Packers vs. Saints 2021: Prediction, Location, Betting Line For Week 1 Game

The New Orleans Saints are kicking off the 2021 NFL season with a new starting quarterback, No. 1 wide receiver and home stadium. Add in the fact that the Saints are going up against the reigning MVP and New Orleans could be in for a rough opening weekend.

The Saints and Green Bay Packers will meet at Jacksonville’s TIAA Bank Field on Sunday afternoon. The Week 1 game was moved from the Caesars Superdome because of the impact of Hurricane Ida, which has forced New Orleans to practice in Dallas.

When the Saints were set to play a true home game, the Packers were 3-point road favorites. The betting line is now up to 4 points in light of the change in location, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under is 50 points.

Green Bay upset New Orleans 37-30 in Week 3 of last season as a 3-point underdog. Drew Brees threw for three touchdowns and posted a 127.8 passer rating for the Saints in the loss. On Sunday, New Orleans turns to Jameis Winston, who is set to make his first start since the 2019 season.

Winston led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards and 3o interceptions the last time he was a starting quarterback. The former No. 1 overall draft pick did so with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin as his leading wide receivers. Winston’s top receivers in Jacksonville are Tre'Quan Smith and Marquez Callaway, neither one of whom has ever reached the 450-yard mark in a season.

It’s a much different situation for the Packers. Coming off his third MVP season, Aaron Rodgers is back under center. Davante Adams returns as arguably the best receiver in football. Adams didn’t play in last year’s victory over New Orleans.

Fading the Saints has been one of my favorite early season betting spots over the past few seasons. They've somehow gone 3-16 ATS in their last 19 games played in Weeks 1 and 2.

They're a 4.5-point underdog vs the Packers in Jacksonville on Sunday.
— Joe Osborne (@JTFOz) September 7, 2021

The Packers won’t have All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari to protect Rodgers, but the quarterback should find a way to have plenty of success against a defense that lost several starters in the offseason.

The Saints have been notorious slow starters, even during their run of dominance in the NFC South. New Orleans is 3-16 against the spread in its last 19 games from Week 1-2. It’s been eight years since the Saints started the season with two consecutive victories.

Given the obstacles standing in New Orleans’ way, that trend is unlikely to change this year.

Prediction: Green Bay over New Orleans, 31-20