NFL Week 3 Predictions: Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, 9/22/13, 1:00 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: Cincinnati -1
Current Betting Line: Green Bay -2.5
Opening Total: 45.5
Current Total: 48.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Green Bay Packers possess one of the more explosive offenses in the NFL

Green Bay is set to make its first regular-season visit to Cincinnati since 2005, as it comes off a 38-20 victory over the Washington Redskins as nine-point home favorites in Week 2, while going OVER the betting total for a second consecutive contest. The Packers will be facing a 2012 NFL playoff team for a third straight game, which can’t be ignored when looking over the pro football odds page. Including the playoffs, the team has won 14 of its last 21 games away from Lambeau Field. Green Bay is 6-3 SU and 4-5 ATS in September the last two-plus seasons.

The Packers have posted a 5-2 record in the game before enjoying a bye week under head coach Mike McCarthy, including wins in the last three opportunities—averaging 36.3 points and giving up 17.0 points in that situation. In his last five regular-season games, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers has completed 133 of 193 passes for 1,811 yards and 17 touchdowns with just a single interception. The team is averaging a league-best 482.5 yards per game thus far in 2013.

Cincinnati also evened its record after two games, as it picked up a 20-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers as seven-point home favorites Monday, while going UNDER the betting total of 40. “They’re just like us,” commented Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. The Bengals have won six of their 11 all-time meetings against the Packers, but they haven’t faced off since 2009. During the Lewis era since 2003, the franchise is tied for fifth in the league in turnover differential. Cincinnati is 4-4 SU and 4-2-2 ATS in September over the last two-plus seasons.

The Bengals rank third in the NFL in allowing just 62.5 yards per game on the ground, but they’ll have to defense the pass in this affair, as the Packers have little to no run game to speak of. Cincinnati’s defensive line led all teams with 96 sacks over the previous two seasons, which is important to consider when making your NFL predictions, as it’s capable of placing pressure on Rodgers without blitzing.