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The Saints-Packers spread for Thursday night’s first NFL game of the 2011 regular season remained at -4.5 favoring Green Bay courtesy of North America’s oldest established online sportsbook, Bookmaker. 65 percent of the spread action was going towards the Packers.
History tells us that the defending Super Bowl champion has won all of its opening Thursday night games since 2004 (when the league began featuring games on Thursdays). More importantly for the sports bettor, the defending champion has gone 5-1-1 Against The Spread, still a very impressive record.
What is sticking in everybody’s mind when we look at the Saints-Packers spread is that horrendous loss to Seattle in the Playoffs.
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New Orleans numbers were down last year following their Super Bowl win and injuries did play a role in their rushing decline. Total yards dropped from 403.8 to 372.5 YPG while points fell from 31.9 to 24 PPG. They still have Drew Brees, who put together his third straight season with at least 33 touchdowns in 2010, leading the NFC with 4,620 passing yards and helping New Orleans go 11-5 to return to the playoffs.
Brees is looking forward to his third opening regular season NFL game in so many years.
"The emotions are high, obviously," Brees said. "The NFL does a lot in and around the game with media and the entertainment and all the stuff. It's the kickoff to the season, so the fans and everybody are excited to start the season.
"(If) you're the defending Super Bowl champs, they're going to unveil the flag saying they're the champs. It's a special feeling."
As for the Packers, they seemed to improve with each Playoff game, so much so that they entered the Super Bowl as a favorite over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Don Best Power Line has Green Bay by -15
The Actual Spread on this game should be Green Bay -6
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
