NFL Power Rankings: Identifying Teams with Best Shots To Beat Green Bay Packers

Andrea HangstNov 21, 2011

While the Green Bay Packers are undefeated, they certainly aren't invincible, as evidenced by the close contest played between the defending Super Bowl champions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11.

Though the Packers ultimately bested the Bucs, it does prove there are ways to force the Packers into playing from behind.

They're incredibly talented at doing so and overcoming, but they have a slate of difficult matchups ahead, any of which could provide the 10-0 team with its first loss of the year.

In the following slides, I will detail those upcoming opponents that could hand the Packers a loss and wrap everything up with my all-32 power rankings for Week 12.

Detroit Lions (in Detroit, Week 12; in Green Bay, Week 17)

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The two late-season matchups between the Packers and the Detroit Lions have been highly anticipated since the two teams began the year so strongly.

While the Lions do have three losses to their name and are in second place in the NFC North with little chance of overtaking the Packers in the standings, they do have more than a good chance to defeat the team, especially on Thanksgiving when Detroit hosts.

The key to defeating the Packers is not to match them pass for pass, but to stop their offense as completely and consistently as possible.

While no team has had the chance to do so, the Lions and their brutal pass rush might just have the formula worked out to not only get hits on Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but to force him off the field early and often.

New York Giants (at New York, Week 13)

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Of all the teams coming up for the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants have the best chance of defeating them considering the team's Week 9 win over the New England Patriots and just how it was achieved.

Following the game plan forged the previous week by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Giants stifled the Patriots' ability to move the ball in the air while keeping their own offense on the field by engineering clock-dominating drives based around the run game.

Similar to the Patriots, the Packers have struggled on defense, ranking 17th in the league against the pass and 21st against the run.

If the Giants can recreate what they did to the Patriots in Week 13 against the Packers, they're likely to end up with the win.

Oakland Raiders (in Green Bay, Week 14)

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The Oakland Raiders sit atop the AFC West and have managed to continue winning even after losing starting quarterback Jason Campbell and running back Darren McFadden to injuries.

While McFadden should return by the time the team faces the Packers, new quarterback Carson Palmer has managed just fine as the team's starter. The Raiders aren't intimidated by any opponent, and that fearless mentality should serve them well as they head to Lambeau in Week 14.

There are two things are against them in their quest to be the first team to defeat Green Bay.

One, the Raiders' defense, which ranks just 26th in the NFL, might not be strong enough to contain Aaron Rodgers and company, and two, the Packers may not be undefeated after meeting the Lions and Giants on the road in the two consecutive weeks before Oakland comes to town.

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Chicago Bears (in Green Bay, Week 16)

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If neither the Lions, Giants nor Raiders give the Packers their first defeat of the season, the Chicago Bears might earn themselves quite the Christmas present when the team travels to Green Bay on Dec. 25 in search of a win.

However, Chicago's chances to win hinge most on the health of their starting quarterback, Jay Cutler, who has a broken thumb on his throwing hand and will undergo surgery on Tuesday. At this point, he may be out up to eight weeks, making his status for Week 16 highly uncertain.

But if Cutler can play—there's no doubt he will—his presence will give Chicago a much better chance of winning than backup Caleb Hanie.

In the Bears' favor, however, is the fact that much of their success this season has had more to do with the stellar play of running back Matt Forte (also an asset in the passing game) and their characteristically tough defense than what Cutler brought to the table.

No matter who is under center, it's clear that with a playoff spot on the line (Chicago is currently embroiled in quite the wild-card battle with Detroit), the Bears will be bringing their best game to Lambeau.

And if what we've seen thus far is any indication, that best game has serious potential to take the Packers down.