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

GAME INFO
New Orleans Saints (7-6) vs Chicago Bears (7-6)

Date: Thursday, Dec 11, 2008
Kickoff:  8:15 PM ET
Teams: Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Ill
Weather Forecast: 21 – 31 degrees with 10% chance of precipitation

THE LINE (subject to change)
Bears giving 3 points to the Saints  Under/Over 44

THE MATCHUP
New Orleans Saints are 4th in the NFC South (7-6-0), 3 games behind the Carolina Panters who are 10-3.  They have scored 366 points and given up 326.  They are 2-3 in the division and 4-5 in the conference and 1-5 on the Road.

The Chicago Bears are 2nd in the NFC North behind the Minnesota Vikings.  They have scored 304 points while giving up 278.  They are 3-2 in the division and 5-5 in the conference and 4-2 at home.

AGAINST THE SPREAD (ATS)
The Saints are 9-4 ATS, 3-3 ATS Away, 3-2 ATS as the underdog and 2-2 ATS as an away underdog

The Bears are 6-6 ATS, 3-3 ATS at hoe, 4-3 ATS as the favorite and 2-2 ATS as a home favorite.

PREVIEW
This is probably the toughest game of the week to call and the first meeting between the two this season.  The game will be on the shoulders of the Saints QB, Drew Brees and the Bears running back, Matt Forte.  If Brees keeps his interceptions to 1 or less there is a good chance the Saints can upset the Bears.  If Forte has a 100+ yard game it puts the Bears in a good position to keep Brees off the field and win the game.

Both teams are still in the post-season hunt but they need to continue to win to have a chance.

Weather should not be an issue Thursday night. It will be cold but the wind should not be a factor. 

One big stat that sticks out is the Saints are only 1-5 on the Road.

INJURIES
Bears
Marty Booker WR Ribs Did Not Participate In Practice
Desmond Clark TE Hamstring Did Not Participate In Practice
Tommie Harris DT Knee Did Not Participate In Practice
Jason McKie RB Quadricep Did Not Participate In Practice
Garrett Wolfe RB Hamstring Did Not Participate In Practice

Saints
Jammal Brown T Ankle Did Not Participate In Practice
Will Smith DE Not Injury Related Did Not Participate In Practice
Roman Harper S Shoulder Full Participation in Practice
 
 
PREDICTION (ATS)
The Bears are giving 3 points (-3) to the Saints who are 1-5 on the Road.  I see the Bears controlling the ball and winning the game by 4 points.

Chicago Bears 24 New Orleans Saints 20

NFL Week 9 – Game To Watch Green Bay vs Tennessee

Green Bay Packers (4-3) at Tennessee Titans (7-0)

GAME INFO
November 2, 2008
Location: LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee
Time: 1:00 P.M. EST
TV: FOX

SPREAD
Tennessee @ home giving (-4.0). The Under/Over is 40.5
Odds come from Las Vegas Mirage a/o 11/2 6:00 a.m. EST

Green Bay is 4-3 against the spread (ATS) (2-1 as Visitors) while Tennessee is 7-0 (ATS) (4-0 at Home)
Green Bay is 5-1-1 ATS Over/Under (ATS O/U) while Tennessee is 4-3 (ATS O/U)

HOT ODDS TRENDS
Green Bay Packers
9-1 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 15 points in their previous game.
4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in November.

Tennessee
7-0 ATS in their last 7 games on grass.
7-0 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
7-0 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games.
6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.

TEAM STANDINGS
The Green Bay Packers (4-3) are tied for first place with the Chicago Bears (4-3)in the NFC North. They are followed by the Minnesota Vikings (3-4) and the lowly Detroit Lions (0-7). They are coming off there BYE week.
The Packers are averaging 25 points a game while giving up 22.

The Tennessee Titans is the only undefeated team left in the NFL. They are 7-0. 4-0 at home and only 1-0 against the NFC. The three teams behind them in the AFC South, the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars are all 3-4. The Titans kept their undefeated season alive by defeating the disappointing Indianapolis Colts @ home by a score of 31-21
The Titans are averaging 25 points a game while giving up only 12.

MOMENTUM
Kerry Collins has been asked to pass frequently in prior matchups with the Green Bay Packers. He isn’t likely to have to carry that much of a burden this time.

The Titans, who continue to get efficient play from Collins, look to remain the NFL’s last unbeaten team when they face the Packers on Sunday.

Tennessee (7-0) has been winning with dominating defense, a strong running game and sound decision-making from Collins. The veteran is averaging 28.0 passes in his six starts, completing 58.2 percent of them with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s gone five straight games without being sacked, and has been sacked once in 170 attempts on the season.

Collins, though, was asked to throw the ball more than usual Monday night against AFC rival Indianapolis, and went 24-for-37 with 193 yards and no interceptions in a 31-21 Titans win. He needed to put the ball in the air with the Colts using four linebackers to slow a Tennessee ground game that set a franchise record with 332 yards rushing against Kansas City the previous week.

“We can’t be happy,” Collins said. “We’ve got to put this game behind us and focus on the next game. I think that’s what allowed us to put this streak together is the fact that regardless of what happened the week before, we are able to put it behind us and move on to the next opponent.”

That performance, however, was still a far cry from what was required from Collins in his last two games against Green Bay (4-3). He set a career high with 59 pass attempts – which he has since matched – for the New York Giants in a 34-25 loss Jan. 6, 2002, and put the ball in the air 53 times for Carolina in a 37-30 defeat Sept. 27, 1998.

Those were two of the three highest pass-attempt totals of Collins’ career, but he might not come close to approaching that in this contest with the Packers struggling to stop the run.

Green Bay is allowing 141.9 yards per game on the ground. The Titans, meanwhile, have averaged 145.0 rushing yards a contest.

The running back combination of Chris Johnson (626 yards, four touchdowns) and LenDale White (327 yards, 10 TDs) has helped Tennessee score 30 or more points in four of its last five games, its best stretch since scoring at least 30 in five straight early in 2003.

The outstanding rushing attack has complemented the NFL’s best scoring defense. Tennessee has allowed 87 points, 23 fewer than Pittsburgh and Baltimore (110).

“Each week every team gets an opportunity to go out and play. We’ve had seven opportunities and won each of our games,” Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said. “No one expects us to have an undefeated season, and that’s great, but we know every time we step on that field we have a shot to beat anyone we play.”

The Titans, though, will be facing a Packers team that has averaged 27.7 points per game, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers is healthier after a bye week. Rodgers got a chance to rest after gutting out three straight games with a sprained right shoulder.

Rodgers did manage to play well during that span, completing 70.5 percent of his passes for 707 yards and six TDs with one INT. He completed 75.0 percent (21-for-28) of his attempts for 186 yards and a TD in a 34-14 victory over the Colts on Oct. 19, as Green Bay moved into a tie with Chicago atop the NFC North.

The bye also gave the Packers defense a chance to get healthier. Cornerback Al Harris (spleen) and safety Atari Bigby (hamstring) appear ready to return from injuries.

Harris, coming off his first Pro Bowl last season, was injured in the Packers’ Sept. 21 loss to Dallas, and initially there was concern that he might be out for the season.

Bigby’s hamstring injury has been overshadowed by Harris’ absence, but the safety’s physical presence was an important part of the Packers’ success last season. Bigby has missed five games.

“Obviously I think every team in the league has to deal with injuries,” Green Bay defensive end Aaron Kampman said. “How you weather that, in a lot of ways, factors into the success of your season. Now, we obviously had a little skid there. Didn’t handle it the way we would have liked to. There’s a number of variables for that. But that’s in the past. We’ve got a two-game winning streak here, and we want to make it three.”

This will be first meeting between the Packers and Titans since Oct. 11, 2004, when Tennessee won 48-27 at Green Bay.
The Dallas Cowboys started the season strong, winning their first 3 games. Since then, they are 2-3.

KEY INJURIES (a/o 11/2)
Green Bay Packers
DOUBTFUL:
Linebacker Desmon Bishop (hamstring)
QUESTIONABLE:
Wide Receiver JOrdy Nelson (Ankle)
Tack Chad Clifton (knees), Defensive End Jason Hunter (hamstring), Linebacker
PROBABLE:
Danny Lansanah (hamstring), Quarterback Aaron Rodgers (right shoulder) and Cornerback Charles Woodson

Tennessee Titans
OUT:
Linebacker Colin Alfred (groin)
QUESTIONABLE:
Cornerback Chris Carr (back), Defensive End Kyle Vanden Bosch (groin)
PROBABLE:
Defensive End Dave Ball (concussion), Running Back Quinton Ganther (concussion)

KEYS TO THE GAME:
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers faces a Titans defense that kept the Colts’ big gains to a minimum and essentially took away Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison. Titans RB Chris Johnson could have success against a Packers defense that ranks toward the bottom of the league in giving up an average of 141.9 rushing yards per game.

PICK PREDICTION: Packers 21 Titans 20
The Titans hadn’t played a worthy opponent until last week against the Colts. And if it weren’t for some key interceptions of Peyton Manning, things would have been completely different. The Packers are coming off a BYE week and are well rested.