NFL Sunday Night Football Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints

Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints
Sunday, 10/26/14, 8:30 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: New Orleans -2
Current Betting Line: New Orleans -2.5
Opening Total: 54
Current Total: 54.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Green Bay Packers have one of the top pass-catch combos in the league

Green Bay is enjoying a 4-0 SUATS run, which includes an impressive 38-17 victory over the Carolina Panthers as 6.5-point home favorites last Sunday, while going OVER the betting total in all of those affairs. The Packers continue to be led by NFL MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers, who has thrown for 977 yards and 13 scores during the team’s win streak, which can’t be ignored when making your Week 8 pro football picks. Green Bay is 0-4 SUATS as road underdogs of three or fewer points the last two-plus seasons, with the UNDER going 3-1 in that situation.

The Packers have some major weapons to help Rodgers, which is important to consider when looking over the pro football odds page, with wide receiver Jordy Nelson being the main player to handicap. He ranks second in the league with 712 receiving yards, and sits behind just three players with six touchdown catches. Green Bay should be able to move the ball up and down the field due to facing a defense that ranks 28th in allowing 270.5 passing yards per game.

New Orleans lands in a virtual must-win situation after dropping a 24-23 decision to the Detroit Lions as 1.5-point road underdogs last week, while going OVER the betting total for a third consecutive contest. The Saints simply haven’t stopped opponents this season despite numerous offseason transitions and coordinator Rob Ryan on the sidelines, as the unit has allowed an average of 27.5 points per game. New Orleans is 3-0 SUATS as home favorites of three or fewer points since the start of the 2012 campaign, with the UNDER cashing in two of those three opportunities.

The Saints are capable of beating any team in the league due to having Drew Brees under center, but he’s dropped three of five all-time meetings against the Packers despite throwing for 1,904 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two picks in that situation. He may need to find a new main target in the red zone due to tight end Jimmy Graham being slowed down by a shoulder injury in recent weeks.