2005 Green Bay Packers NFL Handicapping Review Part 1

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

After their Monday Night debacle in which they were humiliated 27-48 as 3-point home chalks to Tennessee, the Green Bay Packers stood at 1-4 both straight up and against the sports betting odds and were riding a four game losing streak. Just as the majority of the general sports betting public backed the Pack in large numbers for their loss to Tennessee, the vast majority of the public now, like jilted lovers, went in heavy opposition to Green Bay for their next game at Detroit. The upstart Lions were 3-1 and touted as a NFC North title contender ready to dethrone the Packers. Detroit was favored by 2.5-points and there were few Packer backers amongst the sports handicapping community. For the second consecutive week, the general sports betting public was embarrassed as Green Bay shocked them all with a stunning 38-10 win. This began a streak for Green Bay in which the lost just one game against the sports betting odds out the next six that they played after the Tennessee loss.

The last victory on that streak was a 45-17 blowout home win over St. Louis, which made many sports betting players believe that the Pack was fully back. Green Bay stood at 7-4 straight up, with six consecutive straight up wins and was set to take off for Philadelphia and a marquee matchup with the Eagles.

This was a rematch of the playoff heartbreaker from 2003 in which Green Bay had the game in hand late, only to punt away the ball on a fourth and inches inside Philadelphia territory and then let the Eagles out of the noose by blowing coverage on a 4th and 26 play that will live forever in the annals of Green Bay fans. Many online sports betting blogs talked up the Pack and their lust for revenge of that defeat. Others said that Green Bay would top the list of their football picks because of their momentum, and quarterback Brett Favre’s hot hand. Incredibly, many in the sports handicapping community ignored the fact that Philadelphia was 10-1 and an NFC title contender. Many sports betting players expected a tight game but the Eagles blew out the Pack 47-17 as 6-point chalks.

This was the beginning of the end for Green Bay. The loss at Philadelphia started a 2-4 skid against the sports betting odds. But there was one final surprise. In their home playoff game against Minnesota, a team that they dominate at Lambeau, the Packers were defeated 17-31 as 6.5-point chalks, giving one last shock to sports betting players in 2004.