NFL Week 14: Raiders v. Packers Preview

The biggest game to date for this year's 4-8 Raiders awaits on Sunday.  As of now, the starting quarterback is said to be... 

That's a good question.

Another hold-out by the young Lane Kiffin.

I think you have to factor in the history with this game.  Culpepper has played Green Bay ten times in his seven seasons at Minnesota.  He put up good numbers in those ten games: 188 for 315, with 2473 yards, 23 TDs and just seven picks.  He just has a history playing in Green Bay—McCown does not.

Granted, that was not a 10-2 Packers team thats sits atop their division. 

With the Raiders taking out two divisional foes in a row, and setting both of them back significantly in the race for the West, they have something to prove this week: that their recent success is not a fluke.

They have a chance to play with some of the elite teams in the league during the next two weeks, that being Green Bay and then Indianapolis.  Which makes the game against the Packers that much more important.

Simply put, the Raiders want to show the league that they can hang with the best of them. 

If Farve starts Sunday, will it be the Farve that was playing last week against the Cowboys, where he was just flailing it out there?  Or will it be the Farve of two weeks ago, that looked amazing in the game against Detroit on Thanksgiving?

If Favre is afraid to get hit by the Raiders, and just starts throwing lame ducks, we will eat him alive.  With our secodary in full swing again and our linebackers pulling it in the fire hose, we will ruin his stat book this weekend. 

Go ahead, Packer fans: talk about throwing in Rodgers...see what that does for you.  His former Cal Teammate Nnamdi Asomugha will show him why he is a high profile corner.

This game will be lights out, hard-head football, and should be a run-fest. Who will prevail between Justin Fargas and Ryan Grant? 

Time shall tell. 

The Raiders have got nothing to lose, and should win this low-scoring battle.