The Buffalo Bills (1-2) shocked many national experts when they traveled to Minneapolis and handed the reigning NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings a 27-6 setback Sunday afternoon.
Can the Bills pull another upset when they travel to Green Bay for a Week 4 showdown with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (1-1-1)?
That is the topic of discussion on the new and improved Billieve: a Buffalo Rumblings Podcast.
On the latest edition of podcast, we have everything you need to know to get ready for the game between the Bills and the Packers. Each week during the regular season, our podcast will feature an in-depth interview with a blogger from the opposing team’s website. This week, co-host John Boccacino was joined by Evan “Tex” Western from Acme Packing Company to dissect this match up.
Boccacino and co-host Anthony Marino also gave their keys to the game, which had Buffalo opening up as a 9.5 point underdog vs. the Packers.
Hear what our podcast duo had to say about these topics and more.
After welcoming on a new show sponsor, Labatt Blue, and showing off the new name of the podcast, Boccacino and Western discussed the mystique surrounding legendary Lambeau Field and why it is one of the toughest places to play.
They also addressed the status of a wounded Rodgers and how his injured knee could affect his performance. Western said it all comes down to Rodgers’ ability to pay through and deal with the pain. While Rodgers’ mobility hasn’t been hindered, Bills fans should watch how the injury affects his ability to step forward into throws onto that injured left knee.
With Rodgers less than 100 percent, the Bills will need a repeat of Week 3, when Jerry Hughes, Trent Murphy, and co. applied consistent pressure on Vikings’ quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Packers are dealing with injuries along the offensive line, meaning an opportunity is there for Buffalo to get after Rodgers on Sunday.
While Rodgers called out some of his younger receivers in training camp for their inability to run the right routes, Rodgers seems to have established a solid rapport with his receiving corps, led by Davante Adams (20 catches for 204 yards and three touchdowns), Geronimo Allison (18 receptions for 209 yards and two TDs), Randall Cobb (27 catches for 194 yards and one TD), and tight end Jimmy Graham (19 catches for 148 yards).
It will be up to the Bill Collectors, including Tre’Davious White, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Ryan Lewis, Taron Johnson, and co. to stay with Green Bay’s talented pass-catchers.
On the other side of the field, Green Bay’s pass rush is under-performing, a fact that should bode well for rookie quarterback Josh Allen and Buffalo’s patchwork offensive line.
This will be the 13th meeting between these two teams. The last time the Bills traveled to Lambeau, it wasn’t pretty. Behind a pair of Rodgers’ touchdown passes and a pair of Trent Edwards interceptions, Green Bay throttled Buffalo 34-7 on Sept. 19, 2010.
The last time Buffalo played Rodgers and Green Bay, the Bills earned a 21-13 win Dec. 14, 2014 at Ralph Wilson Stadium as Rodgers was picked off twice by the legendary Bacarri Rambo.
How will this matchup play out? Boccacino and Western offered up their predictions for the game, and while both feel Buffalo will continue to play better, neither expert sees the Bills pulling off the upset.
Marino, on the other hand, perhaps still basking in the glow of the win over Minnesota, predicted the Bills to get to .500 with a hard-fought victory at Lambeau.
Check out our Billieve: a Buffalo Rumblings podcast for answers to these questions and more!
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