Green Bay heads to St. Louis to play the Rams Sunday November 16th. The game time is noon and the game will be broadcast on FOX.

There really is not a whole lot to say about this game. I mentioned yesterday that the Packers playoff scenario lets them lose 1 game, but it will not be this one.

Some people might say that the Rams are resurgent, they might talk about how they won 3 of their last 5 games, and about how Stephen Jackson finally is healthy and running well. People also said giving the Packers 10 points over the Raiders was too much.

Reality also paints a different picture. I think the only runner to rush for over 100 yards on the Packers this season was Adrian Peterson, and a lot of those yards came in garbage time during the Packers first win over the Vikings, so big name runners don't worry me. And true, the Rams are 3 of 5, but those 3 wins were over New Orleans, San Fransisco, and Atlanta. Not exactly NFL power houses.

I don't think the Rams can score on the Packers, and I don't think their defense can slow down the offense too much.

Which brings up one a very interesting point. The Packers finishing the season with a soft schedule is a huge advantage over the rest of the NFC. The casual finish allows the Packers rest up and get healthy, and it allows Coach McCarthy to try a few different strategies.

I think we will see Coach McCarthy treat the rest of the season almost like the pre-season. I think the starters will play the first half, or until the game is comfortably in hand. Then I think he will rotate in players to get a look at them. Last week against the Raiders, he had 10 defensive backs on the roster, and I think most of them played. I don't think anyone is competing for the starting job, but I do think they are competing for the 7-9 positions. I think the same thing is happening with the offensive line.

This is huge for a few reasons. First, the Packers are a young team, and it develops the young players. It gives them a chance to play in legitimate games, and builds for the future, while driving towards the playoffs. Second it keeps the backups sharp and ready to step in if anyone gets hurt. The Dallas game excluded, the backups have played pretty well this year. Finally, it gives everyone something to play for going into the playoffs.

Coach McCarthy doesn't want the Packers to coast into the playoffs, he wants them to go in on the upswing. If the starters know they will get a breather if the Packers are up by a lot at the half, they are going to play with more intensity and drive, and resist the temptation to phone a game in late in the season. Furthermore, if they know a young guy is waiting on the sidelines to go in, they might play just a little harder.

This strategy has the double bonus of keeping the team interested and playing hard, and lets the Packers avoid laying a couple of eggs at the end of the season and dropping the second seed.

The road to the Super Bowl starts now, and with teams rolling over like the Raiders did on Sunday, I expect the Packers to add a few wrinkles to the game plan to help them prepare for it.