It's always dangerous when you mess with pirates.
The 5-1 Green Bay Packers wrap up the generous home half of their schedule on Sunday when they welcome the 3-2 Oakland Raiders to Lambeau Field. The Packers will finish a stretch of five home games in their first seven on the tundra against the NFL's most well traveled team. After playing back to back games at home, the Raiders have flown to Minneapolis and back to Oakland. Then it was a trip to Indianapolis and back. How about all the way to London and back, to the tune of what, 24 hours in the air? After coming to Green Bay and returning to the west coast, the Raiders have one more road trip in front of them next week to Houston. Exhausting.
But danger lurks.
The Raiders have won their last two games away and will have had two weeks to prepare for the Packers. Head Coach Jon Gruden, "Chucky" to some, cut his coaching teeth in Titletown under Mike Holmgren and he'll have his troops riled up. Green Bay is extremely wounded at the skill positions of wide receiver and tight end. They last played on Monday night making for a short week. It's the first of three straight games for the Packers against teams from the AFC West with the next two on the road.
Trying to keep pace in the very competitive NFC race as the season nears it's midpoint will require a lot to go right on Sunday.
When the Packers have the ball:
How much Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams will the Raiders have to take? Davante Adams has already been ruled out for the third straight game because of his turf toe injury suffered against the Eagles. Geronimo Allison will be hard pressed to clear the concussion protocol by Sunday and Marquez Valdes-Scantling will have to fight through knee and ankle hurts. Tight ends Jimmy Graham and Robert Tonyan both missed time at practice this week. The healthy Packer receivers include Monday night's hero Allen Lazard, the enigmatic Jake Kumerow, the confidence-shaken Darrius Shepherd and the newly arrived Ryan Grant. Hardly murderer's row. Look for Matt LaFleur to rev up the running game and utilize the backs on a variety of flare and wheel routes and screens. They might have 30 touches between them. Judicious targets downfield to the receivers will either keep the Oakland secondary honest or by surprise. Even without Adams the last two weeks, Aaron Rodgers has generated enough yards and points against Dallas and Detroit, defenses comparable to what Oakland will put on the field.
When the Raiders have the ball:
Knowing the offense is depleted, Mike Pettine's unit will once again have to rise to the occasion. It'll start with keeping Josh Jacobs in check. The first round pick leads all AFC rookies in rushing with 430 yards behind a physically imposing offensive line. Even though Derek Carr has the highest completion percentage in the league, he's really been focused on one target, tight end Darren Waller. He has 37 receptions to lead the team, next in line is receiver Tyrell Williams with 17. The Packers have faith that Kevin King and even more so Jaire Alexander, can neutralize the Raider perimeter. The safeties (without Darnell Savage again) and linebackers will be challenged with the run game and Waller. Expect a few new blitz wrinkles to get Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith free. They've combined for 13 of the team's 18 sacks.
I can't wait to see which receiver steps up this week, it just might be Lazard again who won't have to wait until the 4th quarter to get on the field. The Packers are playing with a belief right now, whether they fall behind by double digits early or are without a couple of key performers. I think they'll find a way again. I like the Packers to win 24-20.
