Patriots-Packers preview

Green Bay, Wis. - Every so often, two great men meet in a rare contest against one another in a great arena: Napoleon and Wellington at Waterloo, Antony and Augustus in Egypt, Brady and Rodgers at Lambeau.

History may not lend as much space to that last one as the previous two, but that won't stop the Green Bay Packers from hosting the New England Patriots Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field.

The stadium is the second-oldest in the game, built in 1957, (Chicago's Soldier Field went up in 1926) and sits on a square block of concrete in the middle of a pleasant neighborhood west of downtown Green Bay. Driving down residential streets, one can see the stadium rising above the roofs of homes.

"There's a great tradition there and their record is great there," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Tuesday. "The thing that we have to focus on is just really our matchup this week."

New England (9-2) is seeking to go 4-0 against the NFC North this season, coming off a 34-9 trouncing of Detroit at home, also besting Minnesota and Chicago in Weeks 2 and 8. They have taken 14 straight from the division overall.

The Detroit win was also their 7th-straight overall on the year, the best streak from any team, after starting 2-2 and have guaranteed their 14th-straight campaign with a winning record. 

But the Patriots have faced only one difficult road test this season, a Monday night 41-14 defeat to the Chiefs in Week 4.

"We're playing Green Bay in Green Bay," Belichick said Tuesday. "That's where they've been very dominant, really, in terms of getting ahead and playing from ahead, first quarter. The numbers are staggering."

Numbers that include a perfect 5-0 record for the hosts at home, where they have outscored visitors 66-0 in the first quarter and 128-9 in the first half of games played there this season.

Green Bay (8-3) defeated the Chicago Bears in a Sunday night laugher 55-14 after leading them 42-0 at the half, and took apart a game Philadelphia Eagles side 53-20, taking a 30-6 advantage into the half of that contest. 

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw 6 touchdowns in the first half, a record, of the Bears game and 3 more against the Eagles.

"They've been so far ahead of these teams that they've played early in the game it's almost like they're running out the clock in the middle of the second quarter," Belichick said of the quick-striking Pack.

Aaron Rodgers is second in football in touchdowns (30) and interceptions (3), heading the game's 8th-best pass attack (261.8 ypg).

"He does an excellent job in the pocket of extending plays, feeling the rush," Belichick said of Rodgers. "He can run when has to but he also is probably even more dangerous when he just buys extra time in the pocket and lets his receivers uncover and lifts it down the field to somebody for 20 or 30 yards that is able to get open because the play has been extended for another couple of seconds."

But Tom Brady commands the 6th-ranked pass game in football (272.5 ypg), tossing 13 touchdowns in his last four appearances and is good for 4th league-wide with 26 scores overall this season. 

And dueling with big-name quarterbacks is nothing new for the 3-time Super Bowl champion. He handled the team's Week 9 battle in Foxborough with Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos, throwing 4 touchdowns in their 43-21 victory.

"We're playing one of the best teams in the league. This team plays better -- they play like we do at home," Brady said, whose Patriots are 6-0 at home this year and 3-2 on the road. 

Brady threw four touchdowns in the Patriots' last voyage to the Frozen Tundra, downing the Packers 35-0 in 2006.

"Tom's incredible," Aaron Rodgers said of his foe this week, "he's got great discipline and eye control, he;'s always had incredible subtle movements in the pocket that allow him to throw on rhythm and in a balanced position. That's how you become accurate, when your feet are underneath you, you're on balance all the time and Tom does a great job of getting his feet and his body in position to throw that ball from a balanced position."

New England has something to rely on in their ground game as well.

Jonas Gray, the rookie from Notre Dame, rushed for 4 touchdowns on 201 yards in the Patriots' 42-20 win at the Colts Nov. 16th. Gray did not take a snap against Detroit the following week, reportedly for missing a practice.

Enter LaGarrette Blount, playing his second game in his second go-round with the Patriots after being picked up on waivers following his Nov. 18th release from the Steelers. 

Blount carried 12 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns in last week's victory over Detroit.

New England is averaging 39.5 points in their current win streak, with Tom Brady throwing for 315 yards in those games. Rob Gronkowski has 27 receptions for 403 yards and 5 touchdowns in their last four outings.

The Packers' Jordy Nelson leads the NFL with 123 receiving yards at home and 2nd-year man Randall Cobb has 20 receptions and two touchdowns in the last three at Lambeau this year.

But those receivers will be defended by Patriots corners Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, which could lend the Packers' game plan more to tailback Eddie Lacy.

Lacy has 6 rushing touchdowns this season, tied for 8th in football.

"No matter what phase of the game you're in, they've got explosive playmakers and schemes and things that you've got to take care of," Bill Belichick said of the Packers. "There's no chance to relax against this team. They're good at anything."