Packers look to keep their winning ways going as they head to Baltimore
The Packers have recaptured the top seed in the NFC and look to keep it as they travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens in Sunday’s late afternoon game.
The Packers are 10-3 after their 45-30 win over the Bears last Sunday night. The Ravens are 8-5 after a 24-22 road loss to the Cleveland Browns, their second loss in a row.
Not only did the Ravens lose that game last week in Cleveland, QB Lamar Jackson left the game with a sprained ankle. It is unclear whether he will play on Sunday. If not, Tyler Huntley gets the start. When Jackson is in there, he demands so much attention because of his ability to scramble at any time. If he is in there, the defense needs to account for him at all times. Keep him in the pocket whenever possible and bring him to the ground. If you miss a tackle on him, you are asking for trouble.
The toe injury for Aaron Rodgers seems to keep getting worse each week, but he is playing some great football through it so far. The offensive line keeps finding ways to give Rodgers enough time to throw despite fielding a new lineup every week it seems. Baltimore is not an easy place to get a win, but the Packers have found a way in tough environments before.
It’s obvious after last Sunday that the special teams need to be a lot better moving forward. Kicker Mason Crosby made all of his FG and XP attempts for the first time in a while, but not much else went right for their special teams. Lamar Jackson or not, the Packers cannot afford to constantly give Baltimore great field position.
The teams don’t have a lot of history against each other. This will only be their seventh meeting with the Packers holding a 4-2 record in the previous six. The Ravens have only won twice vs the Packers, but their wins were a 48-3 win on a Monday night in 2005 and a 23-0 win in 2017 in a game where Rodgers did not play due to a broken collarbone.
The Packers got some great news on Monday night after the Rams won at Arizona, giving the Packers the top seed in the NFC. Now it is up to the Packers to keep it. If they win all of their games the rest of the way, they will do just that.
At 8-5, Baltimore is not playing their best football right now. They are still leading their division right now, but it is mainly because the other teams have been so inconsistent themselves. This is still anyone’s division for the taking.
Despite Baltimore’s problems, this is no cakewalk. Desperate teams with talent are usually the most dangerous. The Packers need to stay disciplined and take care of their own business. Success comes with a lot of responsibility. The Packers earned the top seed so far but now they need to back that up with a great performance at Baltimore.
This game was flexed into the late afternoon slot because it’s a battle of two division leaders and two huge contenders for the Super Bowl. The recent struggles for Baltimore, the resurgence of the Kansas City Chiefs, and the surprisingly great play of the New England Patriots may have altered things in the AFC a bit, but the Ravens still think they have the talent to get it done.
The Ravens have been part of some dramatic finishes this year such as the 66-yard FG by Justin Tucker to win it at Detroit. Let’s change that narrative. I look for the Ravens to give a great effort, but the Packers are on a mission themselves and I see Green Bay getting a huge win in Baltimore. Let’s make it happen!
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
