Packers vs. Raiders NFL Week 5: Jordan Love has been very profitable as underdog
Week 5 concludes tonight in a location where every #NFL team hopes to be in mid-February for Super Bowl 58: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Not super likely either team playing Monday, the Packers or Raiders, will be in that game, however. Green Bay once was a short favorite but now is a 2-point underdog and that might be a good thing as the #GoPackGo are 16-6 against the spread under Coach Matt LaFleur and 4-1 under QB Jordan Love.
The obvious No. 1 storyline is the #Raiders’ Davante Adams facing the Packers for the first time since he was traded to Las Vegas in March 2022 for draft picks. The Packers wanted him to stay and offered him a big extension but Adams wanted to play in Vegas with his college teammate Derek Carr … who of course is now in New Orleans. Adams ranks No. 2 in Packers history in receptions, No. 3 in receiving TDs and No. 4 in yards.
He’s having another huge season in 2023 with 33 catches for 397 yards (career-high 99.3 ypg) and three scores despite some rather shaky QB play between Jimmy Garoppolo and rookie Aidan O’Connell, who had to start last week’s loss to the Chargers because Jimmy G was in the concussion protocol. He’s out of protocol now and will start tonight but co-leads the league in picks despite missing that one game. Adams is technically questionable but will play. Adams has 31 receiving TDs in primetime games, tied for the fourth most ever. His four straight 100-yard games on Monday night are tied for the most.
Green Bay is off a mini-bye week after getting trounced at home on Thursday in Week 4 by Detroit. The Packers were without Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and offensive guard Elgton Jenkins. Only Campbell will miss Monday.
Love is completing just 56.1% of his passes, worst in the league. He was sacked five times in Week 4 after only three times the first three weeks. No. 1 WR Christian Watson made his season debut last week off injury and had a TD catch. Watson has nine TDs in his past nine games played.
Incidentally, it is expected to be a majority Packers crowd in Las Vegas: Vivid Seats projects 57% Green Bay tickets sold. The Packers have won eight straight in the series and have scored at least 30 in each of the past five. The Pack are one of only three NFL teams to post a streak of that length against the Raiders, joining the Chiefs (seven games, 2019-current) and the Chargers (seven games, 1960-63).
It’s also ahead of Green Bay’s bye week and the team is 4-0 in its games pre-bye under LaFleur. The Packers are 4-0 ATS in their past four Monday games. The Raiders have failed to cover three straight primetime games.