National Football League

Packers at Jaguars: Preview, Predictions, and More

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Green Bay Packers vs Jacksonville Jaguars

The Green Bay Packers will travel to the Sunshine State in Week 1 to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars. These are two teams that have been in vastly different places in recent years, but this has a chance to be an extremely exciting game.

The Packers will welcome back wide receiver Jordy Nelson who missed the entire 2015 season with a knee injury. Nelson is an important part of the Packers’ offense and Aaron Rodgers will undoubtedly be ecstatic to get his guy back in the fold.

The Packers are the far superior franchise, but the Jaguars have assembled a nice collection of young talent. Blake Bortles and Allen Robinson lead an explosive offensive attack, and their defense is young and aggressive.

Jacksonville is undoubtedly a team on the rise, and they will give Green Bay a fight.

Packers Keys to Victory

1. Establish Rushing Attack: Rodgers and the passing attack will likely be on point with the return of Nelson. However, they are at their best when their run game is also strong. If Eddie Lacy is strong in this game, the Jaguars defense will not be able to hold this Green Bay offense down.

2. Unleash Clay Matthews: The Packers’ offense is incredible, but their defense is suspect. However, Clay Matthews is an absolute star who can single handily impact a game. If Matthews can create pressure on Bortles, the young quarterback will probably struggle and make mistakes.

3. Protect the Football: The Jaguars are a strong up-and-coming team, but Green Bay is one of the best teams in the NFL. They should win this game, and probably will as long as they do not make big mistakes.

Jaguars Keys to Victory

1. Get Allen Robinson Involved: Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson is one of the most talented players at his position in the NFL. He is a smooth receiver with ridiculous athleticism and natural ability. The Packers have some ability in the secondary, but not anybody who matches up well with Robinson. Bortles needs to feed his star wide receiver early and often on Sunday.

2. Play Aggressive Defense: The Packers’ offense is great, but the Jaguars have a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball. If they have a chance against Rodgers and company, the Jaguars’ defense cannot hesitate. Aggressively flying around and making plays on the ball will be key.

3. Exploit Offensive Superiority: Both offenses in this game are great, while both defenses are a bit of an unknown. Bortles is not a perfect quarterback, but he has the weapons in place to dominate a suspect Packers’ defense. The Jaguars’ offense is better than the Green Bay defense and they need to make sure they capitalize on their advantage.

Odds

Point Spread: Packers -5.5

Moneyline: GB -250, JAX +210

Over/Under: 48

Prediction

This game looks like an offensive shootout to me. I like the Jaguars’ defense, but Rodgers and company will likely be too much for them to handle. However, I like Bortles, Robinson and company against a suspect Packers’ defense.

This one will be close, but it is tough to pick against Green Bay. They won’t cover, but they will win.

Pick: Green Bay Packers: 31, Jacksonville Jaguars: 27