The Green Bay Packers try to make it nine straight wins at Lambeau when the Washington Redskins visit Sunday, but winning the game will be easier than covering the hefty point spread. Green Bay opened as a 7.5-point home favorite, but it was bet to 9 points quickly.
Redskins vs. Packers: Betting odds, preview and pick
The Packers and Redskins both lost in Week 1, but oddsmakers put more stock in the home team winning in Week 2. Green Bay was a 9-point favorite midweek, according to Odds Shark.
Win McNamee
The betting volume owes to a couple of factors: Green Bay’s determination to not start the season 0-2 and Washington’s look of a rusty, disjointed offense from its Monday Night battle against the Eagles.
Colin Kaepernick torched the Packers for 412 passing yards and three touchdowns in San Francisco's 34-28 win over Green Bay. The Packers' passing game looked strong, as usual, but the team had only 63 rushing yards on 19 carries. So far, the Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin draft picks don't look to be enough to solve the Packers' annual rushing woes.
Robert Griffin III looked like someone who hadn't played real football in about a year in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles, as the Washington offense struggled badly and the defense had no answer for Chip Kelly's up-tempo attack.
Down 26-7 at the half, Washington mounted a nice comeback in the final two quarters, but fell short in the 33-27 loss. Griffin did not look to be 100 percent as he claimed to be, and he seemed understandably more tentative to run than he was last year. The cover was never in doubt for those with a bet on NFL football in that matchup, as Philly closed as a 3.5-point underdog.
With both teams starting their seasons 0-1 SU and ATS, there is plenty of pressure to get the ship turned around right away this week. Both teams are considered playoff contenders, but both have their share of weaknesses, as well (Green Bay’s running game, RGIII’s health and both defenses).
Those weaknesses were on display in Week 1.
The Redskins finished the 2012 regular season on a 7-0 SU and ATS run, and looked a lot like that team in the second half last week. Green Bay may end up coming out on top, but nine points seems like too many to pass on in what looks like a fairly even matchup on paper.
Washington was 6-2 ATS as a road team in 2012.
PICK: Washington +7.5 (computer prediction 26-24 Green Bay). Follow us on Twitter
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