equally as obvious, whichever defense can stop the run and get after the opposing quarterback better will likely determine the outcome. The Lions have not been great at protecting Stafford and the Packers are coming off a game where they had seven sacks.
Matthew Stafford, by the way, is 0-16 against winning teams on the road. He has 19 TD and 12 INTs this season. If it weren’t for the fact that the defense has been winning games, we might be talking about Stafford’s new contract in the same vein as Jay Cutler’s.
It is largely because of the difference at quarterback and offensive line that I am picking the Packers. I think the Lions can play enough defense to make it a close game, but ultimately, the Packers remain undefeated at home.
Packers 27, Lions 20
Andrew (11-4) — Heading into this game I’m probably guilty of paying a little too much attention to how poorly the Lions played last week. They looked absolutely pitiful in all facets versus the Chicago Bears last Sunday, led by their possibly new quarterback incumbent, Jimmy Clausen. Who by the way looked pretty damn good. He just had zero help from everyone else on the offensive side of the ball.
The Lions offensive line, even with now recently suspended Dominic Raiola, was beaten time and time again by the Bears’ very unimpressive defense. The Lions offense yielded four sacks, seven tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits. And let me remind you again, this was against the Chicago Bears, who in two games versus Green Bay this season were only able to come up with a grand total of one sack, five tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits.
Prior to this Sunday, 36-year old Dominique Raiola had started the last 99 games at center for the Lions. If you take the time to do the math, you will quickly realize that Matt Stafford’s entire career falls within that 99-game window, meaning this will be his first ever NFL game without Raiola. To add fuel to the fire, many experts say Raiola’s responsibilities go above and beyond that of a typical center.
If the Lions at all resemble the team that took the field last Sunday in Chicago, the Packers are going to destroy them. Period. But as I stated at the top, I’m probably weighing that performance a little heavy since the game was practically meaningless to Detroit. The Lions know this is the game that matters and it is understandable that they might have been looking past the Cutler-less Bears.
The Lions do have to win at Lambeau at some point don’t they? I mean at some point in time this completely ridiculous winning streak of the Packers, and this unfathomable losing streak of the Lions HAS to come to an end. It’s just not going to happen THIS Sunday.
The Packers o-line will continue to do its thing and the Green Bay pass rush will get after Fat Bastard all day long. I’ll set the over/under on Stafford interceptions at 2.5 as a result.
Calvin Johnson will get his, but it won’t be enough. The Packers will get out front early, play good red zone defense and put it in cruise control by the fourth quarter with a healthy lead.
Packers 31, Lions 19
Monty (11-4) — You know what I’ve got to say?
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK the Detroit Lions! This team is real lucky to be 11-4 this season. Yes, they have a borderline great defense. Yes, they beat the shit out of the Green Bay Packers the first time they played this year.
In that game, Aaron Rodgers played like Aaron Neville. I don’t see that happening again. Rodgers has already been out dueled by Neck Beard this year, he doesn’t get out dueled by Butterball and his fat fucking face twice in one season.
What’s more, these are the Detroit Fucking Lions were talking about. They haven’t been relevant since Dick Lane roamed their secondary in the early 1960s. You know about the losing streak in Wisconsin — 1991. It’s laughable, just like the Lions franchise.
You also know the Packers haven’t lost at Lambeau Field this year, where their offense has been unstoppable. Throw in a defense that is playing much better in recent weeks and you’ve got a recipe for disaster for Detroit.
Also, if you remember that first game, the Packers defense actually played well enough to win that game and they were a mess at the time. It was the offense and Rodgers that were uncharacteristically atrocious. If you’re going out and placing a bet, there is exactly zero reasons for you to bet on the pathetic Detroit franchise, other than they have to break that losing streak sometime.
Not this year, motherfucker!
The offensive line will keep Rodgers upright, he’ll take the underneath stuff and the middle of the field (which he refused to do the first time), and make us forget that first clunker. The defense will tackle well enough and the pass rush will be in Butterball’s fat face all day.
Packers 34, Lions 17