The New Orleans Saints (5-9) are heading to Lambeau Field tonight for a Monday Night Football clash against the surging Green Bay Packers (10-4).
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Both teams are contrasting starkly as the Saints, absolutely ravaged by injuries, have dropped 2 of their last 3 games, while the Packers have won 4 of their last 5 with their loss coming from the Lions, but just barely.
With the Saints missing some of their biggest stars like Derek Carr, Alvin Kamara, and Chris Olave, the Packers are looking like the heavy favorites in this NFC showdown.
The Packers are coming into this game as 14-point favorites and it’s easy to see why without even looking at the Saints.
Jordan Love is playing some of his best football of the season. He’s boasting 23 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions on the season, including 4 straight games with a passer rating over 100. Compared to earlier in the season, that’s a big turnaround.
Last week, he completed 74% of his passes in a 30-13 rout of the Seahawks. His connection with some of the big receivers like Jayden Reed (727 yards, 6 TDs) and Christian Watson has given a huge boost to this Green Bay offense.
In the backfield, of course, Josh Jacobs continues to be a game-changer. Ranked just third in the NFL with 1,147 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, Jacobs is giving Green Bay a balanced attack that will unquestionably thrive against New Orleans’ struggling run defense. The Saints allow a whopping 134.36 rushing yards per game which ranks them 27th in the league.
Defensively, the Packers are fairly solid and only getting better with each game.
Their 8th-ranked unit in points allowed (20.5 per game) shuts down the run as they’ve surrendered just 105 rushing yards per game. That’s good for 10th in the league. Against a Saints team missing key offensive stars like RB Alvin Kamara, this defense should dominate the game.
With Derek Carr sidelined due to his hand injury, the Saints are turning to Spencer Rattler, who nearly led a comeback against Washington last week. While Rattler has shown some flashes of brilliance, including a late touchdown pass to Foster Moreau, his inexperience will likely be tested under the bright lights at Lambeau.
The Saints’ offense has leaned heavily on one of their biggest stars, Alvin Kamara, who leads the team in both rushing and receiving. He’s as dynamic as they come. His absence (groin injury) is a devastating blow to an already struggling offensive unit. Chris Olave, their most explosive wideout, is also out of this game with a head injury. That leaves Rattler with limited weapons and options to choose from.
On defense, New Orleans has been fairly inconsistent as well. While Demario Davis and Alontae Taylor are unquestionably the bright spots, the Saints’ pass defense ranks 28th, allowing over 242 yards per game. Facing Jordan Love and a potent Packers offense, this is not a game they want to come into with this defense.
This game has all of the markings for a Green Bay blowout.
The Saints’ injuries leave them shorthanded on an already stumbling offense, while the Packers’ balanced attack and solid defense should be enough to control the game for all 60 minutes.
We’re looking for Green Bay to establish the run early with Jacobs and make the most of New Orleans’ porous secondary.
The spread at -14 may seem steep to some, but the Packers’ recent dominance and the Saints’ inability to compete without their stars make it a pretty safe bet that we’re not walking away from.
On top of that, the under (42.5) is something you might want to look at given the Saints’ offensive struggles and the likelihood of a slow-paced game for the Saints.
BettorsInsider Prediction: Packers 31, Saints 10
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