Aaron Rodgers: Green Bay Packers QB Expected to Make Preseason Debut

Green Bay Packers vs. St. Louis Rams
Saturday, 8/16/14, 4:00 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: St. Louis PK
Current Betting Line: St. Louis -2.5
Opening Total: 40
Current Total: 41
Odds Courtesy of 5Dimes

Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is expected to start under center Saturday

Green Bay will stay on the road to play its first preseason game in the afternoon since 2006, as it looks to bounce back from a 20-16 defeat to the Tennessee Titans as 2.5-point underdogs last week, which can’t be ignored when making your NFL betting picks in Week 2. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was a healthy scratch in that affair, but he’s expected to make his debut against the Rams. Last year, Rodgers played just five series in the first three exhibition games, while sitting out the finale.

With heavy rain throughout most stages of their game against the Titans, both teams leaned on their running games, with Green Bay gaining 146 yards on 35 carries. Signal-caller Matt Flynn finished 5 of 10 for 49 yards and a passer rating of 64.2, while No. 3 quarterback Scott Tolzien totaled 124 passing yards in three possessions when entering the game with less than a minute to go in the first half. The franchise is 4-1 ATS in its second game of preseason play the last five years.

St. Louis fell on the losing end of a 26-24 decision to the New Orleans Saints as two-point home favorites last week, as it played without the services of starting quarterback Sam Bradford, who is being monitored carefully before the regular season due to offseason knee surgery. The Rams play in the most physical division in football alongside the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, which means that left tackle Jake Long will also need to be at a 100 percent following a knee surgery as well.

The Rams should have one of the better defenses in the league under coordinator Gregg Williams, especially with the additions of tackles Alex Carrington and Aaron Donald. St. Louis already has one of the best pass-rushers in football in end Robert Quinn, which can’t be ignored when looking over the NFL betting odds. The line may need to play great early on due to a youthful secondary, with third-year starter Janoris Jenkins being the elder statesmen of the group.