Green Bay Packers vs. New England Patriots: Keys to Victory

Nov 2, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) flips the ball to an official after a reception during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

1.  Win between the hash marks.

The clear advantage in WR talent lies with the Green Bay Packers, with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb being one of the strongest duos in the NFL.  I’m comfortable with the Packers’ ability to limit the damage from Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola on the outside.  It is on the inside of the defense, however, that the Green Bay Packers could be exploited, and ultimately defeated.

New England leads the NFL with 15 TD from their Tight Ends to this point in the season.  Rob Gronkowski will produce, and the Packers can only hope to limit the damage to a manageable level.  Dom Capers may choose to double up on Gronkowski, thus leaning more heavily on man-coverage on the outside.  He is sure to lead the Patriots in targets on Sunday, and could be the biggest thing standing between the Packers and 9-3.

From the running back position, LeGarrette Blount will likely receive the lead carries, although Bill Belichick is unpredictable as ever in 2014.  When it comes to Blount, just as with the powerful Gronkowski, the Packers must tackle effectively.  Blount leads the NFL with an average of 2.9 yards after initial contact, and for a team that already struggles to bring ball carriers to the ground, this could be a big issue.

Shane Vereen could make things difficult, as well, if the Patriots choose to use him in a screen game.  Clay Matthews will be the Packers’ answer to this, and they will need a strong game out of A.J. Hawk in the tackling department to help control the middle of the field.