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Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
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This selection is not a reaction to the Packers' win last week, though it was impressive. However, the line inflating to a full field goal (with the hook likely to come before kickoff) is certainly attributable to that performance. Still, Green Bay at home in ice-cold weather on a short week is the right play against a Tennessee team that will run Derrick Henry until his wheels fall off. The Packers should be able to focus on stopping the run with Aaron Rodgers making a couple key passes to put the game away in the second half. The Titans generally struggle against competent offenses, and it sure looks like Green Bay has figured a few things out to that end.
The Packers salvaged some pride -- and maybe their season -- with a win over the Cowboys on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak. Now, if they're concerned with the latter, they will have to do so again Thursday, even on short rest against a formidable Titans squad. Green Bay has probably five winnable games remaining, and has a chance to make the postseason if it takes advantage. This is one of them. The Titans have impressively made the most of what seems like limited personnel and a one-dimensional game plan. They are somehow 5-2 in one score games and 6-3 overall, but this overachieving outfit is due for regression.
The Packers looked good last week at home against the Cowboys coming back to win in overtime when the Cowboys were up 28-14. The Packers found the WR they’ve been looking for and Aaron Rodgers looked like he was having fun. So I guess the five straight games the Packers lost before the big win are erased? The Packers get all their rating clout back, right? And the Titans come in covering seven straight (6-1 SU) means nothing. The game should be a pick 'em, Take the points with the Titans,
Short week plus cold weather games will almost yield a lower scoring affair. Especially when you're dealing with two aging quarterbacks who have superior talent in the backfield. This game will be all about Derrick Henry, AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones. Of course we'll see the timely shots downfield off of play-action, but don't expect the aerial assault we saw from Green Bay last weekend, or Ryan Tannehill put up 30 plus pass attempts.
I'd buy this down to -2.5 and play that, but since I can't here ... moneyline it is. The cold and snow should obviously benefit the Packers, although the Titans might be one team not totally bothered by it as they will just bulldoze Derrick Henry all night. Randall Cobb will be back for Green Bay, and Aaron Rodgers appears to now have confidence in rookie WR Christian Watson. The injury report also favors the Packers assuming tackle David Bakhtiari (knee) and guard/tackle Elgton Jenkins (knee) play even though listed questionable. I am pretty sure they will. The Packers have won nine straight prime-time games at Lambeau Field.
For Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, cold weather is a state of mind. This game marks his 38th in freezing temperatures, and his teams have won 28. The Titans hail from a warmer climate, and several of them have been left home. Four regulars are ruled out, including K Randy Bullock, and his replacement could find the chill challenging to kick in. Even during Green Bay’s recent slump, Rodgers avoided sacks, going down four times in the past five games after tasting the turf often early in the season. For an old man, improved protection is welcome.
Mike Vrabel and Matt Lafleur meet again. The Packers head coach spent time in Tennessee as Vrabel's offensive coordinator and had success...enough for him to get the Green Bay job in 2019. Both coaches' philosophies are quite similar in approach and they know each other's tendencies well. The Packers' mission is what Matt LaFleur actually faced in Tennessee, stop Derrick Henry and force Tannehill to beat you with a pedestrian WR group (except LaFleur had Mariota). Even at 100% Tennessee has trouble eclipsing the 20 point mark and their defense just faced two physical games against KC and Denver. Long story short, both offenses will chew clock, both defenses will bend but not break and points will be at a premium. Prop bettors note, the Titans have forced an INT in 7-straight games and their offense has been forced to punt 16 times total over the last two. Take the Under.
The Packers finally showed up on Sunday, and that moved the line in this one from Packers -1 on the lookahead to now Packers -3. But I'm hesitant to say Green Bay is suddenly fixed after the mediocrity of the first nine weeks. The Titans have an elite run defense that ranks third in rush yards per play, and they could help take away the main driver of the Packers offense last week. Green Bay's run defense is 27th in yards per play, setting up a bounceback spot for Derrick Henry. Ryan Tannehill didn't look 100% last week but still put together a strong statistical effort against the league's best pass defense. I think Tennessee is the value play but wait to see if it trends toward +3.5.