The team that everyone thinks is the best in the league, the Green Bay Packers, ends the Divisional Round of the playoffs, and we are set to make our NFL predictions in their game against the New York Giants.

NFL Playoffs Matchup: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers
Giants vs. Packers Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
Giants vs. Packers Date/Time: Sunday, January 15th, 4:30 p.m.
Giants vs. Packers Television Coverage: FOX

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Key #1: New York has to continue to get a good contribution from the running game
We know that the way that you beat the Packers is by throwing the ball, but keeping a consistent offense both on the ground and through the air is going to be the calling card for continued success in the postseason for the Giants. This was the worst rushing attack in the league this year, but both RB Ahmad Bradshaw and RB Brandon Jacobs had success against a normally solid rush defense for the Atlanta Falcons last week. In fact, QB Eli Manning threw the ball about the same number of times as the Giants ran it, and that was a real shock for a team that normally throws it at least 60-65 percent of the time in games like that one. It’s hard to run the ball right up the gut against DT BJ Raji and the rest of those stout front liners for the Packers, but it is something that New York is going to have to do to keep the Packers from really assaulting Manning and the passing attack.

Giants @ Packers Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
New York Giants +9
Green Bay Packers -9
Over/Under 51.5
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Key #2: Greg Jennings has to get involved in the game early
Jennings played in the first 13 games of the season for the Packers, and the team averaged 35.6 points per game. Week 17 was a bit of a toss week with QB Aaron Rodgers sitting, but the offense just didn’t look the same without Jennings out there. He and WR Jordy Nelson can both stretch the field, and when both are on their game, it really opens up the rest of the offense for guys like TE Jermichael Finley and WR Donald Driver, who can’t get up the field as easily. Jennings really has to get into this one early, especially if he is matched up against rookie DB Prince Amukamara. He can do it all, and there is a reason that he has averaged right around five receptions and 80 yards per game over the course of the last five seasons.

Key #3: Green Bay’s flaws cannot be exposed in the clutch
If this were a game against the San Francisco 49ers, we would be having a totally different discussion, as we don’t think that QB Alex Smith really has the ability to win a game in the final two minutes on the road against a team like this. However, the Packers have a real problem against QB Eli Manning, who has proven that he can win games from behind, including against this very same team when he did everything that could do just a couple months ago. Green Bay has one of the worst rushing teams in the league, and neither RB Ryan Grant nor RB James Starks had even 600 rushing yards on the season. It has been proven time and time again that the Packers can’t close out games with their running game, and if that happens in a tight game on Sunday, Eli and the Giants are going to have a chance against a pass defense that ranked No. 32 in the league. There were a number of teams that had a lot of success against the Packers this year down the stretch, and if this ends up being the case once again this week, Green Bay, in spite of its 15 wins in the regular season, could be in a lot of trouble against a team that has a history of winning games like this one against all odds.

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Can the Green Bay Packers really run the table this year? The Packers are now +145 to finish out the season with a 16-0 record, and they are +310 to finish out the season with a perfect 19-0 season, which would make them the first team in NFL history to win 19 games without defeat in the season.

However, if you’re going to get in on the Packers to run the table, you probably are going to want to invest this week. Green Bay is a 6.5 point favorite on the road against the New York Giants, but once that game is said and done with, there really aren’t any tremendous challenges left. The Packers have to play the Oakland Raiders at home, Kansas City Chiefs on the road, and then the two teams that are fighting for the Wild Card spots in the conference, the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions at home. From there, it would be home games in the playoffs, where the Pack hardly ever lose.

If you’re going to beat Green Bay, you’re going to have to do so with your passing game, wihch is why we think that the Giants have a puncher’s chance. The Packers rank No. 31 in the league in pass defense at 287.8 yards per game and No. 30 in total defense at 393.4 yards per game. We’ve seen QB Philip Rivers nearly post a tremendous comeback in the fourth quarter against Green Bay, and if he can do it, so can the likes of QB Eli Manning and QB Matt Stafford.

However, it’s just ridiculously difficult to stop this offense. Green Bay has only been held under 35 points at home once this year, and that came in a game that was a blowout from start to finish against the St. Louis Rams. QB Aaron Rodgers has thrown three of his four picks this year at Lambeau Field, but he also hasn’t had a game in which he has thrown fewer than three TDs at home either. He also hasn’t had a game this year in which he has had a quarterback rating of less than 111. Considering the fact that no quarterback has ever had a rating that high for a full season, it’s amazing that he has done that in all 11 of his games.

Should the Packers win on Sunday, expect to see this prop come down to even money or so, if even that.

Our NFL prop picks continue with our Monday Night Football picks and our Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers prop picks. Be sure to check out our NFL prop picks for the big duel on Monday, courtesy of BetOnline Sportsbook.

Minnesota Vikings First Team To Score
It really seems like the Packers are the popular pick here at -230, but we have to remember the percentages. Green Bay would have to score first in over 70 percent of the games to win this NFL prop, and that is truly a stunning rate. The Vikings just aren’t going to be afraid of the Packers, especially after they came out with guns blazing in the first meeting at the HHH Metrodome with a 70 yard pass play on the first play from scrimmage. Know that you are going to lose this prop significantly more often than not, but know that you are going to win it enough to make a sizeable profit in the long run. Minnesota Vikings Score First (+190 at BetOnline Sportsbook)

Longest Touchdown Over/Under 49.5 Yards
Just take a look at WR Jordy Nelson’s numbers over the course of these last few games. He has a catch of at least 50 yards in four of his last seven, and he always seems to find the end zone when he breaks free like that. Just right there, you’ve got enough proof that a 50+ yard touchdown could be scored at least half the time. QB Aaron Rodgers isn’t afraid to uncork the long balls at any point, and QB Christian Ponder showed that he can do it as well after taking a 70 yard shot on the first play of the game when these teams met three weeks ago. Parlay all of that with a Green Bay defense that has a propensity to turn you over and score and players like WR Percy Harvin and RB Adrian Peterson in purple, and the recipe is there for at least one incredibly long touchdown when push comes to shove. Longest Touchdown Over 49.5 Yards (-120 at BetOnline Sportsbook).

Aaron Rodgers Over/Under 2.5 TD Passes
It’s sad to say, but we really have no choice but to take the ‘over’ in this one. The Vikings have allowed a slew of touchdowns this year to opposing quarterbacks, including three to Rodgers in October. The former Cal Golden Bear has three straight games with at least three touchdown passes, and he has six 3+ touchdown games in eight tries this year. It’s not like the Packers ever really slow down their offense, as there is just little confidence in the ground game with RBs Ryan Grant and James Starks. Rodgers has 24 scores in eight games this year, and he is probably going to end up adding three or four more touchdown strikes to that tally. It’s a chalky proposition, but with the way that the Packers are playing offensively, we just don’t see any other reasonable options but to play Rodgers’ over. Rodgers Over 2.5 TD Passes (-165 at BetOnline Sportsbook).

The first day of the football betting action is here! But before you get started with the NFL odds, be sure to check out our NFL prop picks for the first day of the season!

Will Mark Ingram Or Pierre Thomas Score a TD?
It’s going to be difficult for Ingram and Thomas in this one, but the truth of the matter is that there aren’t any other players that are going to be stealing these rushing touchdowns like last year. Then you have the ultimate question: Will the Saints have a rushing touchdown in this game? In all likelihood, this has to be at least a 50/50 prop. We can’t imagine that this team isn’t going to have at least one rushing TD in just seven games this season. Ingram Or Thomas To Score a TD (+125 at BoDog Sportsbook)

Robert Meachem Over/Under 32.5 Receiving Yards
Meachem is the deep threat for QB Drew Brees, and that makes him a great candidate to have at least 33 yards on just one catch. In fact, he had six receptions of at least 35 yards last season, all of which came in different games. The Packers might have some secondary issues this year, and we know that Brees isn’t going to end up falling apart under the pressure of the Green Bay linebackers and defensive line. The former Tennessee Volunteer had eight games with at least 32.5 yards through the air last season, and we tend to believe that he will get there again in this one. Meachem Over 32.5 Rushing Yards (-130 at BoDog Sportsbook)

Jermichael Finley Over/Under 55.5 Receiving Yards
This could be a mighty interesting situation here for the former Oklahoma Sooner. He had 301 yards and 21 catches in his first four games last season before getting injured. Now, Finley might have a field day against a Green Bay defense that, for all of its major pros, had a major flaw taking care of tight ends. Finley could be in for a big, big day. Finley Over 55.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at BoDog Sportsbook)

Last season’s NFC North had a heck of a lot more downs than ups, but in the end, two of its teams were playing for all of the marbles in the conference. Will things be the same this year? Our NFL betting breakdown of the NFC North odds will show you the way.

We know that the Green Bay Packers (Current NFC North Odds: 1 to 1.85 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) are once again going to be the team with all of the hype around them because of the fact that they are the defending Super Bowl champs. The Pack really return the mass majority of their team from a season ago, and they get back both RB Ryan Grant and TE Jermichael Finley, two key pieces to the puzzle who were injured for the majority of the season. Last year, Green Bay had a ton of hype around it and really failed to live up to that hype… that is, until the very end of the regular season when all of a sudden, there wasn’t a team out there that had a shot of beating it. We’ll see how it translates this year and whether the Packers are really deserving of being the biggest chalks in the conference.

The Chicago Bears (NFC North Lines: 4.50 to 1 at BoDog Sportsbook) are the bunch with all of the question marks this year. QB Jay Cutler and Head Coach Lovie Smith both know that this is a season where they have to perform admirably. No, that doesn’t mean that Chicago has to get back to the NFC Championship Game, but at least it has to show some heart and at least compete for a playoff spot. There’s no doubt that this is a squad taking a step backwards this upcoming season, as no one expects it to even make the postseason. However, if they can get their defense going and Cutler remembers what color his team is wearing, the Bears could be a viable team.

The team that many are expecting to make big time strides this year is the Detroit Lions (Odds to Win the NFC North: 5.50 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). The combination of DT Ndamukong Suh and DT Nick Fairley on the inside is going to be incredibly fun to watch, but the real question is going to be whether QB Matt Stafford can for one stay healthy, and secondly take some big time strides towards leading a playoff team. We’ve seen the potential in the former No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and we know that he has some great pieces to the puzzle around him, but there is a question as to whether or not it is all going to come together when it needs to in these tight divisional games.

The intriguing side this season if the team can get any quarterback play is the Minnesota Vikings (2011 NFC North Odds: 12 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). It was only two years ago that this team was in the NFC Championship Game and just a matter of a few yards away from having a shot to go the Super Bowl. However, QB Brett Favre reverted from a man who played like an MVP to one who played like he was 40 years old, and that parlayed with injuries and the loss of the Metrodome due to inclement weather really finished off the spirit of the team. The Vikes are going to rebuild around QB Christian Ponder in the future, but adding QB Donovan McNabb this year could be just what the doctor ordered. RB Adrian Peterson is one of the best in the league, and though talents like WR Sidney Rice and DT Pat Williams have moved on, there is still plenty of playoff type talent in here. We may be getting a fantastic price on Minnesota on the NFL betting lines this year.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC North
Chicago Bears 3.25 to 1
Detroit Lions 5.50 to 1
Green Bay Packers 1 to 1.85
Minnesota Vikings 12 to 1

Odds To Win The 2012 Super Bowl
Chicago Bears 25 to 1
Detroit Lions 45 to 1
Green Bay Packers 8.45 to 1
Minnesota Vikings 42 to 1

NFC North Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC North Division
Chicago Bears 4.50 to 1
Detroit Lions 4.50 to 1
Green Bay Packers 1 to 3
Minnesota Vikings 9.50 to 1

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Chicago Bears 25 to 1
Detroit Lions 35 to 1
Green Bay Packers 3.50 to 1
Minnesota Vikings 35 to 1

NFC North Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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2011 NFC North Odds
Chicago Bears 4 to 1
Detroit Lions 5 to 1
Green Bay Packers 1 to 2
Minnesota Vikings 10 to 1

NFC North Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Chicago Bears 25 to 1
Detroit Lions 45 to 1
Green Bay Packers 5 to 1
Minnesota Vikings 40 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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NFC North Odds
Chicago Bears 4.50 to 1
Detroit Lions 5 to 1
Green Bay Packers 1 to 1.90
Minnesota Vikings 7.50 to 1

Super Bowl Odds
Chicago Bears 28 to 1
Detroit Lions 30 to 1
Green Bay Packers 7 to 1
Minnesota Vikings 35 to 1

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Complete List of 2011 Superbowl Odds From Several Sportsbooks Can Be Found Below

And now, we’re down to just two more teams that are left to fight it out for the Lombardi Trophy, as the Green Bay Packers, the champs of the NFC, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the winners of the AFC, are going to fight it out in what should be an epic battle between two of the most storied franchises that professional football has to offer.

We’ll start with the Packers, who are the slight favorites on the Super Bowl betting lines in this one by just 2.5 points. They have already won three Super Bowls in their illustrious history, and they have 11 NFL Championships. The final two of these NFL titles came on the eve of Super Bowl triumphs over the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II respectively. “Title Town” would love to have another Lombardi Trophy to bring back home, especially since the most illustrious prize that the sport has to offer is named after their legendary head coach, Vince Lombardi. Green Bay hasn’t played in a Super Bowl since 1998, and it hasn’t won the title since 1997. That being said, it has very limited experience trying to beat the Superbowl odds in the past, though DB Charles Woodson and DT Ryan Pickett both know what it is like to make it to this game. There are no Super Bowl rings on any of the fingers of any of the players coming into Super Bowl XLV.

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Green Bay brings to the table a risk taking defense and a high octane offense that can throw the ball all over the field. RB James Starks has given the team a bit of a rushing boost of late, but when push comes to shove, the ball is going to be put in the hands of QB Aaron Rodgers and his wide receivers. Back in the divisional round of the playoffs, we saw just how good this passing attack could be. Rodgers threw for 366 yards and three TDs, and he hit WR James Jones, WR Jordy Nelson, WR Donald Driver, and WR Greg Jennings for at least 75 yards apiece. Sure, this unit struggled just a bit against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game, but when those types of problems happened, the defense really kicked it into gear.

DB Tramon Williams already has three picks, one of which was returned for a TD in the postseason, while undrafted rookie DB Sam Shields has two INTs to boot. DT BJ Raji was arguably the hero of the NFC Championship Game when he picked off QB Caleb Hanie and brought it back 18 yards for the score that effectively put the game away. LB Clay Matthews was one of the top sack men in the NFL with 13.5 this year, and he has his hands in on at least one sacks in all three postseason games, totaling 3.5.

The Steelers have the most Superbowl betting triumphs to their credit with six, and they are now tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the most appearances in the Super Bowl with eight. They have been in the Super Bowl three times over the course of the last six seasons, and because of that, there is already a plethora of experience, most importantly, at the top. QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR Hines Ward, and several of the key cogs on both sides of the ball are already flashing two Super Bowl rings, while Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who is the youngest coach to ever win a Super Bowl, is now the youngest to bring a team to the biggest game of the year twice.

If you love hard nosed action, this is the team for you. The Steelers make no bones about the fact that they are going to run the ball a ton with RB Rashard Mendenhall and play some stout defense. Roethlisberger has no fears about taking hits and still making plays, and he is most likely the man that is going to have to come up with the big plays to tame the Green Bay defense. Big Ben hasn’t always played at his best, but he knows that he can always rely on the rest of his weapons to get the job done when he is in danger or isn’t at the top of his game.

Defensively, there probably isn’t a more feared unit in the game. It’s not always about the stats that the Steelers put up, though they did force five turnovers and account for seven sacks in two victories thus far in the postseason. S Troy Polamalu is always there looking for the high impact play, and if you’re coming over the middle of the field, you’d better figure out where LB James Harrison is before he really comes after you with a hot shot.

Grit, tenacity, and toughness. These are going to be the keys to beating the Super Bowl XLV Odds, which you can find below…

Green Bay Packers (-3) +110 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (+3) -130
Over/Under (Total) 45

Latest Odds To Win The 2011 Superbowl @ 5 Dimes Sportsbook (as of 1/23/11):
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Team Totals
Pittsburgh Steelers 21.5
Green Bay Packers 24.5

Team Totals
Pittsburgh Steelers 21.5
Green Bay Packers 24

4th Quarter Superbowl Odds
Green Bay Packers (-0.5) +135 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

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All season long, the NFL has been chock full of high scoring affairs. In fact, this season alone, there have been 147 ‘over’ contests against 114 ‘under’ games with some pushes mixed in, meaning if you bet on the ‘over’ in every single duel, you cashed in 56.3 percent of the time. Will this continue to be the case on the Super Bowl XLV odds, or will we revert back to a lower scoring duel? Check out these three keys that are going to probably be the decisive factors in whether this one goes over or under the posted 46.

Key #1: James Starks needs to keep control of the clock
We’ve already talked about the importance of Starks in the Super Bowl for the Packers to beat the Superbowl XLV odds, but he is going to be very instrumental in the ‘total’ as well. Green Bay has to want to keep feeding him the football to keep this clock moving on a regular basis. It seems to go without saying that the more runs there are in a game, the fewer plays that there are, thus the fewer opportunities there are for points. The good news with Starks for those looking to back the ‘under’ is that he really isn’t all that much of a home run threat. If he’s going to move the ball 60s yards on you, he’s going to do it in 10-12 carries, not just in one pop. As we know, this probably isn’t going to work against the Pittsburgh front seven though, so in a bit of an ironic twist, if you back the ‘over’ on the Super Bowl betting lines, you’re probably more interested in Starks not getting his act together.

Super Bowl XLV Odds at BetUS Sportsbook
Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5
Green Bay Packers -2.5
Over/Under (Total) 46
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Key #2: Teams need to avoid careless mistakes
This is what has really been killing anyone that has backed the ‘under’ in a Pittsburgh game in the playoffs. Dumb, dumb, dumb mistakes. Remember in the duel against the Baltimore Ravens… The visitors picked up 17 points off of a punt return that came all the way back inside field goal range, a 35 yard pass interference penalty, and a fumble out of QB Ben Roethlisberger’s hands that was scooped up and returned for a TD. Green Bay hasn’t been all that swift of late either, as QB Aaron Rodgers coughed the ball up in enemy territory against the Chicago Bears. Of course, we know the importance of flags as well, and the good news is that these teams are very disciplined. There shouldn’t be too many drives that get down to the opposing 30 yard line, only to end in a punt because of a holding penalty or a false start call. However, you must remember that there is going to be rust on both sides, and both defenses are good enough to not just take points away from enemies, but to directly parlays those into TDs, just as both teams did on Championship Game Sunday.

Key #3: Special teams and trick plays will be key
Neither the Steelers nor the Packers really excelled this year in the kick and punt return department, which is really a surprise for two teams that are duking it out to beat the Super Bowl XLV lines. However, we know that both teams are capable of pulling off some big plays, especially via some creativity, especially the Steelers. It was only six years ago that they pulled off the wide receiver pass from WR Antwaan Randle El to WR Hines Ward to help beat the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and they have enough talented players that can run, catch, and throw to make the Packers shake in their boots. Remember the onside kick that the New Orleans Saints pulled off in last year’s Super Bowl? Gimmicks like that are becoming more and more popular, especially with teams having two weeks to prepare for this game. You can bet that there are going to be at least three or four really tricky plays that are tried out for the first, and probably the only time on February 6th, and when they happen, you if back the ‘over’, you hope they work, and if you are relying on the ‘under’, you hope that they fail and fail miserably.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers are already getting set to do battle in the Lone Star State, and in order for you to make your Superbowl XLV picks, we have the three biggest keys to the game that you must remember that will probably determine the outcome of the game.

Key #1: The Steelers have to use experience to their advantage
When you look at the roster for the Steelers, you see a whole slew of men that have already won rings titles, many of which have helped Pittsburgh to two victories over the Super Bowl odds in their tenures wearing black and gold. QB Ben Roethlisberger, the heart and soul of this team, is arguably the most important player on the field, and he not only figured out how to do it as a young buck, who just relied on his defense and handed the ball off a ton, but he also did it in a shootout against a two-time Super Bowl MVP in QB Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals just three Super Bowls ago. There aren’t all that many coaches left in the league that can flash a Super Bowl ring in their locker room, but Head Coach Mike Tomlin is certainly one of them. He was the youngest head coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl, and the youngest to ever win it, and now, he is the youngest to bring a team to the pinnacle of the NFL twice in his career. When the Steelers won their first title in this run with a very young team, Head Coach Bill Cowher had already coached in the Super Bowl once before, and he was able to use that experience to get through to his younger players. Unfortunately for Head Coach Mike McCarthy, he really doesn’t have that to rely on. Sure, DB Charles Woodson played in Super Bowl XXXVII with the Oakland Raiders, and DT Ryan Pickett did so in Super Bowl XXXVI with the St. Louis Rams, but aside from that, there isn’t a single player on this team that knows what it’s like to play in the biggest game of the season. Pittsburgh really needs to exploit that advantage to beat the Superbowl lines on February 6th.

Super Bowl XLV Odds at JustBet
Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5
Green Bay Packers -2.5
Over/Under 46
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Key #2: The Packers need to figure out how to get into the face of Ben Roethlisberger
This is what the New York Jets had success with… sometimes. When Roethlisberger was kept in the pocket in the AFC Championship Game, he frequently made some mistakes. The pressure can really come from the outside, where Pittsburgh is very weak at the offensive tackle position, and this is a great thing for LB Clay Matthews, as these are the men that he is going to be going against. It’s when Big Ben breaks containment that things start to get hairy for the opponents. There might not be a signal caller that is better at escaping trouble and making something out of nothing than Roethlisberger in the entire league, and again, we have to stress the fact that he has really done it at every stage of the game in his career. Green Bay already has six INTs and 10 sacks so far in three playoff games this year. It really needs to make sure that Roethlisberger has hands in his face at all times and that he just doesn’t get to the outside, or these corners, no matter how great they are, just don’t stand a chance to win against guys like WR Mike Wallace, WR Antwaan Randle El, and WR Hines Ward.

Key #3: James Starks has to keep the Pittsburgh defense honest
We can be realistic when we say that Starks isn’t going to rush for 100 yards against the Pittsburgh defense in the Super Bowl, and we’re fairly sure that if he does, the Packers are going to be the champs and will beat the Super Bowl betting lines. However, the role that Starks has played, even though he has only averaged 3.76 yards per carry in the playoffs, is that he is taking some of the pressure off of QB Aaron Rodgers. Where this rookie from Buffalo has been all season long is beyond us, but he is clearly the best running back option that the Pack have had all season since losing RB Ryan Grant to a season ending ankle injury in Week 1. Starks, along with RB Brandon Jackson and RB John Kuhn, have to be able to keep Green Bay in front of the down and distance in this game. Punting is okay, but forcing Rodgers into situations in which he has to pick up third and long on a regular basis is going to create mistakes. The Steelers can overcome blunders every now and again. Odds have it, Green Bay won’t be able to. If Starks can’t at least get something going though, there is just going to be too much pressure on Rodgers, and he is going to be in for a very long game against a defense that just loves to make you one dimensional.