NFL Betting – Points Abound as Saints Visit Giants

New Orleans Saints at New York Giants (-4.5, 53 o/u)

Expected to be the highest scoring game of the week, the only thing that may be able to slow the New Orleans Saints’ (0-1, 0-0 Away) and the New York Giants’ (1-0, 0-0 Home) high-powered offenses is a call for rain. With a risk of thunderstorms in the forecast, be prepared for anything to happen when these teams clash at MetLife Stadium this Sunday (1:00 PM Eastern).

When the Saints and Giants met in Week 8 last season, all they did was combine for 1,024 yards of offense and 101 points in an epic 52-49 Saints win. These teams underwent some changes in the offseason, and now they look even better equipped to top last year’s shootout.

The Giants passing attack lacked a true no. 2 option last season; if Odell Beckham didn’t do it, it didn’t get done. But now, Eli Manning not only has trusty wideout Victor Cruz back from injury, but promising rookie Sterling Shepard rounds out an intimidating three-headed attack. Both Shepard and Cruz caught touchdowns last week as the Giants downed the Cowboys, 20-19.

New Orleans wasn’t as fortunate. Despite flexing their offensive muscles against Oakland, piling up 507 yards and scoring 34 points, the Raiders made a gutsy call to go for a two-point conversion and win the opener, 35-34. The worse news for the Saints, though, was their only good cornerback, Delvin Breaux, broke his fibula and will be out for an extended period of time.

With the Saints D looking just as porous as last season, the Giants offense is poised to have another huge day. If New Orleans has any chance to slow this attack down, it will be by attacking New York’s weakness: the offensive line. Abysmal all preseason, the Giants’ blockers weren’t great against a no-name Dallas defensive front, allowing two sacks.

Meanwhile, an overhauled New York D performed decently in their first game together, allowing just one Dallas touchdown. However, they weren’t able to generate any impact plays like sacks or takeaways and the Cowboys were starting rookies at quarterback and running back.

Drew Brees is far from a rookie, as his 423 yards and four touchdowns from last week showed. Brees, Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead, and Mark Ingram should be able to pick apart a defense that tried to solve its woes through free agency for the second straight week.

So where does that leave you as a bettor? Well, the Giants are notoriously slow out of the gate; they haven’t started a season 2-0 since 2009 and have failed to cover in four straight home openers. Since Sean Payton and Drew Brees arrived in New Orleans in 2006, the Saints are 38-25 ATS following a straight-up loss. If these teams are going to be trading touchdowns, I like Brees and company to keep this one tight.

My newest colleague, legendary baller Gary Payton, thinks otherwise.

Pick: Saints (+4.5).

Photo credit: Mike Lizzi (Flickr) [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/].