GREEN BAY, Wis. \u2013 In case you\u2019ve been under a rock in a bunker beneath a mountain while wearing the world\u2019s best noise-cancelling headphones, you might have heard the Green Bay Packers will face their former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, on Sunday night in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n
The Packers are 4-1-1 and lead the NFC North. The Steelers are 4-2 and lead the AFC North. This is a big game, no matter the quarterbacks.<\/p>\n
Who will win this made-for-TV primetime showdown? Here are this week\u2019s predictions.<\/p>\n
My brain tells me the Steelers will beat the Packers. A, they\u2019re good. B, they\u2019re at home. C, they\u2019ve got a motivated Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.<\/p>\n
Rodgers said this isn\u2019t a grudge match, but you know he wants to send one parting message to general manager Brian Gutekunst, who traded him to the Jets in 2023, before he rides into the sunset. A motivated Rodgers is a dangerous Rodgers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moreover, he\u2019s got a chance to join fellow legends Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees as the only starting quarterback to have beaten every team in the league. Rodgers likes making history, just like he loves showing the world he can throw a Hail Mary 70 yards.<\/p>\n
It’s not just the motivation factor, and that leads into D: Rodgers isn\u2019t an elite quarterback but he\u2019s a quality, experienced starter who can make every throw. If the Packers couldn\u2019t stop Dak Prescott (without CeeDee Lamb) and the Cowboys in Week 4, had to hold off new-to-town Joe Flacco and the Bengals at home in Week 6 and gave up 14 consecutive completions to Jacoby Brissett in the win at the Cardinals last week, how are they going to deal with Rodgers, D.K Metcalf and the Steelers\u2019 fleet of tight ends?<\/p>\n
During those three games, the Packers have yielded the fifth-highest passer rating in the league. That\u2019s not good, though defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley rightly downplayed the completions by pointing out his defense ranks No. 1 in yards per attempt.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, the Packers were fortunate to beat Brissett, even with the Cardinals foolishly hanging their tackles out to dry against Micah Parsons. The Steelers won\u2019t be so stupid. And even if they were, Rodgers wouldn\u2019t let himself get sacked three times by Parsons and six times overall.<\/p>\n
All of that said, the Packers were a remarkably loose bunch this week, and that leads to my gut overruling my brain. On Thursday, coach Matt LaFleur was asked about Tucker Kraft\u2019s leadership and then was asked the same question a moment later. Rather than be annoyed, LaFleur laughed.<\/p>\n
Here’s some advice:
Always make sure you’re listening during Matt LaFleur’s press conferences. pic.twitter.com\/9KbUExkmXm<\/a><\/p>\n