BREAKING: Packers, Ravens Both Sit Starting QBs. It Is Backup vs. Backup In Week 17.
I have confirmed from the official inactives list that Jordan Love and Lamar Jackson are out tonight. The Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Ravens will play a high stakes game with their backup quarterbacks. This is rare. It is also revealing. Depth, coaching, and poise now decide a game that shapes the playoff picture.
Both starting quarterbacks are inactive. Green Bay turns to Sean Clifford. Baltimore turns to Tyler Huntley.
What This Means For Green Bay
Sean Clifford gets the ball for the Packers. He is smart, steady, and calm. He knows the playbook. He will not be asked to be a hero. Matt LaFleur will build this plan around rhythm and simple reads. Expect motion, quick outs, and play action. Expect heavy runs to set the tone.
The backs must carry the load. Aaron Jones can slash inside and bounce outside. AJ Dillon brings power in short yardage. That one-two punch helps Clifford avoid long third downs. It also keeps Baltimore’s rush from pinning its ears back.
The receivers must help a young quarterback. Romeo Doubs wins on slants and fades. Jayden Reed is deadly on jet motion and option routes. If Christian Watson is active, his speed can clear space. Tight ends Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave, if available, are key on seams and flats. Clifford will look for safe throws. Those inside routes and tight end leaks matter.
Green Bay’s line must be clean. Rash pressure kills young quarterbacks. Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker must handle the edge. The interior must ID stunts. One free rusher can swing a quarter.
What This Means For Baltimore
Tyler Huntley keeps the Ravens offense on schedule. He is efficient and mobile. He can run the option game, but Baltimore will pick spots. Todd Monken can lean on quick timing, RPO looks, and a punishing ground attack.
Gus Edwards brings steady downhill drives. Justice Hill adds burst to the edge. The balance sets up shot plays. Zay Flowers is the ace in space. Rashod Bateman can win on posts and digs. If Mark Andrews is limited, Isaiah Likely has been a strong outlet at tight end. The reads are simple. First window. Then checkdown. Punt if needed. This defense can win a field position fight.
Justin Tucker shapes the call sheet. Cross the 35, and three points are live. That matters in a backup game. Short fields help more than hero plays.
Turnovers decide backup games. Win the takeaway battle, win the night.
The Chess Match
Baltimore will test Clifford with simulated pressure. You will see late rotation from Kyle Hamilton. You will see creepers and green dogs. The goal is to cloud the picture and bait a mistake. Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen close fast. Justin Madubuike collapses the pocket. If Clifford holds the ball, the Ravens feast.
Green Bay must make Huntley play from the pocket. Keep edges, squeeze rush lanes, and force him to throw outside the numbers. Rashan Gary and Preston Smith must finish. Jaire Alexander, if available, can erase a side. Make Baltimore drive the field. Make them kick, not dance.
Key swing factors to watch:
- First quarter nerves and field position
- Third down distance and blitz pickup
- Red zone play calling, run vs pass
- Hidden yards on special teams
- Which QB hits the first deep shot
Adjustments You Should Expect
- Packers go heavier with two tight ends, more motion, more play action.
- Ravens use tempo bursts, pistol looks, and quick game to Flowers.
- Both teams protect the ball and play for field goals when drives stall.
- Defenses hunt for tipped balls, strips, and short fields.
Fantasy tip. Lean on running backs and tight ends from both teams. Downgrade wide receivers who need deep volume. Kickers get a boost, especially Justin Tucker.
What Tonight Reveals
This is about more than one week. It is a test of roster building and quarterback development. The Packers invested in structure and teaching. Clifford’s poise will show how far that work has come. The Ravens have built a system that travels. Huntley has won games in this spot. The question is if he can do it again against a desperate NFC foe.
The culture will show up in the little things. Communication. Huddle calm. Sub packages. Two minute drills. Fourth down choices. Fans came for points. They may get grit and nerve instead. That is fine. December football often belongs to teams that tackle and kick.
Conclusion. The headline is backups. The story is depth. The winner leaves with a key seed and a locker room that believes. The loser leaves with questions they must answer fast. Tonight, it is not about star power. It is about detail, patience, and one clean throw in the fourth quarter.
