Saints vs. Patriots Prediction
The Saints have been a great underdog play in preseason games but will they cover against the Patriots tonight at 7:30PM ET?
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Patriots are now 3-point home favorites versus the Saints after the line opened at New England -4. As for the total, the number opened at 39.5 and has dropped a full point down to 38.5.
Bet Tonight’s Saints vs. Patriots Game
The Saints made a couple of significant additions to both sides of the ball this offseason. On offense, they signed former Colts tight end Coby Fleener and drafted Ohio State receiver Michael Thomas in the second round. They also signed linebacker James Laurinaitis (formerly of the Rams) and selected Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins in the first round to help beef up their front seven.
The Patriots rarely make a splash in free agency and that was the case this offseason, although they did trade for tight end Martellus Bennett and signed Laurinaitis’ former teammate in St. Louis, Chris Long. New England also made headlines by trading pass-rusher Chandler Jones to Arizona in exchange for guard Jonathan Cooper and a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft (which they traded to New Orleans).
OUR PICK: The Saints were 0-2 in this scenario a year ago but are 12-4 against the spread as preseason underdogs since 2007. They also have an experienced backup quarterback in Luke McCown and a third-stringer in Garrett Grayson who played in the preseason a year ago. If they don’t win outright, the Saints should at least push tonight in Foxboro.
2016 NFL WEEK 1 PRESEASON FREE PICK: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS +3