No Aaron Rodgers, no problem, right? Right?? We’ll find out Sunday when the New Orelans Saints (3-2) travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers (4-2).
The game will be featured on your local FOX station at 1 p.m. EST.
The Game: New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers (+4)
O/U: 47.0
The History
The Packers and Saints have played 24 times since 1968. Green Bay holds a 16-8 advantage in the all time series.
In 2014, the Saints beat the Packers 44-23 at the Mercedez-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Brees finished 27 of 32 for 311 yards and three touchdowns with no picks.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-2)
The Saints roll into Lambeau on a three game winning streak and these weren’t cakewalk games. They started with a 34-13 win over the Carolina Panthers, then got a 20-0 shutout over the Miami Dolphins. Last week they beat the Detroit Lions 52-38. Has the defense improved over these last three games? The Lions game doesn’t make it look like it, but when you’ve got Drew Brees playing at an MVP level, it doesn’t matter.
In spite, of the score, Brees had a downright pedestrian day for him against Detroit. He completed 20 od 30 passes for 187 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Saints did their damage in the run game. Mark Ingram carried the ball 25 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Alvin Kamara had 10 rushes for 75 yards.
The only significant reception stats came from Tedd Ginn Jr., who hauled in four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. The Saints defense sacked Matthew Stafford five times and got 10 stops in the backfield. That’s the positive. The negative? How about 312 yards and three touchdowns from Matthew Stafford? New Orleans did pick off Stafford three times, but Golden Tate and Marvin Jones Jr. had no trouble getting open. Jones had six catches for 96 yards and a TD. Tate had seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown too.
The Saints have no significant players scheduled to be out for this game. Tarik Armstead and Willie Snead are both listed as questionable, but they practiced this week and I expect them to play.
GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-2)
The Packers’ injury report is dominated by a single name, Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers broke his collarbone against the Minnesota Vikings last week and will likely miss the rest of the season. In his stead, we’ll see former UCLA standout Brett Hundley in at QB. Last week, coming out of the pen against the Vikings, Hundley completed 18 of 33 for 157 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. It wasn’t great, but Hundley will have a full week of preparation for this game with the starters.
The truth is, plenty of teams were going to take a hard look at Hundley as a potential starting quarterback next year. This chance to audition under live fire shouldn’e be squandered. Obviously, the Packers would rather have Rodgers under center, but I don’t think Hundley is a disaster.
Still, with Hundley in, the Packers will need all the position players to step up. On the bright side for them, the third year QB won’t be improvising like Rodgers, so they can just roll with the playbook. Considering these plays are drawn up by Mike McCarthy, that’s probably not a good thing.
Last week, rookie Aaron Jones carried the ball 13 times for 41 yards. They’ll need much more from him and any other healthy running back they can put on the field to stay in this one.
On defense, Ahmad Brooks, Joe Thomas and Morgan Burnett are all out. Offensive tackles David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga have no official injury designation this week, but were limited in practice this week. They’ll need to play their best game of the season to protect Hundley.
The Pick
Asking Hundley to go pass for pass with Brees is just too much. Hundley could have a terrific game, throw for 300 yards and Green Bay still lose by two touchdowns. Keeping this one close should be a moral victory for a Packers team fighting to save their season. Saints 31, Packers 20
This week
Straight up: 0-1
Against the spread: 0-1
Last week
Straight up: 5-9
Against the spread: 5-9
Season
Straight up: 48-43
Against the spread: 43-48
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