Packers vs Commanders Betting Odds, Picks and Predictions for Thursday Night Football
Week 2 gets underway with a Thursday Night Football matchup between the Packers and Commanders. Both teams are coming off victories in Week 1 and have their sights set on winning division titles. Let's look at the betting side of things for this game and highlight three wagers to consider.
Mike Barner's season record: 1-5 (-4.08 units)
Packers vs. Commanders Betting Odds
Packers: Spread -3.5 (-102), -174 Moneyline (FanDuel)
Commanders: Spread +3.5 (-118), +155 Moneyline (Bet MGM)
Game Total: 48.5 points (DraftKings)
After dealing with a foot injury earlier in the week, Jayden Reed does not have an injury designation for the Packers. Austin Ekeler battled a shoulder injury earlier in the week for the Commanders, but he has been cleared to play.
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Packers vs. Commanders Betting Picks
Jordan Love over 1.5 passing touchdowns (-111 DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
Love only threw for 188 yards against the Lions in Week 1, but he finished with two touchdown passes. Last season, he threw at least two touchdowns in each of his first five games. He threw for 16 total touchdowns at home last year, compared to nine on the road.
The Commanders held the Giants without a touchdown in Week 1, but their offense is a far cry from what the Packers bring to the table. Another reason why this game being in Green Bay is significant is that the Commanders struggled to keep teams out of the end zone on the road last season. They allowed 25.0 points per game on the road, compared to 21.1 points per game at home. This is a favorable spot for Love to record multiple touchdown passes at home again.
Austin Ekeler over 23.5 receiving yards (-114 DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
Ekeler and Jacory Croskey-Merritt are going to split work out of the backfield for the Commanders. Ekeler only received six carries in Week 1, while Croskey-Merritt had 10. However, Ekeler caught all three of his targets for 31 yards. Croskey-Merritt did not catch the lone target that he received.
The Commanders beat the Giants handily last week and Ekeler still received three targets. This should be a more competitive game, with the potential for the Commanders to be playing from behind in the fourth quarter. With the Lions trying to overcome a deficit against the Packers last week, Jahmyr Gibbs caught 10 passes for 31 yards. Last season, the Packers gave up the third-most receiving yards in the league to opposing running backs. The stars could be aligning for a big performance from Ekeler.
Packers ML (-174 FanDuel Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
The Packers only lost three games at home last season and each of those losses came against a team within their division. They went 1-5 against the NFC North for the season, while posting a 10-1 record versus the rest of the league. Their defense couldn't have looked much better in Week 1, holding the Lions to 13 points.
The Commanders went 5-3 on the road last year. They played four teams with a winning record on the road, going 1-3 against them. The lone win came against a Bengals team that finished 9-8 and didn't make the playoffs. I'd lean towards the Packers covering the spread, but with how crazy things can get on a short week, I'll pay the juice and just take the Packers to win.
Packers vs. Commanders Prediction
The Packers' success at home puts them in a favorable spot to win this game. With regards to the total, neither team saw their game combine for more than 40 points in Week 1. While both teams upgraded at wide receiver during the offseason, they also made significant additions on defense. The Packers traded for Micah Parsons, while the Commanders upgraded their defensive line by signing Javon Kinlaw. On a short week, the total is a big number to hit.
Packers 24, Commanders 20
