It’s finally New Orleans Saints game week. This isn’t some exhibition kickoff in preseason — the black and gold will suit up against their biggest rivals in a matter of days, not weeks or months. And expectations are high. The Saints have opened as 5.5-point road favorites against the Atlanta Falcons at Tipico Sportsbook. The game’s low over/under (42.5) is a little concerning. That suggests a final score in the neighborhood of New Orleans 24, Atlanta 19. Opposing teams held the Saints to 24 points or fewer in nine games last season, including three of Jameis Winston’s first six starts.
New Orleans has made upgrades on offense at wide receiver (in drafting Chris Olave and signing Jarvis Landry, while mending fences with Michael Thomas) but they took a step back at left tackle by parting ways with Terron Armstead. Oddsmakers don’t seem confident that Winston will take a big step forward in such circumstances, but they do see the Saints’ winning formula.
That’s easier said than done against a talented offense. The situation Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota has found himself in isn’t that different from Winston’s circumstances. The two top picks in the 2015 NFL draft have won, lost and regained starting jobs in the NFL while playing for a couple of different teams. Now Mariota is leading an offense stocked with dangerous pass catchers like Kyle Pitts, Cordarrelle Patterson and rookie Drake London. It’s going to be a big test for a Saints defense to replace all three of last year’s top safeties, swapping Marcus Williams, Malcolm Jenkins and C.J. Gardner-Johnson for Tyrann Mathieu, Marcus Maye and a small platoon of slot corners.
As for other opening lines across the NFC South: The Carolina Panthers are favored by a field goal at home against the Cleveland Browns, as are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. The Bucs-Cowboys game features one of the highest over/under point totals of the week (50.5), so there’s potential for fireworks.
Odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook; check USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list (lines last updated Monday at 8:36 a.m. ET).
