Saints vs Falcons Odds, Spread, Preview: NFL Week 1 Predictions

Saints vs Falcons Week 1 matchup preview and current betting lines

The New Orleans Saints will sure hope the second season of the post-Drew Brees era is better, especially from a health standpoint. Jameis Winston will get another shot to prove his worth in this league, but he’s coming off a major injury and there will be some durability questions to address.

The Saints were one of the biggest winners of the offseason, adding Tyrann Mathieu and Jarvis Landry while also drafting Ohio State standout Chris Olave. Their offense and defense seem revamped, although coaching and QB play will continue to be points of concern.

The Atlanta Falcons have finally moved on from Matt Ryan, but their quarterback situation seems shaky at best. Marcus Mariota will be a starter for the first time in two seasons, but rookie Desmond Ridder has vowed to take the job at some point in the campaign.

The Falcons have a glaring need for talent at nearly every position and, barring a miracle, they should finish near the bottom of the standings. Still, second-year tight end Kyle Pitts seems like a superstar in the making and could be reason enough to tune in to their games.

Players to watch:

Michael Thomas: Michael Thomas was one of the prime wideouts in the league before injuries caught up to him. He’s back to full strength but will have to compete with Chris Olave and Jarvis Landry for targets and prove that he can still be efficient.

Marcus Mariota: This could be the end of the line for Marcus Mariota. He lost his starting job with the Tennessee Titans and had to back up Derek Carr before getting another opportunity. Rookie Desmond Ridder was impressive in the preseason, so Mariota could be on a short leash.

Week 1 Predictions: NFL Bet of the week on Saints vs Falcons

Saints -5.5

The opening Saints vs Falcons spread could seem a little overpriced, considering we’re talking about two divisional foes that know each other pretty well and the fact that Jameis Winston barely played at all last season before suffering a knee injury.

Those concerns are valid, but Dennis Allen comes from Sean Payton’s coaching tree and will give this project some continuity. He’s an experienced guy and a great defensive-minded coach, so it will be a smooth transition for the Saints.

With Alvin Kamara, Jarvis Landry, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Winston, the Saints have the potential to have an explosive and entertaining offense. But more than that, the Atlanta Falcons have virtually nothing to show for on either side of the field.

Besides Kyle Pitts and Drake London, the Falcons have no weapons in the passing game. Calvin Ridley will miss the season with a suspension, and their running game is virtually non-existent. They should be overmatched from start to finish.

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Over 42.5

The Saints vs Falcons odds have this game at just 42.5 points. That makes sense given the fact that the Falcons could struggle to march down the field vs. the Saints’ stout defense, as we’ve already talked about their lack of offensive firepower.

But let’s not forget about the fact that Jameis Winston isn’t exactly elite at taking care of the football. One can always expect at least one mistake from the former first-overall pick, and even the Falcons could capitalize on one of his interceptions.

Even so, we expect the Saints to do most of the scoring in this matchup. They already torched the Falcons in their last meeting and they have more than enough talent to make this a very, very long night for the Falcons’ questionable defense.

This game total is quite low and the Saints’ new-look offense could be in for a field day, not to mention they could also take the ball away from Mariota multiple times. So, there are plenty of reasons to think this over could cash in easily.

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