National Football League

Rodgers, Rivers Set for Marquee Matchup

Updated Jul. 15, 2021 12:33 p.m. ET

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By Kevin Cooney

The Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts will line up for "America’s Game of the Week" on FOX come Sunday, and for those attempting to win FOX Bet's Super 6 jackpot of $1 million this weekend, it might be tough to pick a side in this matchup.

There are a host of reasons to choose either the Packers or the Colts, but FOXBet.com and FOXSports.com wanted to give you a few good arguments to help aid your picks.

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REASONS TO TAKE GREEN BAY:

1) Aaron Rodgers is the best player on the field

While others are getting more MVP attention, Rodgers is having a career season as he nears 37 years of age, posting nearly 2,600 yards passing, a near 68 percent completion percentage and 26 touchdown passes after the Packers drafted his perceived replacement in Jordan Love this summer.

Plus, Rodgers now can make his MVP case with three straight national broadcasts – this week against the Colts, home against Chicago next Sunday night, and a late window game against the Eagles on Dec. 6.

Sunday is where his campaign begins in force.

2) Possession-prone

The Packers are among the best at not beating themselves. Through nine games, Green Bay has only yielded five turnovers, the second best mark in the league behind Tennessee’s four.

In 2018 and 2019, Green Bay finished with the second fewest turnovers in the league. 

3) All they do is win

Green Bay has won 20 of its past 25 games dating back to last season.

The Packers don’t have a great defense, and some of those wins have been ugly, like last weekend’s lackluster 24-21 victory over the Jacksonville at Lambeau.

Still, the numbers don’t lie.

4) The Colts have one "wow" win

Before winning at Tennessee last week, Indianapolis' best win on the ledger was a 19-11 triumph over a Bears team that have been revealed in recent weeks. 

In two matchups against playoff teams – the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens – Indianapolis spent most of the second half in comeback mode and never felt competitive.

The Packers are arguably the best team that the Colts have faced all year.

REASONS TO TAKE INDIANAPOLIS:

1) The Colts defense is legit

What America learned last Thursday night, in the throttling of the Titans in Nashville, was how incredibly relentless the Colts defense can be.

Indianapolis allows the fewest number of total yards per game at 290.4, and they allow just 19.7 points per game, fourth best in the league behind the Ravens, Rams and Steelers. 

Darius Leonard  has turned into a must-see player on that side of the ball, in the middle of a stout linebacker corps.

2) Old Man Rivers

One of the best things about Philip Rivers is the fact that he lives for these marquee matchups against other premier quarterbacks.

Rivers can put up big numbers with anybody in a key spot. At his age, there might not be many of these primetime games left for him to show his stuff.

He could thrive in this moment.

3) That egg the Packers laid

Green Bay has two losses – one to the rival Minnesota Vikings and one blowout at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that pushed the Packers around on the offensive line and made life miserable for Rodgers.

That loss stands out as a haunting memory, because the Colts defense is just as ferocious as Tampa Bay's. 

4) Chip on their shoulder

When the best teams in the AFC are mentioned, Indianapolis barely gets a passing reference behind Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Baltimore, and even Buffalo.

Sure, the Colts quarterback is a veteran in the twilight of his career, and nationally, fans don’t really get to see the Colts all that much.

If they want to be more than a passing mention, they need to show up – and show out – in a game of this magnitude.

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