The Green Bay Packers have won two games in a row for the first time since their season opening six-game winning streak and with head coach Mike McCarthy once again calling plays there is finally some optimism with the offense. McCarthy’s big move seemed to spark the offense and last Sunday the Packers rolled over the Cowboys for the first decisive win since September.
Sunday the Packers have a chance to win their third in a row and clinch a playoff spot for the seventh consecutive year. If they could possibly duplicate that earlier six-game streak they would more than likely find themselves in the NFC Championship game for the second consecutive year. Of course that means beating the Arizona Cardinals next week in Arizona and also the Cardinals losing to Seattle the following week. Longs shots, maybe, but I don’t think out of the realm of possibility. In fact, the Eagles could even beat the Cardinals in Philly tomorrow, I think.
First things first though, and that means beating an improving Oakland Raiders team with young talent all around. The Raiders second-year quarterback Derek Carr, certainly looks like the real deal and rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper has been a standout since day one, giving Carr the type of weapon a young QB needs. On defense linebacker Khalil Mack might already be the best in the business and leads the NFL with 14 sacks. The Packers will have their hands full containing him.
The Packers may very well be down to four wide receivers due to a new injury to Davante Adams and the lingering and mysterious injury to Ty Montgomery. Not too mention general manager Ted Thompson’s refusal to address the position in-season. Why the Packers have not put Montgomery on injured reserve is baffling. Now they have tight end Andrew Quarless ready to go but still haven’t activated him. It’s mind-boggling.
Randall Cobb, James Jones, Jared Abbrederis and Jeff Janis will likely be the the only healthy receivers and you can count out Janis on offense because the Packers don’t trust him to run his routes correctly. The Packers are going to have to get Eddie Lacy and James Starks running again like they did against the Cowboys. They are probably the best one-two punch the Packers have had since John Brockington and MaCarthur Lane back in the ’70s.
I think they will do just that. One fist is iron, the other is steel, if the left one don’t get you the right one will. Packers 27, Raiders 16.