It’s been a while since the New Orleans Saints were heavily favored to win a football game. They were road underdogs against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, and were initially favored by just one point over the Jacksonville Jaguars a week earlier. Oddsmakers put them ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before that by 4.5 points. The Saints have, of course, gone on a month-long winning streak and covered each time. But now, the Saints are being given a margin that dwarfs that number against Tampa Bay.
According to the latest odds from BetMGM, the Saints are favored by 9 points to defeat the Arizona Cardinals next Sunday. The over/under is set at 48.5, suggesting a final score in the neighborhood of Saints 29, Cardinals 20.
Expect a lot of motion in the line this week, with starting quarterback Drew Brees planning to return to practice. The injury status of running back Alvin Kamara, tight end Jared Cook, and cornerback Eli Apple will also factor in to how many points end up being scored.
The Cardinals are fresh off of a surprising three-game win streak, averaging 29 points per game in that span. Maybe it shouldn’t be a shock considering they’ve played three of the worst teams in the NFL (the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, and New York Giants), and the Saints definitely don’t share that company. But rookie quarterback Kyler Murray has proven he’s not someone who should be underestimated.
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