Sunday Night Football Week 8: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Packers vs. Saints

When the NFL schedule was released in the offseason, the showdown between the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints appeared to be one of the marquee games of the entire year.

After all, gunslingers Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees were expected to lead dominant offenses into playoff contention, and this could serve as a testing ground for both teams. While the main actors haven’t changed, the fact that New Orleans is 2-4 has taken some of the luster off this matchup.

The game will start at 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday on NBC and is available via live stream on NBC Sports Live Extra.

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

If fans are treated to anything similar to the last matchup between these two teams and star quarterbacks, it will be an absolute treat. The Packers outlasted New Orleans 28-27 in that one, and Brees threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns. Not to be outdone, Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson with a go-ahead touchdown pass with seven minutes remaining.

For as disappointing as the Saints have been this year, they are still second in the league with 314 passing yards a game.

However, the Packers secondary has been rather stout this year and is fifth in the league against the pass at 214.9 yards per game. Where Green Bay is vulnerable is against the run, because it is 31st in the league at 147.9 yards per game. The question is whether Mark Ingram, who has dealt with injuries all year, can take advantage of a vulnerable front seven.

Tom Lynn/Associated Press

Vic Ketchman of Packers.com highlighted another area to watch and believes a potential matchup between Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is one of the most important of the whole game:

"

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix vs. Jimmy Graham – If Morgan Burnett’s calf injury forces him out of action, Ha Ha becomes an important player in the Packers defense. The same can be said of Graham’s importance to the Saints offense. Graham is attempting to recover from a shoulder injury. He remains the Saints’ leading receiver.

"

On the other side of the ball, Rodgers, Nelson and Randall Cobb could have a field day against a Saints defense that is 28th in the league against the pass at 270.5 yards per game.

Nelson is third in the league with 712 receiving yards, and Cobb is third in the league with eight touchdown catches. Nelson is not that far behind either with six touchdown catches. What’s more, Rodgers has thrown for a head-turning 977 yards and 13 touchdowns without a single interception during a four-game winning streak.

Guard Josh Sitton discussed Rodgers’ greatness, according to STATS LLC, via ESPN.com:

"It's funny. I talk to old friends who have been here and are with other teams, and they don't really realize how good Aaron is until they go and play for someone else. It's hard to realize, I guess, when he's all I've known. I expect that week in and week out."

Now Rodgers gets to go up against a New Orleans defense that is allowing 27.5 points a game, which is fifth-worst in the NFL.

To be fair, the Saints are 2-0 at home and will keep it close behind a raucous home crowd that will try to make life difficult on Rodgers and company.

Eventually, though, the Packers' aerial attack will simply be too much to stop for an overmatched Saints defense. There will also be pressure on Brees and the Saints offense to score almost every time they touch the ball, because Rodgers is going to exploit a weak New Orleans secondary.

That could lead to a costly turnover down the stretch.

Prediction: Packers 38, Saints 27

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