Saints vs. Rams Betting Preview & Odds: How to Bet the Over/Under

Saints at Rams Betting Odds

• Odds: Rams -2
• Total: 52
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• TV Channel: FOX

Odds above as of Thursday evening and via PointsBet, where Action Network users can exclusively bet every NFL spread this season at reduced juice (-105).

In a playoff rematch from last season, the Saints will look to get revenge against a new rival in the Rams.

Below you'll find injury notes, key matchups to watch, our projected odds, favorite betting picks and more.

Saints-Rams Injury Report

Which team is healthier? Saints (not by much)

The Rams are looking good with just DL Michael Brockers (shoulder) missing practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Eric Weddle (concussion) took a nasty hit on Sunday, but Sean McVay is expecting him to play.

For the Saints, Ted Ginn (illness) returned to full practice on Thursday, so he should be good to go. Outside of that, tackle Ryan Ramczyk (thigh) was added to the injury report. Overall, everyone of importance on the Saints’ injury report was at least limited, so there’s a possibility that everyone will be ready for this projected high-scoring affair. — Justin Bailey

Note: Info as of Thursday. See our Injury Report for daily practice participation and game statuses up until kickoff.

Sean Koerner's Projected Odds

• Projected Spread: Rams -3
• Projected Total: 56

The total opened at 54, which I felt was a couple points too low in what should be a shootout in Los Angeles. Both teams should push the pace here, which will amplify the scoring environment that much more.

Early action has been on the under and has pushed it all the way down to 52. I have a hard time believing it can get much lower, so I’d recommend taking it now before the tide eventually turns and trends back to the opening line.— Sean Koerner

Biggest Mismatch

Rams WRs vs. Saints CBs

Saints cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore, Eli Apple and P.J. Williams got lit up for 10 catches, 155 yards and two touchdowns on 14 targets last week. Each allowed a catch of 37-plus yards while failing to break up a pass. This comes after each finished in the top 15 in yards allowed in coverage last season.

If there’s one team that can exploit this, it’s the Rams.

Last season, Rams wideouts finished third in receiving yards, fifth in receptions and tied for eighth in TDs. At New Orleans in Week 9 last season against this same group of corners, all top-three Rams wideouts ate: Brandin Cooks went 6-114-1 on eight targets; Cooper Kupp, 5-89-1 on six targets; and Robert Woods, 5-71-0 on eight targets.

In the conference championship, Cooks dropped an 8-107-0 line, Josh Reynolds chipped in 4-74-0 and while Woods was held largely in check with 39 yards, he still piled up six catches on nine targets. Their collective production could have been a lot greater, too, as each had a drop.

The going may get tougher this time around in L.A. Whereas Jared Goff has tended to struggle on the road, averaging a meager 233 yards (7.6 per attempt) and 1.7 TDs passing per game in 17 road games in the McVay era, Goff has torn it up at home to the tune of 313 yards (8.8 per attempt) and 2.1 TDs in 15 games. And in the 11 in which he had Kupp at his disposal, he has been even more efficient, ripping off 9.2 yards per attempt. — Chris Raybon

Expert Picks

Chad Millman: Rams -2

Let’s get smart, people.

Don’t be fooled by the Saints' dramatic comeback win against the Texans. They were dominated in the first half of that game, made a furious comeback in the second half and then needed some really bad defensive strategy decisions on the part of the Texans to get into field goal range for the game-winning kick. Also, don’t forget, their defense got shredded by Deshaun Watson in the first half and, ummm, on two plays in 30 seconds in the final minute of the game.

Meanwhile, the Rams did this: Used the first half of the Panthers game to knock off all the rust accumulated by not playing in the preseason, looked better than a team most professional bettors loved, shut down a comeback from King-of-the-comeback Cam Newton and left with a cross-country road win. And yet — YET! — the line has moved off of Rams -3, thanks to the public being fooled by the way the Saints won, not the way they actually played.

Not me, though. Gimme the Rams as a short home fave.

Mike Randle: Over 52

These two prolific offenses have delivered high-scoring games every year since 2016. In those three regular-season meetings, the Rams and Saints have combined for an average of 72 total points per game, highlighted by last year’s 45-35 Saints win in New Orleans. In that game, New Orleans rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

The Saints will have revenge on their mind after last year’s brutal no-call in a 26-23 overtime loss in the NFC Championship Game.

Both quarterbacks will move the ball on offense. In his last five regular-season meetings with the Rams, Drew Brees has averaged 312.8 passing yards, 2.2 touchdowns and 28.1 fantasy points. In Goff’s three career meetings with New Orleans, he's thrown for an average of 316.3 passing yards and 2.7 touchdowns, and he's produced 27.6 fantasy points per game.

The Saints face a Rams defense that was gouged by Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey last week for 128 rushing yards at an average of 6.7 yards per carry. In 2018, the Rams ranked 27th in Football Outsiders' run defense DVOA and are currently 28th among all teams after Week 1. New Orleans will bring a rushing attack that totaled 148 yards at an average of seven yards per carry with Alvin Kamara (97 yards, 7.5 yards per carry) and Latavius Murray (43 yards, 7.2 YPC).

The Rams should also be able to score on a Saints defense that allowed 414 yards of offense in their thrilling 30-28 home win over Houston.

In this meeting between two (now) rivals, with a litany of offensive playmakers on both teams, grab the over on the 52-point total. I would bet this line up to (and including) 53.