I can confidently say the Pack will win today. How do I know? Fate. I was informed by one of my adult sons that every time the Packers lost a huge game going back to the 97 super bowl, every loss had one thing in common. We prepared a large plate of pepper poppers. In recent years they would beg me not to serve them, and would leave them on the plate. I'm not superstitious and love them, so I made them anyway. Here's where fate steps in. The igniter on our gas stove failed. The warranty repair guy showed up Friday to fix it, just in time for game day. Fate - as he was installing it, he dropped and broke it. No pepper poppers, no chance of defeat. Pack 23-19. GPG

Watch Packers vs. Buccaneers Game Live Online :2021 NFL Conference Championship

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The opponent? Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, who won six Super Bowls with New England and has a chance to win a seventh for his new team.

One day after the Packers mostly dominated the Los Angeles Rams in a 32-18 victory, the Buccaneers punished the New Orleans Saints 30-20 at the Superdome. The same swarming defense that made life miserable for Rodgers and Co. in October produced four takeaways and made Drew Brees look like an old man.

That set up a made-for-TV showdown between two living legends. Rodgers and Brady will meet for only the fourth time in their illustrious careers. It will be by far the most important, with Green Bays infamous loss at Seattle in the 2014 NFC Championship Game robbing the world of a Rodgers vs. Brady matchup in the Super Bowl. Rodgers desperately wants to win a second Super Bowl. Brady desperately wants to win a Super Bowl without Bill Belichick.

We ve got to go beat a great football team. Aarons playing incredible. Were going to have to play great to beat them,” Brady told Foxs Erin Andrews after the game.

The early forecast for Sunday is a high of 23 with a chance of snow.

While they never would have admitted it, the Packers probably would have preferred a matchup against Brees and the Saints. Never mind that Green Bay won at New Orleans 37-30 in Week 3 but lost at Tampa Bay 38-10 in Week 6. Brees, who has spent all 20 seasons playing in the warmth of San Diego or the dome in New Orleans, played in only one game with a kickoff temperature of 25 or colder. Brady, meanwhile, is a resounding 15-3.

Almost exactly three months ago, the Packers were outclassed by the Bucs. Coming off its bye, Green Bay raced to a 10-0 lead but Rodgers threw a pick-six and an interception on back-to-back possessions. The Packers never crossed midfield over the final three quarters. They had nine first downs on their first two possessions and four in their final 10.

Might need to add an extra finger to the scotch, but I do feel good about the team,” Rodgers said after a miserable afternoon. Ive played for so long, youre going to have a couple stinkers. I think about the game at New York many years ago [2012] where I hit Jordy (Nelson) on an out-and-up to start the game, and we lost 38-10. Tonight kind of felt like that, unfortunately, where you kind of got off to a nice start and then just nothing. So, I feel really good about our squad. Weve had four really, really good weeks, being efficient, winning, offensively being very explosive, defensively coming up with timely stops.

This is, I believe, an anomaly, not the beginning of a trend. And weve got a chance to prove me right next week.”

Rodgers was proven right again and again. The Packers will enter Sundays championship game with seven consecutive wins.

In a heavyweight showdown on Saturday, Green Bays top-ranked scoring offense overwhelmed the Rams top-ranked scoring defense. It will be a similar challenge on Sunday.

Brees was 19-of-34 passing for just 134 yards. Premier receiver Michael Thomas was shut out on four targets.

Rodgers, of course, is a far better player than Brees at this point in his career. Hes the likely MVP after throwing 48 touchdown passes in the regular season and two more in the playoffs. He led the NFL in passer rating, touchdown passes, completion percentage, touchdown percentage and interception percentage.

Tampa Bays defense is legit. The Bucs finished eighth in points allowed and first against the run with 80.6 yards per game and 3.60 yards per carry. Linebacker Devin White, who had 11 tackles and one interception against the Saints, had 10 tackles, one sack and three tackles for losses against Green Bay. The Bucs had five sacks in the first meeting.

While the reality is it will be Rodgers facing that dominant defense and Green Bays defense contending with the legendary Brady and his deep list of weapons, the hype will be centered on Rodgers vs. Brady – arguably the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.

When it comes to big picture and you guys writing your stories and telling that whole story, which I know is a part of it, its two older guys,” Rodgers said before the Week 6 game. Hes a little bit older than I am – hes got me by about six-and-a-half or seven years – but we havent played a lot because hes been in the AFC the majority of his career and Ive been over here.

Hes obviously done it at the highest of levels for so long. Hes been an icon at the position. Hes been somebody that weve all looked up to for so many years as the standard of excellence. I think theres a ton of admiration and respect for the way that hes played the game from so many of us, especially us guys whove been in the same era for so many years with him and gotten to compete with him every now and then being an NFC guy. I think its good that we just enjoy it for what it is, have respect and admiration for the way that we have played over this time, and enjoy where were at in our careers now.”

Who's Treymon?

Tampa has a banged up receiver group and Brown - Out. The Packers' corners can handle this group, freeing up resources to load the box and to keep an eye on Gronk because you know that is where Brady is going ALL GAME LONG. Look for Savage and Amos to take advantage.

Tampa also has a banged-up pair of safeties and Winfield - Questionable. I think #12 got a little frustrated and started gambling with the ball a bit last week. Look for him to be focused like a laser today. And he will have plenty of opportunities to take shots at MVS, and even Lazard, as Tampa worries about Adams all day long and MVS' speed.

Packers 34-17.

The Catch Part II, 4th & 26, Bostick botch...can the Pack exorcise demons of the big stage past where mental mistakes, miscommunication, scheme, adjustments, etc are forgotten? Will the moment be too big for them? A lot of excitement about Tramon...lest we forget he gave up the winning TD to Seattle a few years back albeit a perfect throw from Wilson; he has a chance to avenge his past; it would be bittersweet if he makes a game-saving play this go-round.

Turnovers, penalties, tackling, blocking...let's care of business the Lombardi Way with MAXIMUM EFFORT. No matter today's outcome, we'll feel proud if we blaze a path with excellence. May the best team win.

Nailbiter GB 33 TB 27

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The Packers will win if they can overcome an onslaught from Tampa. GB has not fared well against teams that have punched them in the mouth. If they can withstand some early hiccups against the Tampa D they should win it by more than 7. If they get hit and fold, I see them losing by 6+.

Wow, a whole lot of 31 predictions. My 31 prediction is a pick 6 by #31 Adrian Amos. Book it!

Final score Packers 38 (for Tramon)
Bucs 12 (for Mr. Brady)

TB is, simply, a better team than the Rams. Even without Antonio Brown, Brady has a great offensive supporting cast and the Tampa D is very talented.

Still, as great as Brady is, I prefer GB's #12 in a battle of who I think are the two best QBs of the SB Era. This game may come down to the two would-be GOATs but GB will have to do enough in the trenches to have a balanced offense and to contain Fournette and Jonrs.

I think they will: 30-24, Pack! GPG!

Gary, Clark, and Z. Smith terrorize Brady, The OL protects Rodgers and pave the way up the gut of the Bucs D for the RBs, Rodgers doesn't hand 14 points over early, Davante does davante things, and Robert Tonyan plays a pivotal role in breaking this Tampa team.

After an early push by Tampa, Packers take the lead and it's never really a game after that. Packers by 2 scores.

Oh... did I mention Jaire Alexander is going to get sent on a naked corner blitz and put Brady on his ass?

This game comes down to pass d. Brady knows the weakness on pass d and makes us pay for it early. Rodgers is forced to pass to catch up an the run gets abandoned. All is lost, our pass d gave it up and made it easy for the bucs defense