The San Francisco 49ers head out to Green Bay to face the Packers in a game that gamblers aren’t exactly viewing as a likely upset. The spread is currently between 9 and 10, with the money line having the Packers between -440 and -480. It’s safe to say the oddsmakers aren’t feeling the 49ers this weekend.
The 49ers have won four of their last six games, and yet most folks don’t have a ton of confidence in this team. They’ve won their four games but the only truly inspiring performance was against the Arizona Cardinals who appeared to have given up fairly quickly. The 49ers beat an inconsistent Raiders team, a crappy Broncos team, and a Rams team that has been inconsistent on the road. All wins are good, but not all wins tell you a lot about your team.
Although I’m going to pick the 49ers to win in the NIners Nation Prediction Contest, if I was going to put my money on them, it’d be hard to go with the money line. I’d probably do it because I’m a fool and a sucker. However, if you’re looking to mix things up a little, I’d take the 49ers and the points. This is a team that has shown an ability to play up to better opponents. They hung with the Saints, Falcons, and Eagles, so I think they could hang with the Packers.
One thing you should keep in mind about this matchup is the fact that the 49ers are traveling east of the Mississippi, which is always a struggle for them. Even more pertinent is that the last time the 49ers traveled east on a short week following MNF, they were blown out at Kansas City. The situation isn’t completely the same, but it’s something to factor in when pondering whether to take the 49ers and the points.