The New Orleans Saints are heavily favored to win their home opener for the 2019 NFL season, per online sportsbook BetOnline. The Saints will host the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and they’ve picked up a lot of early confidence. They’re favored by 7.5 points, with an over/under of 54 — the highest score prediction of Week 1. That implies a final score of 31-23 (rounded from 30.75-23.25), with the Saints winning handily.
Only one team is favored more strongly than the Saints: the Philadelphia Eagles, who will host Washington in their home opener. The Eagles are 8-point favorites with an over/under of 46, implying a 27-19 finish.
Houston has played New Orleans hard in the past, and the series history is split at an even 2-2. The Texans won easily last time, with superstar pass rusher J.J. Watt proving just too much for Saints right tackle Zach Strief. Watt racked up two sacks and eight hits in that contest, and even split a double team with Strief and Terron Armstead pairing up to block him when the Saints tried to adjust. It was ugly, and the 24-6 final score says it all.
But this next entry in the Saints-Texans series will go differently. They haven’t lined up against each other in the regular season since 2015, and each team looks very different from those squads. Watt has fought through a series of back injuries and isn’t the same playmaker he once was. And the Saints will be playing host this time, in their home stadium. Maybe the bettors are right to have some confidence in New Orleans.
