NFL Preseason Preview: Green Bay Packers Begin Title Defense as Underdogs

The 2011 National Football League preseason will enter its third day of action Saturday night and will feature the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers on the road versus the Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Green Bay got a chance to celebrate its accomplishment by visiting President Barack Obama at the White House Friday, presenting him a No. 1 team jersey and made him part-owner of the franchise by turning over a framed share of stock. 

From a betting perspective, the exhibition season got underway Thursday night, with underdogs capturing against-the-spread victories in three of five games.  The "over" finished 4-1, as the games averaged 41.6 points.

Let’s take a closer look at Saturday’s current odds on the gridiron.

Green Bay Packers at Cleveland Browns (-2), Total 35

The Green Bay Packers officially kick off the 2011 preseason and will have every team in the league gunning after them as champions.  The Packers will be facing the Cleveland Browns for the third straight year in the exhibition opener.

In last year’s meeting, Cleveland pulled off a straight-up underdog victory as a three-point underdog, winning 27-24 at Lambeau Field.  Browns kicker Phil Dawson hit two field goals in the final 1:27, including a 46-yarder as time expired for the win.

Green Bay garnered a 17-0 home win in the 2009 preseason opener as a three-point favorite, as the game went well below the posted total of 37. 

Saturday will be the 23rd preseason meeting in the all-time series and the Browns hold a 12-10 advantage.

In terms of making a wager, Green Bay hasn't started a preseason on the road since 2007 and just got done traveling through three airports Friday.  A play on Cleveland is suggested under first year head coach Pat Shurmur.

Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans (-3), Total 33

Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier will be experiencing his first opportunity to run the sidelines during preseason action and the roster has 38 new faces from 2010.  Frazier was the interim head coach for the final six games of the 2010 season after the firing of Brad Childress.

The biggest change is undoubtedly the retirement of quarterback Brett Favre and bringing in signal-caller Donovan McNabb from the Redskins.

The Vikings have been tremendously successful during preseason affairs as a franchise, coming into this contest with a 136-88-3 all-time mark.  That includes a spotless 4-0 record against Tennessee. 

Tennessee has also undergone a change at the top, as Mike Munchak has become the 16th head coach in franchise history and takes over after it was held by Jeff Fisher since the 1994 campaign.

Coming into Saturday with a 17-7 preseason mark at LP Field, the Titans have enjoyed playing in front of the home faithful at the venue.

Minnesota is the play in this matchup, as word out of Tennessee camp is veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and rookie Jake Locker are struggling with the new offense.

Indianapolis Colts at St. Louis Rams (-7), Total 33.5

The Indianapolis Colts have put no timetable on the return of future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, who is still recovering from his offseason surgery in May to repair a bulging disc in his neck.

The situation leaves plenty of quality playing time for the two signal-callers behind Manning. Curtis Painter is currently listed No. 2 on the Colts depth chart, followed by Dan Orlovsky. 

Saturday’s matchup is only the second between the two teams during preseason play, as the Rams won a 19-17 home contest in 2006, but failed to cover the spread as a five-point favorite.

St. Louis' second-year quarterback Sam Bradford and most of the starters are expected to play 12 to 15 plays, as head coach Steve Spagnuolo is installing a new offense under new coordinator Josh McDaniels. 

Too many unknown variables exist in this contest to make a recommendation on either side.

New York Giants at Carolina Panthers (-2), Total 32.5

New York has endured a disappointing preseason in terms of personnel and will likely be looking forward to getting away from the bright lights of the media. 

The Giants were a statistical marvel during the 2010 season, ranking in the top 10 in all four major categories, but missing out on the playoffs.

Carolina starts the Ron Rivera era Saturday night after he served as defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. He has already stated that, due to the shortened offseason, the starters will be on the field longer than usual.

Carolina second-year quarterback Jimmy Clausen will get the start over No. 1 draft pick Cam Newton, as the competition has been fierce and to tough to call at this point. 

It’s important to point out that the Panthers didn’t score an offensive touchdown in last year’s exhibition season, which directly led to a unit that managed to score more than 18 points just three times.

A recommendation on the under is warranted due to both teams having depth at defensive end.

Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears (-3), Total 36

Most of the talk surrounding this matchup has been centered on the Soldier Field turf, which has now been deemed playable after large seams were found earlier in the week. 

Field conditions often play an important part in handicapping a contest, but in this circumstance, it likely will not be a factor.

Buffalo head coach Chan Gailey has stated that his starters will likely play only the first quarter due to lack of repetitions in a shortened camp. New defensive end Shawne Merriman figures to be one of the first team members that will not see an entire 15 minutes of action.

The Bills quarterback rotation will begin with starter Ryan Fitzpatrick and move to backup Tyler Thigpen. A total of four players are likely to see time under center before the game ends.

Chicago is likely to treat this preseason opener like ones of the past, even though this one was preceded by an extended lockout. The Bears have established a set number of repetitions for quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte, while the offensive line may see a quarter of action.

Taking the underdog Bills seems like the logical choice in this virtually meaningless contest.