NFL Week 1 Picks: Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is 4-1 against the spread as an underdog of more than three points in his career, which is important to consider when making your NFL Week 1 picks Sunday, as he prepares to face the San Francisco 49ers.

Sports bettors will find that the Packers are 4.5-point road underdogs in the pro football odds, with the betting total sitting at 48 in the market.

Let's take a closer at this NFC matchup from a betting perspective while offering up a prediction along the way.

Gambling stats via SBR Forum

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are 5-1 straight up and against the spread in their last six season openers, but they suffered a 30-22 setback to the San Francisco 49ers as six-point home favorites in 2012.

Since head coach Mike McCarthy took over in 2006, the Packers have a 16-8 mark in the month of September.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers went 3-1 straight up and against the spread during the 2013 NFL preseason, but starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick was on the field for just 40 snaps over that span.

Since 2011, the 49ers (24-7-1) have the third-best regular-season record in the league, trailing only the Green Bay Packers (26-6) and New England Patriots (25-7).

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the Green Bay Packers, as they've gone 9-3-2 against the spread in their last 14 meetings with the San Francisco 49ers.

NFL Week 1 Pick: Green Bay Packers +4.5

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