After defeating the Giants by three points Sunday with a final score of 38-35, the Green Bay Packers are well on their way to ending the season with a perfect record. They are 12-0 and already locked up their division after the Detroit Lions lost in week 13. The Packers have four very winnable games coming up in the next few weeks, including their game against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. The match-up between the Packers and the Raiders is going down at Lambeau Field, where the Packers haven’t lost in the last 14 months. Things aren’t looking too bright for the Raiders, but if their offense can produce, they might have a shot at an upset.
The Packers defense is inconsistent and has been lacking throughout the entire season. They give up an average of 398 yards per game (second last in the league) and 21.8 points per game (17th in the league) which is not ideal, especially for a team seeking a perfect season.
If Carson Palmer and the Raiders offense can come out and play aggressively at Lambeau Field, after getting blown-out by the previously 0-7 Miami Dolphins in week 13, they may be able to be victorious. The Raiders’ run for the playoffs is strongly dependent on Sunday’s result against the Packers, since they are currently tied with Tebow’s Denver Broncos for first place in the AFC West, and Denver holds the tie-breaker.
However, Oakland has the hardest task in the NFL this season – stopping Aaron Rodgers. It is Rodgers and the Packers offense that have kept this team perfect. They make up for the defensive mistakes and put enough points on the board for the team to continuously come away from each game with a win. With all of the points the Packers have been producing this season, 35 points per game on average, first in the league, the Raiders will need to be focused and persistent on both sides of the ball.
Unfortunately, the Raiders enter Sunday’s game with a long list of injuries. Oakland has been plagued with injuries all season and their situation seems as though it is only getting worse as they added more players to the injure list after last Sunday’s game. Wide receiver Chaz Schilens suffered a foot injury, tight end Kevin Boss left the game with a hip pointer, and defensive tackle John Henderson went down with a knee injury. Coach Jackson commented on these injuries saying Schilens and Henderson are “day to day” and Boss should be able to play again sometime this season, but they aren’t sure when. The official game status is not out yet for each of these players.
Although this list seems extensive, there are other key Raiders waiting to get back on the field. Running back Darren McFadden is not likely to play in the game against the Packers with his sprained foot. The status of the Raiders’ top two receivers – Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore – is unsure for the game in Green Bay at this point. Running back Taiwan Jones has been out with a hamstring injury. With all of these players out, it seems as though the Raiders will need a miracle in order to defeat the undefeated.
A few key starters on the Green Bay Packers are also suffering injuries, but the list is much less intimidating than the Raiders. Tight end Andrew Quarless injured his knee in the game last Sunday. Coach Mike McCarthy has let the media and fans know that Quarless will be out for the rest of the season and will need surgery. Cornerback Charles Woodson is expected to play against the Raiders on Sunday after suffering a concussion earlier this season. Another key player, running back James Starks, has been dealing with a sprained ankle for a few weeks now. Coach McCarthy said he will probably not be able to practice on Wednesday, but did not comment on whether he will play on Sunday. Inside linebackers A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop as well as guard Josh Sitton all missed the game against the Giants, but may be back this week after further evaluation.
There are going to be high expectations of both the Raiders and the Packers as they battle for a win on Sunday. The Raiders need to bounce back from their disappointing loss to Miami and attempt to regain control of the AFC West, or at least keep pace with the Broncos (who play the wounded but dangerous Chicago Bears this weekend).
In practice this week, the Raiders are focusing on fixing the mistakes they made in week 13 and not let that loss control their future. Although the Packers truly don’t have much left to prove for the duration of the regular season, they need to keep their reputation alive. Every NFL team dreams of going 16-0 and Green Bay is well on their way to turning that dream into reality.
