Oakland Raiders: Keys to Victory Over Green Bay Packers

Aug 22, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; General view of the line of scrimmage as Green Bay Packers center Corey Linsley (63) snaps the ball to quarterback Matt Flynn (10) against the Oakland Raiders at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Raiders are at home to take on the Green Bay Packers in a game that still has some meaning for the Silver and Black.

The Oakland Raiders, for all of their faults and missteps this season, are still playing some meaningful football in December. That’s the first time that’s happened in a long, long time. Granted, the actual chances that they make the postseason dance are about as good as Johnny Manziel staying sober over the holidays, but hey, until they’ve been mathematically eliminated, there’s always a chance.

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The Raiders have a chance to finish a season with a winning record for the first time since their Super Bowl season in 2002. That’s thirteen long years without having posted a winning record, if you’re scoring at home.

But to do that, to get to a winning record, they’ve got the daunting task of having to run the table.

Fresh off a win over hated rival Denver – a win that delivered a serious blow to Denver’s chances of securing home field throughout the playoffs – the Raiders next step on the path back to a winning record is the Green Bay Packers.

At 9-4, the Packers are regaining the form that for many, made them a sexy pick to win the Super Bowl this year. However, they’re far from a perfect team. After getting out of the gate with a 6-0 start, Green Bay lost four of five games and needed a miracle to beat the Detroit Lions in week thirteen.

The Packers have chinks in their armor that the Raiders can exploit. If they give an inspired effort, they can take advantages of some of Green Bay’s weaknesses and find themselves on the winning side of the ledger – and find themselves one step closer to posting that long sough after winning record.

But they’re going to need to play solid, smart, and inspired football. The Packers are a good team and the Raiders will have to work hard to claim victory. But it can be done.

Here are some keys to a Raiders victory over the Packers this Sunday…

Next: Ground and Pound