Packers vs. Titans: 6 things to know about Week 16 game
The Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers will meet at Lambeau Field on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 16 in what is arguably the most anticipated matchup of this week’s slate of games.
The Titans come into this game with a 10-4 record and have secured their first double-digit win season since 2008 thanks to a Week 15 victory over the Detroit Lions, 46-25.
Tennessee can officially punch its ticket to the postseason or even win the AFC South this week (more on that shortly).
As for the Packers, they enter with an 11-3 mark and have already secured their division for the 2020 campaign. Now, Green Bay has its sights set on locking up the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye.
There are several reasons why this game is so intriguing, some of which we’ll cover right here. Let’s take a look at six things to know about this Titans-Packers tilt set to take place on Sunday night.
Packers are favored
(Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
According to BetMGM, the Packers are 3.5-point favorites over the Titans. The over/under, which sits at 56.5, is the highest for any NFL game on the slate this week. Spread: Packers -3.5 Money Line: -175/+140 Over/Under: 56.5 Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
Both teams have clinching possibilities
(AP Photo/Wade Payne)
The Titans have an opportunity to not only secure a playoff berth, but also the AFC South crown if they can beat the Packers and the Indianapolis Colts lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers, per a release from the NFL. If one of the four following scenarios plays out, Tennessee will punch its ticket to the postseason even if it doesn't win the division this week. 1. Titans win OR… 2. Miami Dolphins (at Las Vegas Raiders) lose OR… 3. Baltimore Ravens (vs. New York Giants) lose OR… 4. Titans tie and Ravens tie Interestingly enough, one of those scenarios involves the Marcus Mariota-led Raiders having a chance to help send the Titans to the playoffs. The Packers have already clinched their division but could lock up the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye if either of these scenarios play out: 1. Packers win and Seahawks lose or tie OR... 2. Packers tie and Saints lose or tie and Seahawks lose or tie (Saints and Seahawks can't both tie)
Pair of elite offenses
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We could have a potential shootout on our hands in Week 16, as this game features two of the best offenses in the NFL. Here's a look at where both teams rank in each major offensive category based on per-game averages:
Titans
Scoring: 1st (31.1) Passing: 19th (238.9) Rushing: 2nd (160.4)
Packers
Scoring: 3rd (31.0) Passing: 8th (261.1) Rushing: 8th (128.9)
Seeing an old friend
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The Titans have seen some old friends throughout the course of the season and will do so again on Sunday. Packers head coach, Matt LaFleur, served as the Titans' offensive coordinator for one season in 2018 before taking the job in Green Bay in 2019. Under LaFleur, Tennessee's offense didn't have anywhere near the kind of success it has had the past two seasons under Arthur Smith, but then again it didn't have anywhere near the same firepower, either. Recently, LaFleur spoke about his time in Tennessee, including what he learned from working under Titans head coach, Mike Vrabel: https://twitter.com/jwyattsports/status/1341467244321247237
Two potential MVPs
(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
The Packers-Titans contest will feature two MVP candidates, although one obviously has a much better chance than the other to win the honor. For Green Bay, it's quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is putting up ridiculous numbers this season. The future Hall of Famer has completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 3,828 yards and 40 touchdowns to four picks. In Tennessee, Henry is the team's best bet to win the honor considering he's on the cusp of his second straight rushing title with a league-best 1,679 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he has an outside shot to reach the 2,000-yard mark. Unfortunately, because the award typically goes to quarterbacks, Henry's chances of winning the award are slim. You'll also hear the argument for quarterback Ryan Tannehill in Nashville, but his fantastic season has been overshadowed by his own teammate and the sensational performances of other quarterbacks like Rodgers and Kansas City Chiefs star signal-caller, Patrick Mahomes.
Past history
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The Titans and Packers have met a total of 12 times, with Tennessee emerging victorious in seven of those contests. The Titans have been in the driver's seat during the last five matchups dating back to 2001, winning four of them. These squads last played in 2016 in Nashville when Tennessee won, 47-25. Green Bay opened up a can of you-know-what in the 2012 meeting at Lambeau Field, winning 55-7.
