New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons Lines, Odds, Spread, Picks & Predictions
- The New Orleans Saints take on the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, September 11th
- The Saints have won seven of their last nine against their division rivals
- See the Saints vs Falcons picks and odds ahead of Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm ET
Two heated NFC South rivals clash in Week 1 on Sunday, September 11th with the New Orleans Saints squaring off against the Atlanta Falcons. Heading into the campaign, the Saints are +4000 dark horses in the Super Bowl odds, and the Falcons have the second longest odds to win the Lombardi Trophy at +25000. Read below for Saints vs Falcons odds and analysis.
New Orleans is a 5.5-point favorite over their hated adversaries, given their success against the Falcons, along with Atlanta’s perceived weak roster.
Seventy-six % of bets have been placed against the spread on the Saints, with 79% of the handle laid on them in the Saints vs Falcons betting trends, with 80% of the handle being placed on over 43 points.
Saints vs Falcons NFL Week 1 Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | -5.5 (-110) | O 43 (-110) | -235 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +5.5 (-110) | U 43 (-110) | +188 |
Odds as of September 9th from Barstool Sporstbook
The Saints are -235 favorites on the moneyline, 5.5-point favorites on the spread and the total is set at 43 in this Saints vs Falcons matchup.
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Kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is set for 1:00 pm ET. Since the Falcons play in a dome, weather won’t be a factor in this one. Fox is carrying the broadcast in the United States.
Saints and Falcons Starting Veteran Quarterbacks
The top-two selections in the 2015 draft will be squaring off Sunday, albeit not for the teams that initially picked them. Jameis Winston is entering his third season with New Orleans after five with Tampa Bay. Marcus Mariota was an off-season acquisition as a bridge QB to 2022 third rounder Desmond Ridder, or potentially another young signal caller.
Arthur Smith is done with your Desmond Ridder questions. pic.twitter.com/RTmOgqbF9v
— Drea Blackwell (@KSBWDrea) September 6, 2022
Mariota hasn’t been a regular starter since the 2019 season with the Titans, before he was benched. In the last two seasons, he’s attempted just 30 passes (18 completions) with the Raiders. Learning a new offense, plus not being used to being ‘the guy’ might prove to be a challenge in the early going of the campaign.
Young Blood On Display In Atlanta
This game will feature two exciting first-round receiver prospects in Atlanta’s Drake London (8th overall), and the Saints Chris Olave (11th selection). Both have an opportunity to step in and make an immediate impact. The Falcons also have second-year TE Kyle Pitts, who popped in his first NFL season, while the Bayou are hoping Michael Thomas returns to form after missing all of last season.
“Drake London. I know he’s a good player. I can’t wait to watch him.”
Saints rookie WR Chris Olave on who he’s looking forward to seeing in the Saints opener against the Falcons. pic.twitter.com/RRJZUkzbk8
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) September 1, 2022
The Saints make a habit of jumping off to a solid start, having won three straight season openers, while the Falcons have dropped the first game in four straight occasions.
In NFL public betting trends, people are on board with New Orleans. Spread wagering is showing 79% of handle and 76% of bets are on Winston and Co. On the moneyline, just 15% of bettors are believing in the Dirty Birds. The over is getting the action on the total. There’s 80% of handle on the over, set at 43 points. In the two matchups last year, the teams combined for a total of 102 points, with 50 points scored in one contest and 52 in the other game.
Saints vs Falcons Prediction
The Saints have been fantastic in Atlanta, winning their last four meetings. They’ve also been 6-and-1 against the spread vs the Falcons on the road in their last seven contests.
The Falcons have already been a bad team in their last four seasons, winning no more than seven games, and now they replace the steady veteran Matt Ryan and instead are rolling with Mariota.
Marcus Mariota this preseason:
🔴 8-12
⚫️ 168 yards
🔴 1 TD
⚫️ 90.9 Passing GradeUnderrated signing? 👀 pic.twitter.com/qqUXtPJEFj
— PFF ATL Falcons (@PFF_Falcons) September 6, 2022
Despite Mariota looking pretty good this preseason, he’s up against the second ranked defense in the league from last season (according to Pro Football Focus). The Saints also have continuity, with new Head Coach Dennis Allen being their defensive coordinator since 2015.
After struggling with interceptions for the better part of his career (30 INT’s in 2019), Jameis Winston took care of the football in his seven games in 2021, throwing 14 touchdowns to just three picks. Atlanta’s hopes likely lie in forcing multiple turnovers from Winston, but he showed an ability to protect the ball last year.
Pick: New Orleans Saints -5.5 (-110); 1 unit
Michael "Hound Dog" Harrison is well known in the sports industry as the resident statistician for the SC with Jay Onrait Show. He has worked at TSN for over 16 years, where he's been featured on Sportscentre, That's Hockey, That's Hockey 2Nite, The Masters preview shows, and several more.
