Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Lombardiave staff predictions
Matt Flynn will once again make his pitch as one of the hottest backup quarterbacks in the league today when he leads the Packers against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lambeau Field.
Week 16 … another must-win game for the Green Bay Packers … another week without Aaron Rodgers … Another week with Matt Flynn.
The past few weeks have been the same, just a different opponent in the Pittsburgh Steelers. The venues changes, but the storylines are once again very similar.
So, as the snow falls on Lambeau today, a whole new set of stories will emerge and we’ll be there to cover them. But in the meantime, we here at Lombardiave predict today’s outcome. Will it be the Packers or Steelers who play December football at Lambeau and run the rock up and down the field? Will it come down to a field goal in the waning seconds as the snow blown players and fans watch.
Take some time and see what we have to think about this one … and leave a prediction of your own in the comments below, Like us on our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter …
Patrick Hughes
Patrick Hughes: The organizational decision is another week with Matt Flynn as the Packers starting quarterback.
After a rocky start, Flynn has given Packers Nation a bit of hope that he can continue to lead the team to victory in must-win games. He has at least one more opportunity as the Packers prepare for Big Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With snow likely, the matchup between Eddie Lacy and La’veon Bell becomes even more important. Look for a grind-it-out game featuring Lacy and the short to mid-range passing attack from the Packers. With Johnny Jolly out, the defense is tasked with doing what they have struggled to do most of the season, stop or at least contain the running game.
I am a believer in the mental preparation and emotional stability possessed by players on successful teams. Maybe I am missing something, but this Packers’ team is resilient and playing inspired football.
To me that gives them an edge.
Packers 24 Steelers 17
Kevin Gibson
Kevin Gibson: No Aaron this week, but was anybody other than maybe Aaron expecting him to play?
However close he was, he was still ruled out so Matt Flynn it is. Flynn has played very well in Rodgers’ absence. He came in versus Minnesota & sparked a 16 pt comeback. He was solid against the Falcons & after a shaky start against Dallas was miraculous in the comeback. His steady play has more than likely provided the Packers’ organization with enough confidence to give #12 another week to heal.
But the Packers must win. The game is expected to be under pretty wintry conditions which I think definitely favors the Packers. Although Pittsburgh is used to cold conditions they have adapted to become a very aerial attacking team. They will have to rely on Le’veon Bell to carry the load behind a shaky offensive line. I don’t think the rookie back can handle that or the line. I would expect the Packers to have that advantage with Lacy and Starks looking to pound the Steelers line.
Roethlisberger is a risk taker. If Pittsburgh is unable to establish the run game the Packers must take advantage of Big Ben wanting to press the issue. They got 4 turnovers versus the Lions, 2 versus the Falcons, 2 turnovers (should have been 3) versus the Cowboys. They have to look to be playmakers. Clay Matthews should be huge.
When the snow clears, I think nothing can stop the Packers in getting to Chicago for the play-in game…
Packers 24 Steelers 17
Dan Dahlke
Dan Dahlke: This is a tough one. Another game without Rodgers. The Packers best bet is to run the ball on the Steelers’ mediocre defense. They can’t let Roethlisberger control the game.
Green Bay’s playoff hopes are on the line and they’ll be at home, so they have an edge there. The Steelers always seem tough to beat, but my hope is Green Bay’s defense will step up in this game and make enough key stops to seal the win.
Packers 27 Steelers 21
Dave Burdette
David Burdette: The Packers are going into this one with confidence.
With an improbable victory in Dallas, Green Bay has Pittsburgh in to visit for the first time since Super Bowl XLV. Much has changed for each team in the last few years. Big Ben has been healthy this year, and is putting together a good stretch to end the season, and Le’Veon Bell is starting to show why the Steelers drafted him high.
The Packers once again have to leave Aaron Rodgers on the sideline, but should at least believe in their chances to win, especially with Eddie Lacy facing a Steelers defense without Lamarr Woodley.
The Packers can do this, it’s just going to take some work.
Packers 27 Steelers 23
Eric Balkman
Eric Balkman: I often say that a game like last week’s is the type of game a team can look back on its season and say, “That’s when things turned around for us.”
I’m not saying the Pack will run the table and win it all like they did in 2010, but momentum could not be more in its favor. An average Steelers team will come into Lambeau and try to make more big plays than Green Bay and escape with a win. But teams with nothing to play for usually play that way.
I don’t necessarily think that the Packers are clearly the better team here, but they clearly have more to play for. And they’ll make more big plays than Pittsburgh to win the game.
Packers 24 Steelers 21
Tom Mrozla
Thomas Mrozla: Not going to lie … the Aaron Rodgers situation is starting to wear on me. However, the Packers now control their own destiny and that makes me feel a little more comfortable.
The Packers may not desperately need Aaron this week but next week is a different story. Today is simple, the Packers need to have four productive quarters instead of two. They cannot keep coming back from large deficits on a regular basis. If you rely on comebacks, sooner or later they’ll catch up with you and we are at a bad point in the season for that to happen. I don’t care who scores the points or makes the big plays, just do it for four quarters.
Packers 34 Steelers 24
Luke Hanish
Luke Hanish: The classic Lambeau scene will more than likely play a huge role in determining the outcome of this game with significant snowfall expected.
Expect a heavy dose of the run game in this one from both teams. This year’s Steelers team is far from the Steelers we’ve come to know with a stingy defense. Expect Matt Flynn to do just enough and Eddie Lacy (and James Starks pending Lacy’s asthma) to carry the Pack to victory setting up a do-or-die tilt at Soldiers Field next week.
Packers 26 Steelers 17
Davey Miller
Davey Miller: The battle of the rookie running backs should be fun. Without Johnny Jolly the rest of the way Mike Daniels is now the rah-rah guy on the defensive line. If Green Bay wins they stay alive, if they lose, let’s start talking about the draft.
I say the draft conversation is delayed through mid-February.
Packers 27 Steelers 20
Ray Rivard
Ray Rivard: We are going to forget about November. It’s December and the Green Bay Packers are riding the wave of success right now behind Matt Flynn. Today when the Pittsburgh Steelers invade Lambeau Field, they will be washed asunder. The wave is too high for Big Ben and company. I have a strong feeling that the Packers will have fun in the snow today, get a couple of more turnovers and may even score on defense. Add to that some action from the special teams and the Packers set up for their trip to Chicago next week for all the NFC North marbles.
Packers 29 Steelers 16