Green Bay Packers: No trap games – every game is a big game
Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy talks with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports photograph
The Green Bay Packers have arrived at the point in the season when, despite the opponent, every game is a big game.
It seems that since the bye week every upcoming game on the Packers schedule that didn’t have someone named Brady on the opposition was a trap game.
It’s like everyone in Packers Nation assumed Data from Goonies was making the schedule.
I can almost picture it, too. Data sitting in his NFL office in New York scouring over the Packers schedule, in walks Roger Goodell. Ol’ Roger looks the schedule over. He then peers up at Data and says,” hmm, a lot of lesser opponents on Green Bay’s schedule in the last third of the season.”
Agitated and animated, Data jumps up and yells at Roger, “I’m setting Booby Traps!”
Two more potential booby traps lie in the weeds of the Packers schedule. This coming Sunday it’s the Buffalo Bills.
Then on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the Packers matchup against the Detroit Lions for likely all the marbles in the NFC North and home field playoff advantage.
photo credit: WGRZ
The Buffalo Bills are not a team to overlook. Even though their quarterback, Kyle Orton, sports one of the better porn-staches in the NFL and looks like on any given Friday night he may fall victim to a booby trap himself, he has given the Packers trouble.
Don’t forget he was at the helm when the Kansas City Chiefs upset the Packers in 2011 to give the Green and Gold their only blemish of the season.
However, the real concern for the Packers in Buffalo is their stingy defense, ranked fifth in the NFL. They are tough against the pass and the run, ranked fifth and eighth, respectively.
They will be the toughest test the Packers offense has faced since the Seahawks and the Lions. In both of those games the Packers offense performed poorly. Those games make up two of the Packers three road defeats.
Sunday Green Bay hopes to avoid adding a forth road loss to a team with a good defense.
Aaron Rodgers slides back into the pocket with his eyes downfield. Raymond T. Rivard photograph
It will be a good test and a nice playoff primer.
For the Aaron Rodgers–led Packers’ offense it’s an opportunity for them to prove they can do their thing against any defense.
A victory would be a good confidence builder for the offense prior to the showdown with the Lions in the season finale.
The real test will be for the Packers’ defense.
Despite the Bills’ inconsistencies on the offensive side of the ball, the Packers defense may have to ensure the Bills don’t put too many points on the board.
Dom Capers’ unit has had the luxury of the offense providing a nice cushion. Against the Bills, the defense will need to earn their Green and Gold stripes.
For me, I look for the Packers to go into Buffalo and take care of business.
This is a big game; playoff position is riding on it.
All things considered equal the Packers are a better team than Buffalo. I want the Packers to play like they believe this and with a laser like focus on what is at stake.
Playoff games in the comfort of Lambeau Field.