The Green Bay Packers have cleared the air with Aaron Rodgers and are looking forward to an exciting season ahead.
Green Bay Packers Betting Picks
With the offseason drama of Aaron Rodgers in the rearview mirror, at least for the time being, the Green Bay Packers are full steam ahead in hopes of reaching the mountain top once again.
Last season Green Bay earned the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs with a 13-3 record in the regular season.
Winners of their last six regular-season games and rolling past the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Pack looked poised to have a date in Tampa for the Super Bowl. But as we all know, Tom Brady and Tampa Bay had other ideas. The 31-26 season-ending loss left Rodgers with a 1-4 career record in NFC title games.
With the Packers core returning for what many are dubbing the “Last Dance” for Rodgers, expectations are once again high for the Packers — from the inside and outside of the organization.
According to BetUS, one of the top sportsbooks at Online Betting Sports, the Packers over/under win total for the season is 10.5. Those bettors thinking the Pack will exceed the wins receive odds at -130, while those doubting the team’s success will have even-money odds by taking the under.
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Getting Offensive
Green Bay finished last season 5th in total offense with 389 yards per game. The Packers were eighth in rushing at just over 132 yards per game on the ground while finishing ninth in yards through the air with 256. But no other team scored more points than Rodgers and the Pack’s 509 or 31.8 ppg.
With Aaron Jones and DeVante Adams both back, in addition to one of Rodgers’ favorite targets in Randall Cobb making his way back to Green Bay, the Packers should be able to light up the scoreboard once again this season.
Running Away Early?
Green Bay could run out to an 8-0 start, which would not only go a long way in reaching the win total but also secure a third-straight NFC North division title.
With the retirement of Drew Brees, the Packers’ Week 1 matchup in New Orleans could be a tune-up for a hot start. Bovada has the Packers as a 3-point favorite in the matchup with -105 odds to cover and -150 on the money line to win straight up.
Three early games that could cause Green Bay problems come in Week 3, 6, and 8. All three games are on the road against San Francisco, Chicago, and Arizona.
The Packers should be favored in all three games but should provide good challenges nonetheless. At the moment, Chicago will be considered the easiest of the three, but a change to Justin Fields at quarterback by that time could be a spark for the hated division rivals.
Tough Stretch
Those first eight games of the season could be crucial for the Packers as the following four games leading up to the NFL Week 13 bye will be anything but easy.
Week 9 has Green Bay traveling to Kansas City to take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The game is scheduled for a 4:15 start but very well could be flexed to the Sunday night game.
According to BetOnline, the Chiefs (+500) are the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl.
Green Bay returns home from KC to face Seattle before traveling to face NFC rival Minnesota in NFL Week 11. In NFL Week 12, the Pack will face last season’s No. 1 ranked defense in the form of the Los Angeles Rams. The Packers will also see a familiar face as former Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford will be under center for the Rams.
Green Bay should be the favorite in those games, sans the matchup in KC, but again, the road will not be an easy one.
In NFL Week 15 and 16, Green Bay plays the top two teams in the AFC North when it travels to Baltimore and plays host to Cleveland — two solid tests before hosting the Vikings in Week 17.
Other Key Players
With Jamal Williams out of the mix, A.J. Dillon should compliment Jones well in the backfield.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, and Devin Funchess give Rodgers plenty of added weapons in the passing game, not to mention the breakout season Robert Tonyan had last season at tight end.
Other Betting Odds
BetOnline, another one of the top sportsbooks at onlinebettingsports.com, has the Packers tied with Buffalo for the third-shortest odds at winning the Super Bowl. Both Green Bay and Buffalo are at +1100 odds to win it all.
Green Bay is the heavy favorite to be crowned champions of the North for the third straight season at -150 odds, according to MyBookie.ag. Also, according to MyBookie, Green Bay has +600 odds of winning the NFC Championship behind Tampa Bay (+300) and San Francisco (+500).
Perhaps the best value is taking the Packers to finish with the best record in the NFL. According to BetUS, the Packers have the eighth-best odds at +1400.
Prediction
There’s no doubt the Packers will be able to put points on the board. But can the defense make enough key stops? Last season the Packers finished 9th in total defense and 13th in points.
But in two games against Tom Brady and the Bucs, Green Bay allowed 38 and 31 points. The offense will be good enough to easily reach the over/under of wins set at 10.5, but reaching the pinnacle may be a challenge.