The Packers really need this game on Sunday and they are mad after getting dumped on for the second time by Brett Favre.  They will likely take out their frustrations on the poor Tampa Bay Buccaneers and this game won’t likely be too pretty.  Like they did against the Browns they will likely lean on the running game a little bit more than usual.  Ryan Grant will be taking aim at a Bucs’ D that is allowing 162.4 yards rushing per game and 4.7 yards per carry.  The Bucs don’t have the pass rush to likely bother Aaron Rodgers much despite the fact that he has been sacked 31 times already this season.  Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and newly found TE Spencer Havner could all have big games against the Bucs on Sunday.

This game could get ugly quick as Josh Freeman is making his first start of his NFL career this Sunday.  The Bucs should try to lean on the running game against the Packers on Sunday.  Cadillac Williams should get a lot of work in this game in an attempt to protect Freeman.  But the Packers have a good run defense as they have only allowed 99.4 yards rushing per game and 3.5 yards per carry so it won’t be easy for Williams.  Look for Freeman to lean on Kellen Winslow in the passing game as he should avoid taking on Al Harris and Charles Woodson. 

PREDICTION:  PACKERS 38, BUCCANEERS 7

The Green Bay Packers (4-2) are hosting their former quarterback Brett Favre and his Minnesota Vikings (6-1) Sunday.  This should be a great game and Lambeau Field and the Packers fans will be treating this like a playoff game.  This will be Brett Favre’s first game back in Green Bay since he played there, so I am sure he will have a lot of emotions and adrenaline pumping through him.  Favre loves the big game and often thrives in this type of atmosphere, something Packers fans know best.  The Packers defense will obviously have to deal with Favre, but Adrian Peterson is the best player on the Vikings squad so they cannot forget about the talented running back.  Favre may be trying to make a statement to the Packers and their front office, as I am sure he is still bitter about the way things ended there.

Aaron Rodgers will be trying to prove himself, and I think he will have another big passing game like their last match-up, but he gets very little protection and is sacked almost five times a game.  The Vikings sacked him 8 times in their week four match-up, with Jared Allen getting 4.5 sacks.  The Packers will really need to focus on stopping Jared Allen and the rest of the Vikings front line, as they will not win this game if Rodgers gets sacked that many times again.  Ryan Grant will need a good running game to open things up for Rodgers, and if he can do that then the Packers will have a great chance in this one.  I think this will be another close game, but with the talented front line the Vikings have on defense combined with the Packers pathetic pass protection, I think the Vikings will win again.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION:  Minnesota Vikings 34, Green Bay Packers 31

The Green Bay Packers (3-2) travel to Cleveland to play the Browns (1-5) on Sunday.  The Packers really need this game so they won’t be looking past the Browns.  This is the game that the Packers will likely try to get Ryan Grant going on the ground against a Browns’ D that is allowing 165.3 yards rushing and 4.9 yards per carry.  That doesn’t mean that the Packers won’t come after  the Browns with Aaron Rodgers and his fantastic receivers.  After all, the Browns are also allowing 242.0 yards passing per game this season.  The Browns will likely be blitzing often in this game with Kamerion Wimbley (4 sacks) being the most likely player to meet up with Aaron Rodgers in the backfield.

The Packers also have a underrated defense which is only allowing 298.0 yards per game of total offense.  The best chance for the Browns to make a game of it on Sunday is to give the ball to Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison a combined 40 times.  That won’t be easy though as the Packers are allowing 105.4 yards rushing per game but only 3.6 yards per carry.  Derek Anderson will likely be under some fire from the Packers’ pass rush in this game and he better beware of OLB Clay Matthews (3 sacks) who is playing where his dad did as a star for the Browns.  The Packers have two outstanding corners and the Browns would be wise not to attack them much down the field. 

PREDICTION:  PACKERS 31, BROWNS 13

The Green Bay Packers (2-2)  are looking to continue their dominance at home over the Detroit Lions (1-4) on Sunday at Lambeau Field.  The Packers only real concern against the struggling Lions is their offensive line.  The Packers have given up a league high 20 sacks and it has caused a lot of problems for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense.  Rodgers has still been playing good football as he has six touchdowns and only one interception, while already throwing 1098 yards with a 61% pass completion.  Rodgers will probably have a big day, regardless of his pathetic line, since the Lions secondary is not very good.

The Lions will most likely be without their starting quarterback Mathew Stafford (knee) and their best offensive player in wide-receiver Calvin Johnson (knee).  Daunte Culpepper will start if Stafford can’t go and Culpepper did show signs of life last week against the Steelers, where he went 23 of 37 for 282 yards with one touchdown and one interception.  He did fumble the ball three times and was sacked seven, so the Packers should be able to get to him as he holds on to the ball way too long.  The Lions biggest offensive threat is probably the Lions’ running back Kevin Smith, since they are giving up 112 rushing yards per game.  The Lions run-defense is giving up nearly the same amount (113 yards per game), so Ryan Grant could have  big day for the Packers.  The Packers should not have a problem with the struggling, injured Detroit Lions team and should win their 18th straight at home against them.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION:  Detroit Lions 21, Green Bay Packers 35

The Green Bay Packers (2-1) are on the road this week against the Minnesota Vikings (3-0) and will be going up against their former leader and Packers legend, Brett Favre.  The Packers are coming off a blowout win over the Rams and Aaron Rodgers is looking to show the world why the Packers picked him over Favre last year.  Favre is looking to make a statement as well, as he said he wants to “stick it to” the Packers, especially their general manager Ted Thompson.

The Packers and Vikings are pretty close to each other when it comes to offense, as the Packers total yards per game is 313 and the Vikings average is 317.  Both Rodgers and Favre have strong arms and are a threat to go deep, and both have very capable running games.  The Vikings’ running game is more than very capable though, as they have the Adrian Peterson.  Although Peterson has failed to reach 100 yards in his last two games, he is still very dominant and has gone for at least one big play on the ground each game.  Peterson ran for 192 yards in their week 10 match-up last season, and I am not expecting AP to go three games without reaching the 100 yard mark

The biggest difference maker in this game wont be the offenses, it will be the defense.  The Packers defense is solid, but the Vikings have the better defense and I think that will be the difference maker in this match-up.  The Vikings defense will be able to pressure Rodgers and will get some sacks.  The Packers offensive line has given up 12 sacks already this year and they have not faced a defense as good as the Vikings yet this year.

This will be an exciting match-up with all the drama Favre brings to it, but Favre will not be the reason the Vikings win this game.  The Vikings defense is what will win this game for them, along with Adrian Peterson.  I am expecting Rodgers to have a good game, but the Vikings are going to be able to get to him too much and he will not have enough time to make plays.  If the Packers are able to protect Rodgers than they could very well win this one, but I think the Vikings have too much and will win a close one.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION:  Packers 21, Vikings 28