The Desmond Ridder era is expected to begin for the Atlanta Falcons when they face off against the New Orleans Saints in a crucial game with NFC South implications at Caesars Superdome on Sunday.
Each team has lost two straight, yet each remains in striking distance of the division crown. Atlanta (5-8) trails the first-place Buccaneers by a game, and New Orleans (4-9) is just two games back.
Here’s a look at Atlanta vs New Orleans best bets.
Falcons vs Saints Odds
The Saints have the worst home record in the NFC South yet are four-point favorites over the Falcons as of Tuesday afternoon at Caesars Sportsbook.
Atlanta’s moneyline odds (+175) make them a substantial underdog, and New Orleans’ odds of winning (-210) mean that a bettor would win just $0.48 per dollar wagered.
Take a look at the best Falcons odds and Saints odds for the 2022 NFL season.
Falcons vs Saints Implied Totals
Saints 23.5, Falcons 19.5
The bookmakers are expecting a low-ish scoring game because the Saints are averaging about 20 points per game, and the Falcons are scoring about 22 per game.
Falcons vs Saints Pick of the Day
Read more on this Falcons vs Saints bet below.
Falcons vs Saints Prediction
Saints 24, Falcons 10
Both teams are well-rested, coming off a Week 14 bye.
Ridder, who will make his first start since the 2021 Cotton Bowl against Alabama, will have his work cut out for him. New Orleans has the 11th-ranked defense (328.2 yards per game) and is surrendering just 203.2 passing yards per game.
The Saints offense has scored just 13.2 points per game over its 1-4 stretch. Franchise running back Alvin Kamara has just 550 rushing yards and only one touchdown on the ground, along with 433 receiving yards which, somehow, is second-most on the team.
Kamara had just 46 all-purpose yards in the Saints’ 27-26 win over the Falcons in Week 1 and had just 37 all-purpose yards in their 17-16 loss to the Buccaneers in Week 13, but he could finally break out Sunday against Atlanta’s porous defense, which is allowing the eighth-most rushing yards per game (129.5).
The Falcons could be in trouble if they fall behind, especially if Ridder is forced to push the ball down the field. I expect New Orleans to run the ball and hit some deep passes, potentially from Andy Dalton to rookie No. 1 receiver Chris Olave.
Once the Saints build a lead, they’ll let their defense take care of the rest.
Falcons vs Saints Bet Tips
Here are a few Falcons vs Saints betting trends to consider before making your bets:
- The Under has been successful in five of New Orleans’ past six games.
- The Under has hit in four of the Falcons’ past five games.
- The average margin of victory over the series’ past four games is 4.5, with three of the four games decided by five points or fewer.
Falcons vs Saints Best Bets
Under 43 Points (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 2 Units
Saints head coach Dennis Allen is a longtime defensive coordinator who held Tom Brady in check for 58 minutes in their most recent game. Ridder will be making his first start and isn’t likely to put up many points going against Allen and New Orleans’ underrated defense.
Plus, it isn’t like the Saints offense has done much of anything. This is absolutely worth mashing as long as it stays in the 40s, even if the Falcons defense is allowing 24 points per game.
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Saints -4 at (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The first matchup between these two teams was a one-point thriller in Week 1. But the New Orleans defense has a clear advantage against Ridder, and the Saints offense should put up points against the suspect Atlanta defense.
New Orleans should find a way to cover four.
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Falcons vs Saints Props
Check out the best Falcons vs Saints player prop bets this week with our props comparison tool. Click on “Show More Games" below to find the Atlanta vs New Orleans game and see all of its prop bets.
