Matthews Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

Packers LB Clay Matthews has been named Week 16's NFC Defensive Player of the Week, ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde reports. 

Matthews recorded 2.5 sacks in Sunday's 20-3 win over the Buccaneers, giving him 10 on the season. Of that total, 5.5 have come in the last three weeks alone, leading some to consider this year to be the best of his career. 

And that's apparently a belief at least somewhat shared by the fans, who selected Matthews to his fifth Pro Bowl Tuesday. Indeed, this week's definitely been a good one for Matthews, whose Packers will battle the Lions Sunday for the NFC North crown. 

Reaction: Packers Beat Buccaneers in Uneventful Game

My thoughts after Sunday's 20-3 win over the Buccaneers, the most boring game to watch in recent memory:

1. Packers Still Can't Play on the Road:

The defense was not the reason why Tampa Bay only made a field goal; Josh McCown was.

2. Crosby Again Not Looking Great:

He made a 42-yarder and a 25-yarder, but his second quarter miss of a 48-yarder is what I'll remember.

3. At Least it was a Win:

It wasn't an exciting contest to watch, nor was it a fun blowout. But I'll take it.

Leave your own reactions to this victory below.

Packers/Buccaneers Final Prediction

My final prediction for today's Packers/Buccaneers game:

Score: Packers 31, Buccaneers 17

I like the Packers' chances in this one, but to say they'll win easily might be too much of a stretch.

Why?

Because I don't trust the Packers when they play away from Lambeau. I tried to last week when they faced a seemingly-easy opponent in the Bills, but instead they put up their worst performance of the year. So, though the Buccaneers are just 2-12, I can't see Green Bay dominating. They'll score more points; that is all.

Leave your thoughts below on how accurate you think mine are.

Packers CB House Likely Out Until Playoffs

Packers CB Davon House (shoulder) will likely be out until the playoffs, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Silverstein and Tyler Dunne report.

House suffered the injury after colliding with Falcons WR Julio Jones December 8. House landed on Jones' knee, but played through the pain to finish off the victory. 

He's now in the midst of a slow rehab process that doesn't really guarantee anything, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have hope if he wants to return. The Packers seem destined for at least a #2 seed right now, and if they can hang on to get it House will have a nice five weeks to heal.

Packers Listed as 10 Point Favorites For Sunday's Battle of the Bays

It seems like the Packers can never beat the Buccaneers when the two play in Tampa, but Vegas apparently thinks things will be different this year.

The odds for this week's NFL games have been released, and this time around the Packers are 10 point favorites to improve to 11-4. Granted, on Monday that line read a few points higher at 12, but nonetheless, it's a pretty sizable one.

Anyway, I'm not sure much more insight is needed here, as the Bucs are just 2-12 right now and are likely no threat to the inconsistent powerhouse that is the Packers. Expect Green Bay to win as long as they show up, though I'll admit, I don't see a blowout happening.

Packers listed as 1 point favorites for today's Steelers game

Despite the fact that Aaron Rodgers will be out again, the Packers have been listed as 1 point favorites for their game today against the Steelers. I guess this isn't exactly surprising, but still, I'm sure there's some people out there who think Pittsburgh's better. 

Anyway, I'll be at this game, so they better win. If you haven't been to Lambeau in December before, let me inform you of something obvious: it's cold. And them losing won't make it any warmer so please Matt Flynn, win one more game. If you do, I will never criticize you for anything again. 

"Everybody's 100% confident in Flynn," Lang says

Now that Rodgers has been officially ruled out again this week, it's safe to say that the Packers will be stuck with their sometimes-good-sometimes-bad backup QB Matt Flynn again for tomorrow's game against the Steelers. Now last week against a terrible Dallas defense, Flynn threw for 4 TDs, although the one he threw to Nelson should've been picked off. Still, he was pretty good. And now the entire Packers locker room apparently loves him because of it.

“Obviously, we’ve done a lot of good things to win these last couple games. And a big reason is because Matt’s been playing pretty well,” Guard T.J. Long told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “I think the more practice reps he gets, the more game reps he gets with the receivers, the chemistry he is building there with those guys, he’s only getting better. I think everybody is 100% confident in him. He led us to a great comeback win last week. He did a lot of good things."

So yea, they all think he'll be great. I don't, but they do. 

Rodgers "threw extremely well" in practice yesterday

Despite the fact that he surprisingly still hasn't been cleared to play, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers apparently "threw extremely well" in practice yesterday, head coach Mike McCarthy said in his post-practice press conference. In other reports, such as one by Bleacher Report, Rodgers also reportedly moved to both sides routinely, was able to handoff without pain, and was able to throw accurate, fast throws on the run. 

I gotta say, I have absolutely no idea what to make of this. I'm serious, I'm just lost here. It seems like every second another contradiction is made in this story. So, I'm just gonna ignore it until tomorrow afternoon when the results of #12's second evaluation are released. 

Rodgers to be evaluated today

According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, injured Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will be medically evaluated today. From what I've read, this evaluation will likely decide whether or not Rodgers will play this week, so yea, its result is kinda a big deal. 

In his tweet, Silverstein also mentioned that #12 "has a pretty good idea" on how the evaluation will go. Now since he's been practicing so well lately, I can only believe that he believes it'll go well. But, as always, I could be wrong. Although, as of now, I can't say I know anybody who thinks I am.