The Green Bay Packers racked up another dominating win over a team there were supposed to dominate and now face their second measuring stick of the season when the ViQueens bring Wisconsin’s favorite/hated son back to Lambeau Field. The Packers absolutely destroyed the Browns and they should have. Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers said the Packers scout team played the Browns defensive scheme better than the Browns did. How sad is that?
The Packers actually committed to the running game early so when Rodgers went to the air, everybody was wide open, it was like watching an out of conference college game. The Browns, like the Lions, simply have no players. It doesn’t matter what scheme you run if you don’t have the players it ain’t going to work. Fortunately, the Packers have the players on both sides of the ball. Sure, there are question marks on the offensive line and running back, but overall the Packers talent level was clearly on display Sunday against Cleveland as it was last week in Green Bay.
Certainly the talent level the Packers will face on Sunday against Minnesota is of equal or greater value, but the Packers have a little confidence now and that goes a long way. This could be really interesting with Brett Favre making his return to Green Bay as part of the enemy. The venom runs deep here and while he will have his supporters, and I suspect this game will have a ton of Vikings’ fans in attendance, I could see the crowd either booing or being extremely loud on every single Queens snap. In fact, I expect none the less.
The Queens will no doubt be planning for that and Favre is a master of the quick snaps and quick hitters, he worked it to perfection last year when the Jets beat Tennessee in Nashville. Do the Packers go all-out blitz and risk the consequences? The game plan they used three weeks ago wasn’t exactly effective even though they did not give up an unusual amount of yardage. Inability to get off the field on third down was the big factor. Offensively, will the Packers try to run the ball more even though they know it will be much tougher sledding than it was against the Browns? Will Ahman Green be able to come in and run a few screens to take the heat off the Vikings pass rush?
One of the biggest questions is who will start at right and left tackle? Is left tackle Chad Clifton better at less than 100 percent better than rookie T.J. Lang, who has performed well spelling the oft injured Clifton this year? Is Alan Barbre a big enough liability that Mark Tauscher starts in his place in a crucial game having been out of football almost a year? My guess is Clifton and Barbre start but both Lang and Tauscher get a series or two. I like what I’ve seen of Lang.
The Packers can make a huge statement Sunday, and I know I just probably jinxed them by saying that, but wow! What a victory would mean. The Packers would move back among the elite in the NFL and with a quarterback as good as Rodgers that is where they belong. The old man beat the kid the first time out, I think it is time for the student to become the master. Confidence is high.