Packers-Titans
The beautiful thing about football was simplified in the movie “Any Given Sunday” where Al Pacino’s character stated, “on any given Sunday, you’re either gonna win or lose.” Whenever two teams step on the field in the NFL, anything can happen.
The Green Bay Packers’ name is synonymous with football. One of the original eight NFL teams, they are football royalty. The Packers are second in both games played and wins all time. The trophy handed out to the Super Bowl champions is named after their legendary head coach, Vince Lombardi. Lambeau Field is one of the most famous stadiums in the country.
The Titans, originally the Houston Oilers, were rebranded in 1999 after leaving Houston for Tennessee due to low stadium attendance. Their current field, Nissan Stadium, is being torn down for a new one that will be focused on more things than just football.
The History
The Titans hold a 8-6 series edge over the Packers. Being in opposite conferences, these two don’t matchup very often. As if a 8-6 differential wasn’t close enough, the total points scored in this series has a razor thin margin of 15 points. Titans have scored 341 and the Packers 326.
The first meeting between these two came in mid-November of 1972 when the Packers won 23-10 in Houston. The most recent meetings were two days after Christmas in 2020 which saw the Packers win a 40-14 route in Green Bay, which left my family and I shocked at what we were watching and in Nov 17th 2022, where the Titans handed the Packers a sweet revenge 27:17 win led by QB Ryan Tannehill.
Best Games
There are two games in this matchup that stand out among the rest. In 1992, it was Packers @ Oilers, where Brett Favre was in his first year as quarterback for the Packers. Green Bay went into this game on a four-game win streak, sitting at 7-6. The Oilers, a perennial playoff team in the 80s and early 90s, were an offensive juggernaut sitting at 8-5. Favre led his team down the field throwing a six-yard touchdown pass to take a 16-7 lead. They ended up holding on to a 16-14 victory. This was an early signature moment in Brett Favre’s Hall of Fame career.
In 2001, Favre and Titans legendary quarterback, Steve McNair, faced off for the second time. The Packers were 9-3 and the Titans 5-7. The game started whacky as the Titans got a safety to take a 2-0 lead before falling behind 2-10 at the end of the first quarter. Before halftime, the Titans scored two touchdowns from the arm of McNair and took a 15-13 lead. In the second half they scored ten points to secure a big 26-20 upset over the dominant Packers.
Greatest Players
Titans
- Warren Moon: First QB to throw for 5,000 yds in a season and Titans’ all-time leading passer (33,685 yds and 156 TDs)
- Earl Campbell: One of the best RBs ever, was franchise leader in rush yds (8,574) and TDs (73)
- Eddie George: Is the Titans’ all-time leading rusher (10,009 yds)
- Derrick Henry: Titans’ all-time leader in rush TDs (74) and is on pace to set every Titans’ RB record
Packers
- Brett Favre: Most passing yds in Packers’ history (61,655) and most games played (255)
- Aaron Rodgers: All-time Packers’ passing TDs leader (463) and best TD/INT ratio in NFL history
- Bart Starr: Super Bowl MVP of Super Bowl l & ll; highest postseason passer rating in NFL history
- Reggie White: 2nd in NFL history with 198 sacks; one of the best pass rushers of all time
Who Wins the Next One?
Based on the series history, the home team normally wins. These teams meet in Green Bay on Thursday Night Football, so my immediate recommendation is to back the Packers. However, more goes into it than just that analysis. The point differential in 14 games is 15 points, so I’d also recommend avoid laying any point spread above seven points. With Aaron Rodgers potentially retiring soon, cherish any opportunity to witness one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game, Ryan Tannehill being another great veteran of the game and Derrick Henry who's chasing his own set of history, trying to crush franchise records and Packers players who try to stop him.