The New Orleans Saints (7-7) will host the Los Angeles Rams (7-7) in Week 16 on Thursday Night Football, with NFL playoff implications on the line.
The Saints are currently sitting in the 9th seed, two spots outside of the final 7th seed Wild Card position. The two ahead of them, the Seattle Seahawks and their Thursday night opponent, the Saints, are holding conference record tiebreakers over them.
Last Sunday, the Saints kept their playoff hopes alive after beating down the New York Giants 24-6. That gives them a two-game winning streak, which has only happened two more times this season. But even at .500, there's a lot to play for and that they actually still have a shot at winning their division since they reside in the shaky NFC South.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a 7-7 record, hold the tiebreaker over them currently, but with the way the division has gone all season, nothing is certain, especially since they face each other next weekend. But if they don't beat the Rams on Thursday night, it may not matter at all. So, let's get into some Saints bold predictions for Week 16 versus the Rams on Thursday Night Football.
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Derek Carr completes 70% of his passes, throws two touchdowns, 210 yards
Derek Carr is coming off his best game of the entire season. But then again, that was against the New York Giants. Still, throwing for an 82.1% completion percentage, missing on only five passes is impressive. He also threw three touchdowns. That probably won't be the case against the Rams, even with Chris Olave returning.
But for the year, Carr is throwing for a 67.4% completion percentage, hitting 70 or higher in six games. He should have a good completion percentage in Week 16, but a touchdown less than last week.
The problem is that Carr has had a less than stellar record against the Rams. He's 0-3, with no touchdowns and seven interceptions, according to Jake Ellenbogen.
Saints pick off Matthew Stafford twice
The Saints are averaging 1.6 takeaways a game, which is ranked 9th best in the league, according to Team Rankings. We all know that Stafford has thrown his fair share of picks in his day, although he has been interception-less over the last few games. Look for that to change on Thursday night, with the Saints picking him off twice.
Saints defense holds Cooper Kupp to just four catches and 40 yards or less with no touchdowns
If the Saints have any hope in this game, then stopping one of Stafford's favorite targets is paramount. Kupp has 16 receptions for 226 yards and two touchdowns in his last two games. The passing defense is one of the team's strengths, ranking 6th in the league.
Granted, this is just one piece of the passing offense, as they'll still have to contend with Puka Nakua.
Saints lose by a field goal or less in a defensive battle on Thursday Night Football
This isn't expected to be a high-scoring affair with only the over/under at 45.5. Both of these teams are solid defensively, especially the Saints, led by defensive-minded head coach Dennis Allen. But expect both teams to keep each other in check for most of the game, with turnovers on both sides. With that said, a late field goal, coming off a Stafford game-winning drive could be the way this one ends.
That means the Saints' playoff hopes, most likely, will be coming to an end with a loss to the Rams. That may also put into question the future of Allen, who is only into his second season with the Saints. However, he is 13-17 in two seasons and 24-54 lifetime as a head coach.