Packers vs. Ravens preview: Predictions, 5 things to watch

TEAMS: Green Bay Packers (5-4) vs. Baltimore Ravens (4-5).

WHEN: Noon Sunday.

WHERE: Lambeau Field.

TV: CBS.

RADIO: AM-620 in Milwaukee, AM-1360 in Green Bay; Packers Radio Network.

SERIES: Packers lead, 4-1.

LINE: Ravens by 2.

WEATHER: Partly cloudy, high of 33.

SURFACE: DD GrassMaster.

COACHES: Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy (129-73-1) vs. Ravens' John Harbaugh (99-69-0).

LIVE GAME BLOG: Join Tom Silverstein for analysis and lively discussion

NFL: Live scoreboard, box scores

ROSTERS, STATS: Packers | Ravens

5 THINGS TO WATCH

SLEIGHT OF HAND: Ravens coach John Harbaugh coached special teams for 20 years before he landed his current job in 2008, so you know his team is going to stress the third part part of the football trinity. Since 2012, the Ravens never have ranked below fifth place in the Dallas Morning News' annual special-teams rankings. With kicker Justin Tucker and punter Sam Koch, they have the best kicking game in the league and every team that plays them has to be prepared for a fake. “They’ve got a lot of deceptives, and it’s something that we’ve got to be prepared for,” Packers special teams coach Ron Zook said.

BRAND-ED: The Ravens rank 28th in run defense but over the last two games they held Tennessee to 71 yards and Miami to 45 yards rushing. The reason: defensive tackle Brandon Williams. During a four-game stretch in which Williams was out with a foot injury, the Ravens gave up an average of 169 yards per game. The 6-1, 340-pound Williams is a space-eater who signed a five-year, $52.5 million contract in March. “Good football player,” offensive line coach James Campen said. “Guys that can anchor and give you some force, they’re tough. Their whole defense is tough. Their front, they’ve got big people in there, 340; that’s tough people to move. You have to be fundamentally sound, and you have to be ready to go. It’s going to be a heck of a game.”

BYE, BYE: For the second week in a row, the Packers will be facing a team coming off a bye and so they’re going to see some unscouted looks. Last Sunday the Bears switched up some fronts and gave the Packers unusual looks against some of their formations. The Ravens' defense has the ability to change up looks week to week and with two weeks to prepare for the Packers, they’re going to throw everything they can at inexperienced quarterback Brett Hundley. “We want to make sure we do our due diligence to make sure whatever they have on tape, we’ve covered that, but also be ready for, well this could happen,” offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett said. “And it goes back to making sure we understand No. 1, our assignments, our rules, as far as certain looks, certain systems. And putting everyone on the same page from a communication standpoint.”

GAP CONTROL: The Packers went six straight games allowing more than 100 yards rushing, but only New Orleans (36 carries for 161 yards) and Atlanta (27 for 141) averaged well over 4 yards per carry. For the season, the Packers rank tied for eighth in the NFL for the lowest per-carry average (3.9). The return of defensive tackle Quinton Dial will bolster the run defense, but the real test will come over the next two weeks against Baltimore and Pittsburgh. “I think we’ve got a good group of guys who know, especially in that front seven, who know where to be, know where to fit and take it upon themselves to do their job,” linebacker Clay Matthews said. “I think that’s what you’ve seen, especially last week, where they (the Bears) couldn’t hit the edge.”

COLD TURKEY: As Thanksgiving nears, so do cold temperatures and the two teams will get a taste of it Sunday. A high of 33 degrees is expected with winds blowing at 12 to 25 miles per hour. It will be the first winter game of the season and the first in which quarterback Brett Hundley has started. “It’s a mental thing,” Hundley said. “I’m always thinking 72 degrees and an ocean breeze. Whether it’s negative (temperature), I’ll still be thinking the same thing.”

OUR PREDICTIONS

TOM SILVERSTEIN

If the game is a slugfest as it’s shaping up to be, you have to like the team from the AFC North, where every game is a scrum. Both teams are relatively healthy, but the Packers’ inexperienced backfield is going to be put to the test against Baltimore’s rugged defense, which will throw all kinds of looks at it. Ravens 26, Packers 21

PETE DOUGHERTY

The Packers are coming off Brett Hundley’s first win and an encouraging fourth-quarter against Chicago. But Baltimore is healthy after its bye and plays a blitz-oriented defense that leads the NFL in interceptions (13). Though Joe Flacco (72.7) is having a down year, he’s got a big-time arm, so the pick here is the Ravens in a squeaker. Ravens 24, Packers 23

MICHAEL COHEN

Brett Hundley has shown enough to indicate he can avoid turning the ball over at crucial moments. That ability, coupled with the aggressive running of Jamaal Williams, should be enough to get it done. Packers 21, Ravens 16

RYAN WOOD

Look at the Baltimore Ravens defense, and there’s strengths almost across the board. They are eighth in scoring, sixth in yards and second against the pass. But the Ravens rank 28th in stopping the run, and that’s where the Packers can have success. The Ravens’ blitz-heavy defensive front will give Brett Hundley fits, but the Packers run game can be the difference at home against a Joe Flacco-led offense that isn’t dynamic. Packers 20, Ravens 17

AARON NAGLER

The Packers will try to lean on their running game much as they did against the Bears. Unfortunately, their defense won't be facing a rookie quarterback this week. Yes, Joe Flacco has struggled mightily this year. Against Dom Capers' crew, Flacco will find the medicine he desperately needs to get right. Ravens 24, Packers 20