The Green Bay Packers will host the New Orleans Saints in week three of the NFL season. It is a full slate of games tomorrow. It is the first home game of the season for the Packers and the first home start for quarterback Jordan Love. The Saints enter this game with a 2-0 record while Green Bay is 1-1. Current odds have the Packers as one point favorites. Here is a preview of tomorrow’s game.
Green Bay Packers Offensive Line vs New Orleans Saints Defensive Line
The Saints come into this game with one of the best defenses in football. Their defensive line, led by Cameron Jordan, has been really good at getting to the quarterback so far.
We know Green Bay will be without stud guard Elgton Jenkins after suffering an MCL sprain last week in the 25-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. It’s also unclear if left tackle David Bakhtiari will go as well. It sounds like it’s a game by game basis for him.
If the Green Bay Packers don’t have either player, they will be down their two best offensive linemen. If that’s the case, look for Yosh Nijman to play either tackle position and Royce Newman to take over left guard. This would be a pretty significant advantage for the Saints.
Will The Green Bay Packers Have Christian Watson and Aaron Jones
The Green Bay Packers two biggest weapons on offense are running back Aaron Jones and wide receiver Christian Watson. Both players are dealing with hamstring injures. Neither played last week and Watson has yet to play this season.
If the Saints are going to blitz Jordan Love, he has to have his play-makers available. It puts a lot of stress on players like Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Luke Musgrave.
Prediction
While the Saints are 2-0 on the season, their wins have come against the Falcons and the Panthers. Yes the Falcons beat the Packers last week, but Green Bay was without four of their best players (Jones, Watson, Bakhtiari, and Jenkins) and they gave the game away in the fourth quarter. Carolina will not be good this year either. Green Bay will be the best team the Saints face to this point.
I am interested to see if the Green Bay Packers force Derek Carr to beat them or make the Saints run the ball. They will be without Jamal Williams, who has a hamstring injury, and Alvin Kamara is still out on suspension. It sounds like Kendre Miller and Tony Jones Jr will be the lead backs.
The Saints have a nice trio of receivers with Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Michael Thomas. The Packers secondary will have to able to win their one on on battles and be able to pressure Carr up front.
I think this is a close game and relatively low-scoring. Special teams and fields goals could be the difference maker. At the end, I like the Packers at home. I think Jordan Love makes enough plays and the defense forces a late game turnover.
Green Bay Packers- 24 New Orleans Saints- 20