Starting fast will be essential for Packers in Week 16 matchup against Titans
The Green Bay Packers are currently in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs with an 11-3 record after 15 weeks of the 2020 NFL season.
If the Packers win out and finish the season 13-3, the No. 1 seed will be theirs regardless of how the other NFC teams finish. Because of their Week 3 win over the 10-4 New Orleans Saints, it’s also possible for them to claim the NFC’s top seed with a 12-4 record.
If the Packers can win at least one of their two remaining games vs. the Tennessee Titans or Chicago Bears and the 10-4 Seattle Seahawks lose a game, they’ll still finish the season as the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The chances of clinching the top seed in the NFC playoffs look pretty good for the Packers at the moment, but they still have to take care of business and win at least one of their two remaining games. This week’s matchup against the Titans could prove pivotal in their quest for homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, and it should be one of the toughest games they play all year.
The Titans’ offense against the Packers’ defense looks like a nightmare matchup on paper, but you could say the same thing about the Packers’ offense vs. the Titans’ defense. Titans running back Derrick Henry is the NFL’s leading rusher this year by nearly 200 yards, and he’s got a chance to break the rare 2,000 yards barrier if he rushes for 321 yards in the final two games. The Packers have struggled mightily to stop the run for the past two seasons, and that probably won’t change this weekend.
The Titans also have two very good receivers in A.J. Brown and Corey Davis. Brown should be held in check by Jaire Alexander, but Davis could have a big game against Kevin King and/or Chandon Sullivan. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is also enjoying the best year of his career. He can make the Packers’ defense pay for loading the box to stop Henry.
Of course, none of that may matter if Aaron Rodgers is given all day to throw. The Titans’ pass rush has been almost non-existent this season, and that was the case even before outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney went down with a season-ending knee injury. According to Pro Football Reference, the Titans rank dead last in both total sacks at 14 and pressure percentage at 16.8 percent heading into Week 16.
If the game turns into a shootout, the Packers may have the advantage. If the Packers’ offense struggles out of the gate and the Titans get a lead early, however, they may not be able to recover against the dominant running team.
The Packers’ defense isn’t built to slow down a running back like Henry, so if the Titans are able to control the time of possession by a significant margin and continue running the ball consistently into the fourth quarter, it could spell major trouble. The Packers also can’t get complacent if they get a multiple-score lead early in the game. Henry, Tannehill and the Titans’ offense have shown they can erase multiple-score deficits quickly.
The Packers probably can’t afford to have three-and-out after three-and-out following a hot start like they did last week against the Carolina Panthers. The Titans are a tough team to beat in close games, especially when trailing late, because of their potent rushing attack. At the same time, the Titans’ offense is built to come from behind.
To beat the Titans, the Packers will need to embody Matt LaFleur’s “all gas, no brake” mantra.
