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It's the most wonderful time of the year! The National Football League is officially back, as week one action gets underway this weekend with the New Orleans Saints battling it out with the Atlanta Falcons in an NFC South showdown! With that being said, it is time to check out our NFL odds series, which includes our Saints-Falcons prediction and pick.
After completing their 2021 campaign with an overall record of 9-8 which was good enough for second place in the division. While it served as a winning season for New Orleans, they still narrowly missed a postseason play in what turned out to be longtime head coach Sean Payton's final season. Now with defensive mastermind Dennis Allen at the helm, a new era is officially underway in The Big Easy.
Things look dramatically different for the Falcons as well, as franchise quarterback Matt Ryan decided to pack his bags to Indiana leaving Atlanta without a sure-fire QB for more than a decade. However, the Falcons quickly made a move to acquire the former second-overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft Marcus Mariota to help lead the offense with his dynamic and athletic play. Can second-year Arthur Smith and company make a big lead forward in 2022?
Here are the Saints-Falcons NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Saints-Falcons Odds
New Orleans Saints: -5.5 (-110)
Atlanta Falcons: +5.5 (-110)
Over: 42.5 (-115)
Under: 42.5 (-105)
Why The Saints Could Cover The Spread
Since 2006, one look towards the New Orleans sideline would show an offensive guru in Sean Payton leading his troops to victory more times than not over the course of his sixteen seasons as the Saints' head football coach. Now, with the Super Bowl-winning coach riding off into retirement, for the time being, the Saints will need to find an identity during the 2022 season.
Injuries certainly battered the quarterbacks in 2021, but don't expect that to be the case ahead of this matchup with the Falcons and for the rest of the season as well. Jameis Winston can finally see clearly now for the rain is gone! Nearly two seasons removed since undergoing LASIK eye surgery, Winston has always shown flashes of possibly blooming into the upper echelon of the league's top field generals, but poor decision-making and apparent blurry vision have plagued the former Heisman winner. Before going down with a knee injury a year ago, Winston's small sample size had shown improvement, as he threw for 1,170 yards and 14 touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions in his seven starts. This version of Jameis Winson would definitely give the Saints an excellent chance to cover the spread.
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Another name to keep your eye out for in this one will be the Honey Badger himself in Tyrann Mathieu. Mathieu's return to the Bayou has been a major storyline throughout the offseason, as his leadership over what should be a talented defense led by Dennis Allen should be intriguing to watch against what should be an up-tempo Falcons offensive attack.
Why The Falcons Could Cover The Spread
Like Sean Peyton with the Saints, Matt Ryan proved to be the glue that held the Falcons together for so many years. However, things just were never the same in Atlanta after the Falcons squandered a 28-3 lead against the Patriots in the Super Bowl. With the 2016 NFL MVP now an Indianapolis Colt, the Falcons will certainly be entering a new era of their own as well.
Ahead of this highly anticipated matchup versus the Falcons, Atlanta bolstered both sides of the football during the offseason in an attempt to garner more talent. With less salary cap flexibility than most NFL teams at the moment, Atlanta did the best they could financially by signing Pro Bowl cornerback Casey Hayward, linebacker Mykal Walker, and of course, quarterback Marcus Mariota. Also, the Falcons decided to draft a dynamic receiving target in former USC standout Drake London with the eighth overall pick. In college, London was a vertical threat in the passing game as he hauled in 88 receptions for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns during his junior year as a Trojan. Without a doubt, all of these newly acquired names will be a big factor in why the Falcons could cover the spread on Sunday.
Leading the all-time series between the two franchises 53-52, Atlanta must ensure that they don't turn the ball over against the Saints. Last season, the Falcons' turnover differential sat at -6, which ranked as the 25th best mark in the NFL. This disturbing pattern cannot continue if Atlanta wants to cover the spread and ultimately come out on top in their first game.
Final Saints-Falcons Prediction & Pick
Which quarterback will come up clutch when their team needs him the most? A battle of the top two picks of the 2014 draft will certainly prove to be an entertaining one. With that being said, Atlanta's much-improved roster and playing at home for week one of the regular season will prove to be just what the doctor ordered. The Falcons should keep this one close and maybe even come away with the victory on Sunday.
Final Saints-Falcons Prediction & Pick: Falcons +5.5 (-110)
