"Black Hole" of Oakland Edition

The 'Black Hole'

Aaron Rodgers will be making his first trip back home to play at the O.co Coliseum, which is know more as the "Black Hole" in Oakland and the home of the Oakland A's. The Packers will be playing in Oakland for the first timein 12 years with the last game being the infamous Dec. 22, 2003 game the day after Brett Favre's father died. Favre threw four TD passes and beat the Raiders, 41-7. Ahman Green rushed for 127 yards.

 

We could only hope for a similar outcome, but not similar circumstances. The Packers go in with a one game lead in the North Division over the Vikings, who hosts at the Bears Sunday at noon.

 

The Packers will be playing the game without cornerback Sam Shields (concussion) and wide receiver/kick returner Ty Montgomery (ankle). Wide receiver Davante Adams (foot), defensive tackle Mike Daniels (hamstring), guard T.J. Lang (shoulder/ankle) and center Corey Linsley (ankle) listed as questionable.

The Raiders will be without starting safety Nate Allen and right tackle Austin Howard. Starting wide receiver Amari Cooper (foot) will be in the lineup and that is a concern with Shields being out.

 

The Raiders come in as the 20th ranked offense averaging 344.5 yards a game. Ironically, the Packers are ranked 18th with 348.6 yards a game.

 

Derek Carr

Quarterback Derek Carr has blossomed into a good heading to great quarterback passing for 28 TDs with 9 interceptions, 3,313 yards completing 62.2% of his passes and a passer's rating of 96.5. In comparison Rodgers has a 97.5 passer's rating completing 61.2% for 3,175 yards with 29 TDs and 5 interceptions.

 

Latavius Murray is Oakland's leading rusher ranked sixth overall with 878 yards on 215 carries for 4.1 yards a carry and 5 TDs. Eddie Lacy (151-641-3TD-4.2ave) and James Starks (128-515-2TD-4.0ave) lead the Packers two-headed rushing attack.

 

Michael Crabtree (15) & Amari Cooper

Michael Crabtree (70-779-7TD-11.1ave) and Cooper (62-920-4TD-14.8ave) led the Raiders wide receivers. Randall Cobb (65-737-6TD-11.3ave), Adams (38-355-1TD-9.3ave) and James Jones (35-660-7TD-18.9ave) lead the Packers.

 

Backups Mychal Rivera (27-248-1TD-9.2ave) and Clive Walford (21-251-3TD-12.0ave) lead the Raiders tight ends. For the Packers Richie Rodgers (49-442-7TD-9.0ave) is tied for 12th in the NFL for tight ends. Justin Perillo (10-97-1TD-9.7ave) is currently second on the Packers with Andrew Quarless (2-14-0TD-7.0ave) possibly playing his first game since the third game of the season.

 

Defensively, the Raiders are ranked 25th giving up 372.5 yards a game, while the Packers are 18th at 350.2 yards a game.

 

Khalil Mack

Left defensive end Khalil Mack leads the NFL in sacks with 14 sacks while Julius Peppers leads the Packers with 7 with Clay Matthews at 5.5 (having his worst year statistically).

 

Weak-side outside linebacker Malcom Smith is tied for 15th in the NFL in tackles with 96 (78 solo) with 4 sacks, 7 passes defensed, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble. Sadly when one of your safeties is the leading tackler the defense has a problem and the leading tackler for the Packers is free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who is ranked 23rd with 90 tackles (73 solo) with 2 interceptions, 2 sacks, 5 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble.

 

As a team Oakland has 11 interceptions (the Packers 12) and 34 sacks (the Packers 35).

 

Prediction: If Quinten Rollins and Casey Hayward can replace Shield adequately and the Packers put pressure on Carr the Packers will win. If Lacy and Starks play like they did last week behind a line that should be relatively healthy the Packers win. If Cobb, Adams, Jones and Rodgers get open the Packers win. If Aaron Rodgers has a monster game, which he hasn't had all season, the Packers win.

 

So keeping with the pattern of my picks this season, especially lately, I predict the Packers will lose.