NFL Free Pick: 49ers vs Packers
Scott Morris | October 15, 2018
Week 6 of the NFL regular season comes to a close when the San Francisco 49ers visit Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football.
The current line on top sportsbooks has Green Bay favored by 8.5 points with the over/under on 46.
The Packers have been plagued by slow starts such as falling behind by 24 points against Detroit a week ago and losing 31-23. The Packers trailed at the half by 18 points in a loss to Washington during Week 3 and were behind by 17 points at the half against Chicago, before quarterback Aaron Rodgers rallied the offense to victory during the fourth quarter.
San Francisco is being plagued by injuries as franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Jerick McKinnon have been lost for the season and now top current running back Matt Breida will not play Monday due to an injury.
Eight of 11 San Francisco offensive players missed practice on Wednesday and with Breida being ruled out Alfred Morris will start at running back. C.J. Beathard has two touchdown passes and two interceptions in each of the first two games he has started since Garoppolo was injured.
San Francisco expects Marquise Goodwin to return to action Monday. The wide receiver has played in just parts of the last three games, but is another target to go along with George Kittle, the starting tight end, who leads the team in receptions with 33.
Defensively, the 49ers are No. 10 overall but give up 29.2 points a game.
Rodgers did not practice Thursday for the Packers for what the quarterback called a setback with his knee. With his bothersome knee, Rodgers has still thrown 10 touchdown passes with just one interception. Last week he threw for a season-high 442 yards in the loss to Detroit.
At Lambeau Field, Rodgers has won eight of his last nine starts with 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
The Packers lost both Geronimo Allison and Randall Cobb last week to injury and both did not practice that much during the week. Versus Detroit Devante Adams led all Packers receivers with nine receptions for 140 yards with one touchdown. Adams on the season has 37 receptions and four touchdowns.
Green Bay is No. 4 in total defense and No. 2 versus the pass allowing 208.7 yards per game.
Prediction: Green Bay will not fall behind Monday by double digits early and will methodically pull away from the 49ers behind a passing attack from Rodgers and solid defense from Clay Matthews and company. Packers win 35-17
