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Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints NFL Odds & Picks

Written by Jimmy Boyd

The Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints will both be fighting to get above the .500 mark when they meet in Week 12 on Monday Night Football. Both teams helped strengthen their playoff chances with wins last week but neither can afford to take their feet off the gas pedal. Odds makers are giving the home Saints the edge in this one as 2.5-point favorites with the total set at 51.5.

Last Sunday, the Packers crushed the Chicago Bears 37-3 to move into a three-way tie with Chicago and Minnesota for the NFC North lead while the last-place Saints picked up their first road win of the season against lowly Kansas City. Sean Payton’s team has alternated wins and losses over its last six games, but it needs to start stringing some wins together or it can kiss its playoff hopes goodbye. The Saints are 3-1 at home this season and will look to continue its solid home play on Monday night. New Orleans will gladly welcome the scenery of the Super Dome after being away for so long. Since beating Oakland there on October 12th, New Orleans has played three road games, had its bye week, and was designated as the home team in a win over San Diego that was played in London.

Green Bay has had its struggles on the road and will be playing to avoid its first three-game road losing streak since 2005. Packers coach Mike McCarthy returns to New Orleans for the first time since serving as the Saints’ offensive coordinator from 2000-2004. The last time he faced his former team, he did not come out on top. New Orleans won 37-24 in September of 2006 and would go on to play in the NFC title game that season. The Packers, of course, played in the NFC title game last year, but neither team is playing at the same level that earned them those trips. Green Bay has the big edge historically with a 14-6 advantage in the all-time series but has lost two of the last three.

Green Bay used its defense to rout the Chicago Bears last Sunday, holding the Bears to just 234 total yards and a season low in points. Green Bay also set a franchise mark by scoring its seventh defensive touchdown of the season. Green Bay is allowing 333.9 yards per game this season and its pass defense could give it the edge against the pass-happy Saints. The Packers are only allowing 176.3 passing yards per game and have intercepted opposing QB’s 16 times. If you think Green Bay can shut down the New Orleans passing attack to pull off the upset, bet the Packers at +2.5 at BetUS.

New Orleans’ offense is the best in the NFL statistically, averaging 416.9 yards per game. QB Drew Brees is on record setting pace with 3,251 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. Brees has split a pair of games with the Packers in his career while throwing for 716 yards and four scores. He was 25 of 36 with a touchdown in last week’s 30-20 win at Kansas City. It was the Saints first road win in six tries this season. Bet the Saints at -2.5 at BetUS if you like them to continue their strong play at home.

The Packers may be able to slow down the Saints but they aren’t going to be able to stop them entirely so it will be important for the Green Bay offense to put pressure on the New Orleans defense. Aaron Rodgers was 23 of 30 for 227 yards and two scores as the Packers racked up 427 total yards in last week’s win over the Bears. Rodgers is averaging 235.1 yards per game and is hoping that he’ll have wide receiver Donald Driver to throw to this week. Driver is second on the team with 572 yards. He was expected to sit out practice Wednesday and Thursday to rest injuries but coach McCarthy also informed that Driver is dealing with a personal situation. If Driver isn’t able to go, we could see the Pack lean even more on Ryan Grant and the running game. Grant is coming off a season-high 145-yard performance against one of the better run-stuffing teams in the NFL last week.

It is unlikely that the Saints will get much out of their ground attack which has struggled with the injury to Reggie Bush. Deuce McAllister leads the team with just 299 yards.

Make sure you check to see who Jimmy Boyd is playing before laying down on this game. Do your NFL betting on Jimmy’s Week 12 NFL picks this week and crush the NFL odds this week.

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