Alex Connell’s opinion  

This week’s matchup is between the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are coming off of a big win this week against the Carolina Panthers winning 39 to 17. This means they will have a lot of momentum coming into this game. I believe that the game will be generally close because both teams have great quarterbacks and offenses but the Green Bay Packers will come out with a win at the end of the day.

A big key to the packers winning this week will be their quarterback Aaron Rodgers; his ability to throw touchdowns is very impressive. In 2011, when Rodgers was healthy all season, he threw 45 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions, and so far this season he has thrown 18 touchdown passes and only one interception. This means more time on offense and more passing yards and touchdowns. With that passing ability and receivers like Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb who have a combined 1164 receiving yards so far this season means he has the targets he needs to come up with big yards and a high scoring game. Plus, Rodgers shows that sometimes he doesn’t even need receivers at times with almost 100 rushing yards this season as well. Then you can throw James Starks and Eddie Lacy into the mix with a total of 557 rushing yards this season means they have a very strong and multi-dimensional offense, which is looking to put up some good numbers this week against the Saints.

Another big factor in this game will be the dual threat Green Bay defense with Clay Matthews playing left outside linebacker and Julius Peppers playing right outside linebacker stopping the run game on both sides and also providing a solid pass rush. Another key player and part of the Green Bay defense is Ha Ha Clinton-Dix who has 30 tackles, one sack, one interception, and one recovered fumble so far this season. This means if there’s action he finds his way to it and he is having a fantastic rookie year in the NFL. The packers defense has a total of 16 sacks and 481 tackles so far this season; not much is getting past them. The Packers defense has a total of 28 points this season which means they they have been tearing apart offenses and are making big defensive plays.

This week is going to be a great game and I expect to see the offense lead by Aaron Rodgers to put up some big numbers and a lot of points against the Saints defense. I also expect to see some points put up by the defense and another big win for the Green Bay Packers.

Jacob Lintner’s Opinion

The Green Bay Packers are coming off of a huge win against the Carolina Panthers as they take a trip down south to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the heart of the bayou to play the New Orleans Saints. The Saints, on the other hand, lost a heartbreaking game to the Detroit Lions on a last-minute touchdown, blowing a previously-held 13-point lead.

The two teams are on completely opposite ends of the offensive spectrum. The Saints are second in the NFL in passing, averaging 314 yards per game, while the Packers 20, averaging just 226.7 passing yards through their seven contests. This is due in part to the great play by Drew Brees this season. He is the proud owner of a 91.7 quarterback rating, while the league average is 80.6. In addition to their superior passing, the Saints boast a mediocre run game averaging 123 yards per game. This is still far better than the hobbling Packers’ rushing attack that is averaging just 98.7 yards per game. The teams are 13 and 22 in rushing, respectively.

Not only are the Saints the superior offensive team, but they are the better defensive team as well. They do the little things right, being penalized far less than the Packers, and only accumulating 404 penalty yards. The Packers, on the other hand, have 423 total penalty yards. In addition, the Saints have only allowed their opponents to convert on fourth down two times, while the Packers have let that occur a whopping six times. This bodes well for Drew Brees and running back Pierre Thomas as they try to outscore the Packers.

Lastly, the Saints have a much better coaching staff. Both of them have a Super Bowl-winning head coach, but the difference lies in their ability to manage the game. The Packers’ Mike McCarthy is a much better offensive mind, but this game will come down to the defenses. The Saints’ Sean Payton, on the other hand, is one of the best defensive head coaches in the game. This will show in the fourth quarter when this game comes down to the last few possessions and a key defensive stop by the Saints.

Jacob Linter’s Record 3-1-1

Alex Connell’s Record 1-3-1

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