The Steelers vs Packers rivalry is a game of history, defense and infrequent grudge matches. Today, it represents a gateway to the playoffs for one team and a matter of revenge for the other. The last time the Steelers and Packers met in the regular season, Pittsburgh won in a 2009 shootout. The last time they met in general, the Steelers lost Super Bowl XLV. You don’t think Ben Roethlisberger wants some payback by spoiling his rival’s fight for its playoff life? Today’s Steelers Packers game is going to be close, and ESPN’s experts are evenly split as to which team is favored to win. The game’s broadcast live on CBS, or you can watch Steelers vs Packers online free live using one of several different tools.
Much of the discussion leading into today’s 4:25pm EST / 1:25pm PST kickoff is focused on the running game. It’s just ironic that the discussion relates to both sides of the ball. With Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers out yet another week with a collarbone injury, much of the offensive lifting will fall to Packers rookie running back Eddie Lacy in today’s Ravens game.
Lacy is one of the NFL’s best backs this season, rookie or not, having carried the ball 248 times for 1,028 yards and eight touchdowns. That’s a staggering number of carries, but Lacy’s proved more durable than predicted and continues to bruise opposing defenses with 4.1 yards per carry. The Packers RB is the clear favorite for NFL Rookie of the Year, and he needs just 77 yards in today’s Packers game to break the team’s 43-year-old record for most rushing yards by a rookie.
Green Bay isn’t nearly as effective at stopping the run, though, which you’ll see when you watch Steelers vs Packers online free live. Last week against the Cowboys, Green Bay’s defense allowed 332 yards in the first half alone, many of those coming on the ground. They haven’t been able to stop the run well all season long. It will be interesting to see how the Green Bay defense responds in today’s Steelers game against running back Le’Veon Bell, whom Pittsburgh chose to draft before Lacy. Bell isn’t having a big rushing season, with just 646 yards on the ground, but he’s become a passing threat off the screen and given Roethlisberger an additional target in the open field.
With Matt Flynn at the helm rather than Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers are scoring 10 fewer points per game and have gone 2-4-1. Without Lacy, they could very well be looking at an 0-7 mark and no chance at the playoffs. What’s more, while Green Bay has won two games in a row, their combined margin of victory in those wins is two points. Today’s Packers game may be at Lambeau Field, but with the nothing-to-lose Steelers looking for payback and the Packers playing tight, this is anyone’s game.
Seeing the Steelers and Packers go after it live today promises to be three hours of smash mouth NFL entertainment. You can watch Steelers vs Packers online free live on DirecTV’s website if you subscribe to their NFL Sunday Ticket with MAX. The MAX broadcast package requires an additional subscription fee, but if you pay it you’ll be able to watch the live streaming version free of any NFL game, including today’s 4:25pm EST / 1:25pm PST Week 16 NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers.