NFL Week 11 Thursday Night Football pick: Why Packers are worth backing against Titans
Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones (33) runs the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) Credit: AP/Mike Roemer
TENNESSEE (6-3) AT GREEN BAY (4-6)
TV: Amazon Prime, 8:15 p.m.
Line: Green Bay by 3; O/U: 41
A funny thing happened on the way to the Packers’ season being written off by myself and many others — the team saved it in Sunday’s where-has-that-been-all-season comeback win over Dallas that snapped a five-game losing streak. Now, Green Bay is in position to win two games in a matter of five days. It won’t be easy against a well-coached Titans team led by bruising back Derrick Henry, but there are reasons to back the Pack.
For starters, Aaron Rodgers and the offense finally got it going in the second half of Sunday’s 31-28 overtime win. The key was play-action passes, as Rodgers was near-perfect and threw for two of his three touchdowns to Christian Watson. The Packers also stuck to the running game, as Aaron Jones (24 carries, 138 yards, TD) and AJ Dillon (13 carries, 65 yards) ran Green Bay into the NFC wild-card picture.
Getting to 5-6 a few days after they were staring at 3-7 is huge motivation, and with temperatures expected to be in the mid-20s, this shapes up as a vintage Packers home game where the visitors are out of their elements. Rodgers is 28-9 all-time when the temperature at kickoff is below 32 degrees (stat courtesy of WeAreGreenBay.com).
You should never make too much out of one win in the NFL, but it’s hard to ignore just how big Green Bay’s comeback was. It looked as if the fire that was waiting to be lit all season happened, and if the Packers do make a playoff run, everyone will point to that second Sunday in November as the catalyst.
The pick: Green Bay
TOM ROCK Green Bay
AL IANNAZZONE Green Bay
Joe Manniello, an editor on the sports copy desk, has written the NFL picks column since 2015. Manniello joined Newsday in 2004. He graduated from St. John's.
