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The New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers meet for Game 2 of the preseason at SoFi Stadium. It's time to continue our NFL odds series with a Saints-Chargers prediction and pick.
The Saints are in the news Saturday morning not for the reason they intended to be. Saints tight end Jimmy Graham was transported to a hospital last night after what was believed to be a seizure… according to reports. That is a scary thing to hear about but the good news is that he is back with the team now. New Orleans took down the Kansas City Chiefs 26-24 in the first preseason action last weekend.
The Chargers are coming off a big 34-17 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the battle of LA. The Chargers are not known to play well during the preseason as they hardly ever play their starters. Justin Herbert won't see a single snap, instead, Easton Stick and Max Duggan will finish off the preseason fighting for the backup role. The NFL season is a little over three weeks away and there is plenty of time for some of these young players to make a name for themselves.
Here are the Saints-Chargers Preseason NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Preseason Odds: Saints-Chargers Odds
New Orleans Saints: -3.5 (-110)
Los Angeles Chargers: +3.5 (-110)
Over: 38 (-110)
Under: 38 (-110)
How to Watch Saints vs. Chargers
TV: NFL Network
Stream: fuboTV, NFL+
Time: 7:05 ET/4:05 PT
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Saints Could Cover The Spread
Opposite the Chargers, New Orleans played a majority of their starters in the win over the Chiefs. Derek Carr finished 6-8 with 70 passing yards and a touchdown. Dennis Allen saw all he needed from the starting QB the backup, Jameis Winston, even played very well also going 11-13 with 92 yards and a TD. We all know that Carr will be named the starter, and Sunday night's game against LA should be an important one for him as he faces a team he was used to playing twice a year. If Carr suits up again for the Saints, don't expect it to be a long outing.
Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams both played as well, combined for 12 carries … even though Williams carried the rock nine times. Rookie Kendre Miller out of TCU will look to get more carries as he is fighting for the 3rd string RB spot. He carried the ball just four times for five yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Ryan Connelly led the team with four tackles and a pass deflection. Ty Summers and Zach Baun both finished with a sack and tackle for loss in the win over KC. Nephi Sewell, younger brother of Penie Sewell, finished with three tackles as he hopes to earn a role with the linebacking core. Smoke Monday (maybe the best name in the NFL) finished with two tackles from the safety position.
Why The Chargers Could Cover The Spread
Easton Stick should get the start again tomorrow night. He played well in the opener finishing 14/21 with 109 yards and the lone touchdown to rookie Quentin Johnston. Johnston's former college teammate Max Duggan ended 2/3 with 19 yards. While Duggan was in against the Rams, the run game was the factor. LA managed to run the ball a total of 31 times which is impressive considering the lack of aggression from the coaches. Duggan did, however, run the ball four times for 20 yards.
Running back Elijah Dotson may have earned a place on the roster after his performance against the Rams. He carried the ball just six times but rushed for 92 yards and had two touchdowns … on very identical plays. Dotson has elite speed and he showed that if he reaches the edge, then look out. Larry Rountree III was released after the game and now Dotson is currently the 4th string behind Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelly, and Isaiah Spiller. Herbert really has a done of weapons for this upcoming season.
The Chargers defense has always played Derek Carr very well. It's obvious Carr won't play a lot, but if LA can make the most of their time facing him, then that will be a good introduction for the Bolts' defense as they have a tough schedule waiting for them.
Final Saints-Chargers Prediction & Pick
I like the Chargers to cover this spread at home. It's unclear if the game will even be played as Hurricane Hilary is making its way to SoCal. As of now, the game is expected to play on time. Take LA to cover this spread as the underdogs.
Final Saints-Chargers Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Chargers: +3.5 (-110)
