In week 3 NFL action, the 2-0 Green Bay Packers take on the 1-1 Chicago Bears in Soldier Field in late Sunday afternoon action.

Curent NFL odds and spread has the Packers favorite by 4 points with the over/under at 45 1/2.

The Packers, lead by QB Aaron Rodgers, beat the New Orleans Saints (at home) in week 1 (42-34) and the Carolina Panthers (away) in week 2 (30-23).  The Bears, on the other hand, beat the Atlanta Falcons (at home) in week 1 (30-12) but fell to the New Orleans Saints (away) in week 2 (30-13).

Offense will be the name of the game in this matchup.  The Packers defense is giving up 476 total yards per game (400 passing and 76 rushing).  The Bears defense isn’t much better, giving up 384 yards per game (270 passing and 114 rushing).

The Packers will win this game and beat the spread because of the following:

Bears have given up an NFL league leading, 11 sacks and the offensive line is banged-up.

The Packers defense, with 7 sacks in 2011, will have no problem getting at Bears QB Jay Cutler.

The Bears lack a big-play receiver, a problem the Packers don’t have.

Finally, the Packers beat the New Orleans Saints in week 1 42-34, the Bears lost to the Saints in week 2 30-13.

Prediction:  Packers 35  Bears 14

The Green Bay Packers head south to take on the Atlanta Falcons in what some experts consider the best game in the NFL this week.

Atlanta leads the NFC South at 8-2 while the Packers are tied for the lead in the NFC North (with the Chicago Bears).

PACKERS FALCONS: GAME DAY PARTICULARS
Visitors	Green Bay Packers (7-3)
Home	Atlanta Falcons (8-2)
When	Sunday Nov 28 01:00 pm EST
Where	Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
TV	FOX
Favorite	Falcons -2
Under/Over	47.5

PACKERS FALCONS PREVIEW
The Falcons and Packers have a lot in common. They’re both atop their respective divisions, have a 4 game winning streak, feature a strong-armed quarterback and have ferocious defenses hell-bent on causing

The Falcons, at 8-2, have the best record in the NFC and own a 1 game lead over the New Orleans and Tampa Bay in the NFC South. The Packers (7-3) share the lead in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears.

The Falcons, winners of eight of nine, are averaging 31.5 points during a four-game winning streak, keyed by the play of Ryan.

In his last four games, Ryan is averaging 275.8 yards with nine touchdowns and only one interception. 3 of those 4 games he had a Quarterback Rating over 100. The Falcons are 14-0 when Ryan’s passer rating is over 100.

The Packers have been decimated by injuries earlier in the season and their ground game still struggles following the season-ending injury to running back Ryan Grant in Week 1. But QB Aaron Rodgers and the passing attack has lead the way in their 4 game win streak, averaging 28.3 points.

Last week Rodgers threw for a career high 4 TDs in a 31-3 win against The Vikings. Three of those touchdowns went to Greg Jennings, who has 32 receptions for 520 yards and six TDs over his past five games.

The Packers are also winning with a defense that has limited its last three opponents to 10 total points while registering nine takeaways. Green Bay, tied with Chicago for the NFL’s top scoring defense at 14.6 points, is plus-10 in turnover margin during the winning streak.

The Falcons are also doing a good job of winning the turnover battle with a defense that is tied for second in the NFL with 15 interceptions. Atlanta is second in the NFL in turnover margin at plus-10, and is 17-1 when winning the turnover battle in three years under coach Mike Smith.

Remarkably, the Falcons have an even better winning percentage by simply take the field at the Georgia Dome with Ryan in the lineup. Ryan is 18-1 all-time at the Georgia Dome and has won 14 straight starts there since a 24-20 loss to Denver on Nov. 16, 2008.

Running back Michael Turner, who rushed for 131 yards for his fifth 100-yard game of the season last week, has also been at his best in Atlanta. In three years with the Falcons, Turner is averaging 101.3 rushing yards with 22 touchdowns in 18 games at the Georgia Dome.

Turner had 121 yards on 26 carries with a TD in Atlanta’s last game against the Packers, a 27-24 road win on Oct. 5, 2008, and could be poised for another big game. Green Bay has been a bit shaky against the run, allowing an average of 119.4 yards in its last five contests.

Rodgers threw for 313 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the last meeting, while Ryan passed for 194 yards with two touchdowns and a pick.

PACKERS FALCONS TRENDS AND RANKINGS

PACKERS FALCONS: GAME DAY TRENDS

ATLANTA is 12-4 ATS in dome games over the last 2 seasons

ATLANTA is 7-19 ATS in home games after 2 or more consecutive wins since 1992

ATLANTA is 1-0 against the spread versus GREEN BAY over the last 3 seasons

ATLANTA is 1-0 straight up against GREEN BAY over the last 3 seasons

PACKERS are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games

Falcons Matt Ryan is 18-1 all-time at the Georgia Dome and has won 14 straight starts there since a 24-20 loss to Denver on Nov. 16, 2008

Packers OFFENSE Ranking		Falcons DEFENSE Ranking
Rush Yds/Gms	100.5 19th	Rush Yds/Gms	95.4 6th
Pass Yds/Gms	247.1 11th	Pass Yds/Gms	242.1 24th
Tot Yds/Gms	347.6 13th	Tot Yds/Gms	339.5 17th

Falcons OFFENSE Ranking		Packers DEFENSE Ranking
Rush Yds/Gms	129.0 18th	Rush Yds/Gms	112.1 18th
Pass Yds/Gms	242.2 13th	Pass Yds/Gms	211.3 11th
Tot Yds/Gms	371.4 6th	Tot Yds/Gms	323.4 12th

PACKERS FALCONS INJURIES

Green Bay Packers Injury Notables
Player	Pos	Injury	Status
Atari Bigby	SS	Hamstring	Out
Donald Driver	WR	Quadricep	Questionable
Korey Hall	FB	Back	Questionable
Ryan Pickett	DE	Ankle	Questionable

Atlanta Falcons Injury Notables
Player	Pos	Injury	Status
John Abraham	DE	Groin	Questionable
Sean Weatherspoon	LB	Knee	Questionable

* Players listed as Probable not listed

PACKERS FALCONS GAME PREDICTION
Although the Falcons have won 8 out of their last 9 and Matt Ryan is 18-1 all-time at the Georgia Dome and has won 14 straight starts, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers continue to get healthier.

Expect the Ryan string of wins to end.

The Packer defense will come up with some big stops and turnovers.

PACKERS 31 FALCONS 28

Source: foxsports.com, thespread.com, wagertracker.com, cbssports.com

Now that Barack Obama is President, I think it’s time that push our commander-in-chief to make Superbowl Monday a national holiday (it would have been better if the Chicago Bears were playing, though).  That’s right, Superbowl Monday, the day after the biggest athletic event in the world. America needs to make it a nationally recognized day of observation.

Think about it.  Superbowl Monday is more of a family, friend and national event, than any other – including the Olympics.

Should it be a day off? Sure, instead of giving employees two floating holidays, remove one and replace it with Superbowl Monday, call it All American Day!

Now, I’m talking tongue in cheek here, but I was looking online and found a website that is actively petitioning for Superbowl Monday to be a national holiday.  There goal was to have 20,000 signatures by the end of 2008 (I think they got over 16,000) and to have the Superbowl Monday part of the U.S. calendar by 2010.

The truth of the matter is Superbowl Monday is probably the least productive day of the year.  People are hung over or tired or come to work and chat around the water cooler all day.  Then you have to listen to that guy who won the office Superbowl pool, the one who knows nothing about football. And then you get pissed off because they have no idea of football pool etiquete- no  clue that he’s obligated to bring in donuts for everyone on All American Day -  Superbowl Monday!

The truth of the matter is Superbowl Monday is probably the least productive day of the year.  People are hung over or tired or come to work and chat around the water cooler all day.  Then you have to listen to that guy who won the office Superbowl pool, the one who knows nothing about football. And then you get pissed off because they have no idea of football pool etiquette and their obligation to bring in donuts for everyone in the office. 

Anyway,  Superbowl Monday should be a national holiday.  And  I don’t want to hear whining of those who are soccer fans, or cricket fans, or those of you against competitive sports all together.  It should be almost as big as the fourth of July!

Superbowl Monday should be almost as big as the fourth of July!