Raiders Face Tall Task When Packers Invade Black Hole In Week 15
By Abraham Gutierrez
If the Oakland Raiders are going to sneak into the postseason, they will have to do it in extraordinary fashion. Jack Del Rio's club will not only have to win just to have a chance, but more so because they would have to beat the Green Bay Packers in Week 15 in order to stay in the race.
The O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California, will be the site for this intriguing interconference clash. Opening kickoff is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT and it will be broadcast live on FOX.
Green Bay Packers 2015 NFL Season
Coming into this season as one of the favorites to win the 2016 Super Bowl, the Packers put the league on notice right out of the gate. With six straight wins to start the 2015 NFL campaign, all indications were that Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were poised for a record-breaking season.
However, Mike McCarthy & Co. hit a bit of a rough patch following a brilliant 6-0 start. It appears that the bye week seemed to have broken the rhythm this team had set for itself, as Green Bay followed its perfect six-game win streak with an uncharacteristic three-game slide.
After going back to the drawing board, Rodgers and the Packers were able to right the ship and come into Week 15 winners of two straight of three of their last four ballgames.
Sunday's meeting marks the 13th time that the Packers and Raiders have crossed paths in their history. Green Bay not only leads the overall series 7-5-0, but also come in riding a six-game win streak over Oaktown, mostly due to their offensive superiority.
Packers On Offense
Edgar Bennett is the Packers offensive coordinator, as he's putting the finishing touches on his first season at that position. Nevertheless, the 46-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, has been part of the organization for 21 seasons, and thus, is no stranger to high-octane offenses.
After torching opposing defenses to kickoff the 2015 NFL season, the Packers offense has been grounded a bit. They come into Week 15 ranked eighth in rushing yards per game (120.8), 12th in points scored (24.4), 18th in total yards (348.6) and a surprising 23rd in passing yards per contest (227.8).
Packers On Defense
In its 7th season as the Packers defensive coordinator, Dom Capers runs one of the best defenses in terms of points allowed. However, there are some areas where the Raiders offense can exploit, especially on the ground.
With 13 games in the books, the Green Bay defense ranks sixth in points per game allowed, surrendering an average of 18.8 points heading into Week 15. Their second best area can be found in the passing department, where the Packers defense gives up an average of 233.8 aerial yards per contest.
Then, there are the two facets of the game where Capers' defense has struggled significantly. Playing right into the hands of the Raiders strengths is the fact that the Packers allow an average of 350.2 total yards per game, as well as their woes against the rush, as they rank 23rd in the National Football League with 116.4 rushing yards per game.
Packers Players To Watch
On the offensive side of the rock, the Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will likely decide the outcome of this game. Thus, he's Green Bay's player to watch, as he comes in having completed 61 percent of his passes, going 282-for-461 for 3175 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions for a quarterback rating of 7.5.
On the defensive end of things, there are two players that will be constantly trying to create chaos by penetrating the Raiders backfield. Accounted for at all times, Del Rio and his staff must prepare to contain outside linebacker Julius Peppers (7 sacks, 30 tackles, 2 forced fumbles) and inside linebacker Clay Matthews (63 tackles, 5.5 sacks, INT).
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, Examiner.com and other online publications.