Remember these? It’s been awhile since we previewed a Packers game. I feel it would only be right with a game that Green Bay has to have even with Brett Hundley at quarterback. They meet their division foe Detroit Lions for the first time this season. Lions have been scuffling in their own right losing four of their last five, and they need this win to keep their head alive in the playoff hunt. Green Bay owned Detroit through the years at Lambeau with only one loss coming to the Lions a few years ago. We’ll see what plays out in what could be an unpredictable Monday night.

Trust Mike McCarthy off a bye
Here’s something you can tell your friends today at work… Mike McCarthy is 9-2 off a bye for his career as a Packers head coach. The two losses were to then-undefeated teams and only one (Denver 2015) where Green Bay got blown out. McCarthy’s scheme always looks sharper off a bye. I expect we’re going to see some new wrinkles to this offense that will make you think it’s a Hundley-built offense, not a Rodgers one.

Can the Packers secondary hold down Matt Stafford
The Detroit quarterback has been known to put up some gaudy numbers against Green Bay in the past. It’s not always resulted in a victory. Stafford has two wins against the Packers, and one happened without Aaron Rodgers. This secondary will have its hand full with Stafford whose been good this year. Golden Tate and Marvin Jones Jr. have both given Green Bay fits throughout the years, and they have to slow them down. If Green Bay’s pass rush can wake up, that would go a long way in helping the secondary.

Expect the Packers offense to have a different look to it
Maybe I’m a wistful optimist, but I believe we are going to see a new offense on Monday night. I think McCarthy looked at what Kansas City, Houston and Philadelphia are doing with their young quarterbacks and adopted some of it to fit his system. You have to believe this to be true in a way to give Hundley the optimal chance to succeed. The more run-pass options the better, and Aaron Jones needs to be a focal point for this team.

Will the screens be an issue again?
One thing to keep an eye on with the defense is the short passes to the running backs. We saw that rear its ugly head with New Orleans a couple of weeks ago, but this isn’t the same type of team. Theo Riddick hasn’t done much on the year, despite being a similar player to Alvin Kamara.

Prediction
I have the Packers winning this thing. I feel like this team regrouped after the bye week, and it’s going to be a much improved team from last time out. Look for a big Jordy Nelson game if Darius Slay ends up on Davante Adams, and the pass rush will come alive just enough for Green Bay. GB 23-17

Charlie.