HiAndTight

I don't know...starting from your own 12 makes it that much more difficult. The 25 opens up the playbook a little more.

Difference is, this group is talented enough to play better...if they had a DC who put them in the best position to succeed. Pettine's not doing that. Clark can't be the only guy who can win at the LOS. We need Gary and the Smith's.

And Special Teams making them go 90 yards again. That ball bounced ON the goaline. Good challenge here.

They gotta figure something out. When they were sending more, they were getting burned on those corner routes. Let's see if Tramon can do anything. Sullivan shouldn't be covering Godwin this game.

Yeah...takes a little bit of luck.

Are you kidding me? Just throwing it up for grabs....

That throw Rodgers made on 3rd and 15 from the 5 was arguably a better throw than the last one. And Kenny Clark is coming up BIG right now.

Absolutely, but I would guess those quick throws are making them come up...which creates those opportunities.

Man coverage on the outside...and MVS comes up HUGE. Man...that's the first time I've taken a breath so far. We can't play from behind and Rodgers just throws a DOT!

I mean...they should be just as good next year, but you can never count on a team being healthy or playing well at the right time. At this point in Rodgers career, that's probably true. [Removed- play nice, please]

and if the Bucs can get into Rodger's face, they'll win. Yeah, except Rodgers has been the best QB in the NFL over the past several years under pressure. Brady's been much-much worse. Even in the game they lost, Rodgers missed several wide-open throws and made a couple of terrible passes which is out of the norm for him.

It could be the Packers against the local high school team and I'd still be nervous. Hard not to be when the stakes are this high. I'm so ready to be let down...I realize it's different, this team is different. It's a very good team all around, it's not all on Rodgers. But if I have to watch Brady go and pick out a team that has about 9 guys follow him to ring chase and Rodgers loses to him...it's gonna be miserable and just another year I won't be watching any SB prep. But, that's not going to happen...right? This is when I want Brewcrewdude92 or whatever it is exactly posting! That blind optimism(except during the draft!)

There were problems with both...but I'd assume he was talking about the offense. Otherwise, he's kinda throwing Pettine under the Bus. I actually have no recollection of how often we blitzed that game. Can't find it, but I did find one that says the Packers lead the league in pressures without blitzing. So just rushing 4. That....doesn't seem right to me. They've got a solid pass rush, but that stat feels inaccurate. And it definitely was not the case in the first Tampa Game. Gary and the Smith Brothers should be out there on just about every 2nd and 3rd down with more than 7+ yards. Thing is, they've got pretty big tackles in Smith and Wirfs, Smith in particular. So Gary's probably not going to be able to just beat him with that bull rush. Gotta get some pressure up the middle.

He got hurt week 16. That's the last regular-season game and the Rams game. He's been our best pass rusher among our DL(by the numbers at least)...and would have been lining up over a practice squad guy.

MLF has gotten better, but Ill be honest, I didn't even notice the game plan being an issue. It seemed fine when they jumped out to an early lead. Rodgers picks, the momentum swing, the Packers playing in the humidity...which can be just as hard for GB guys as the Buccs playing in the cold. I guess some of the outside runs, the sweeps and pitches once the Buccs got going and were playing downhill was an issue...but the fact that he thinks it was a terrible game plan would suggest he believes he's got a good one now. So, that's good to hear. I think Keke being out is very underrated. He gave Clark an inside pass rusher to team with. Smith can kick down, but he's not great there out of the base.

I agree....but the Chiefs just seem to find a way to win. It's like they can just decide they're going to start playing better when they absolutely need to. And while I think Allen is on his way to becoming a star, he's still got too much Favre in him. I remember last year when they were beating the Texans and he threw that ridiculous 60-yard wheel route to their FB who was double covered. He has to be nearly flawless today. Can't miss Diggs by 15 yards when he beats his guy. But they are playing outstanding defense and they are certainly capable. Mycha Hyde might be just about the best option to play Kelce.

Yeah...that's my feeling as well. I can break it down and look at how Rodgers is playing, Brady playing in that offense, taking more chances, windy day...etc...etc...and convince myself the Packers should win this, but then there is Brady and a lot of talent on the other side. Why did Cook have to fumble? If this is the Saints, I'm feeling far-far more confident.

I certainly agree that turnovers will be one of the most important factors in this game. This game would be against the Saints today had the Buccaneers not won the turnover battle (4-to-0) in their last game. I also think if neither team turns the ball over that favors the Packers to win this game. Beyond turnovers it seems like the Packers ability to get pressure on Tom Brady as well as the Packers offense’s ability to establish enough of a run to keep the Buccaneers from staying in favorable passing coverages all day should be two other huge factors. For a score prediction today, I’ll say Packers 28, Buccaneers 23. I’ll predict both Lazard and Tonyan end up with scores. Those will be the two biggest factors IMO. The Packers losing Keke while the Buccs get Vea back hurts us. Most of the pressure I would expect would come up the middle. Hopefully, Za'Darius can get some things done on that front and Clark can beat up their interior OL. Losing Bahk is an enormous blow obviously, but Turner might be the better run blocker there. I'd imagine we'd see a bit less of a zone scheme today and go with a little more duo. Try and just beat them at the LOS. I like the score...something in that range, but I might go with the Under today. I think it's 51.5. I could see both defenses playing well and the wind limiting the passing game a bit. I think the wind should play in our favor. Rodgers might sail one wide like he did last week, but he's much more used to it and has a much bigger arm at this point than Brady does(or at any point really). Best case scenario, the Packers come out, they're able to jump out in front and their running game is effective. We cannot get behind by multiple scores early. Though I'll also be nervous if the Packers are up ~10 or so in the 4th quarter. I'm not a pessimist, but there's a lot about this Buccs team that worries me. And despite the fact that I'm not a fan, I'm going to root like hell for Mike Pettine to keep his job as DC(as you don't fire a DC who you went to or won the SB with). Still, since you made a very specific prediction, I'll make one and it'll be this; Tramon Williams, in his return to GB and the first player to ever play for two teams in the post-season, comes up with a big pick(maybe pick 6) that ends up potentially being the difference in the game! Alexander shuts Evans down, hopefully King is good to go and can play with Godwin(though it seems like they might be better off if those two swapped and Alexander didn't follow Evans around as King is bigger and more physical while Godwin is quicker and more of a precision route runner).

I don't blame him at all...but it's getting weird with Stephan A Smith now saying it's because of racial reasons. Which he claims Watson didn't say, but was part of the subtext. As far as I know, nobody's claimed their racist(the McNair family)...just very-very bad at figuring out who's going to run the team. They really are helping the Dolphins rebuild very quickly. Imagine if the Dolphins trade them their pick back and end up with Wilson to Fields...and they end up better than Watson? Not likely, but it seems fitting for Texans fans at this point.

Maybe spending would be a better way to put it. Not that I blame them. You build a great farm system, why not go all in when those guys are ready if you have the money?

And what is it about the Chiefs you dislike? Have I missed all their talking, cheating scandals...?

Rodgers, Mahomes, all the offense. Yeah, I think that'll be the most popular. But I'd like to see the Bills. The Chiefs will be in contention year in and year out, but not sure the Bills will. I would think they'd be competitive, but not like Mahomes. The Bills really remind me of the 96 Packers. Allen is similar to Favre, a small market. The Bills had been bad for a long time but have a devoted fan base.

I see what you're doing there. That'd be nice...but so long as it's 31-18 in the 4th. Otherwise, I'm gonna be nervous as hell.

The letter he wrote to Don Newcombe was incredible. To become the player and the man he became while growing up in those conditions is amazing. And his story about him telling his Dad telling him how black people couldn't be pilots or Professional Baseball players...the stuff he overcame was just awesome.

Or an even more accurate measure would be "on time" vs secondary routes/after the designed play broke down. There were always some designed rollouts baked into a game plan that got Rodgers outside the pocket by design...but there were also pocket throws on free plays where it was either a home run or an accepted 5 yard penalty for offsides/too many men. I always rolled my eyes when broadcasts would slap Rodgers' gaudy passing stats on "free plays" on the screen and opine how great they were - that's because if he threw an incompletion they'd just take the 5 yard penalty and the play would cease to exist. Right, but it's also pretty damn impressive just how often Rodgers was able to get those free plays, recognize that he got the flag, and then take a shot down the field. You see a lot of other QB's checking down on those plays whereas Rodgers is always looking for a big play on a free shot.