Pittsburgh @ Green Bay preview
Lambeau Field
Last Meeting ( Feb 6, 2011 ) Pittsburgh 25, Green Bay 31
Nearly forgotten after quarterback Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone in Week 9, the Green Bay Packers now face a clear path to the NFC North title - win the next two and they're in. Step one comes Sunday when the Packers host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first meeting between the teams since the Green Bay's 31-25 victory in Super Bowl XLV three years ago. The Steelers haven't been eliminated from the postseason yet, but they're two games behind Baltimore and Miami for the final AFC playoff spot.
Regardless of what the Bears do this week, the Packers win the NFC North if they beat the Steelers and win in Chicago in Week 17; the question is whether they'll have Rodgers, who had not been cleared by the team's doctors as of Thursday. "He threw the ball extremely well. He looked sharp," Packers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after Wednesday's practice. "We're going to take a similar process to last week," meaning Matt Flynn will continue to take the first-team snaps in practice and Rodgers' status will be announced Friday. Pittsburgh kept alive its slim playoff hopes with a 30-20 win over division rival Cincinnati last week but needs a win at Green Bay and losses from the Ravens and Dolphins to go into the final week with a shot..
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Packers -7. O/U: 44.5.
ABOUT THE STEELERS (6-8): Pittsburgh has rallied in the second half of the season but can't help but kick itself for four losses by a touchdown or less, including a 34-28 setback against Miami two weeks ago that would have dramatically improved its playoff chances. Ben Roethlisberger, who needs 85 passing yards to reach 4,000 for the third time in his career, will try to channel his performance from his only previous regular-season meeting with the Packers in which he threw for a career-best 503 yards and three TDs. The defense has been inconsistent but was outstanding last week, holding the Bengals to 279 total yards - the seventh time this season the Steelers have allowed fewer than 300.
ABOUT THE PACKERS (7-6-1): Green Bay came back from a 26-3 halftime deficit to beat Dallas last week and revived its playoff hopes in the process. Flynn orchestrated the rally, throwing four touchdown passes, but the Packers' hopes might be tied to rookie running back Eddie Lacy (1,028 yards, 8 TDs) more than either quarterback. They'll also need an appearance from the defense that shut down Dallas in the second half last week rather than the one that allowed the Cowboys to score on seven of their first eight possessions.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Packers have won their final regular-season home game in eight straight seasons and 20 of the last 21.
2. Steelers WR Antonio Brown needs five receptions to join Hines Ward as the only Pittsburgh players with 100 in a season and 92 receiving yards to pass Yancey Thigpen (1,398) for the single-season franchise record.
3. Green Bay has won 13 consecutive regular-season home games played in December or January, the longest active streak in the NFL.
PREDICTION: Packers 27, Steelers 23