New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons: Thursday Night NFL Betting Odds and Picks

New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons
Thursday, 11/21/13, 8:25 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: New Orleans -7
Current Betting Line: New Orleans -8
Opening Total: 52.5
Current Total: 53
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Seahawks Saints NFL Preview — The New Orleans Saints are 9-12 ATS on the road since 2011

New Orleans hits the road after winning back-to-back home games, including a 23-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers as 3.5-point favorites in Week 11, while going UNDER the betting total for the first time in five contests. The Saints will be playing their third game in 11 days, which is important to consider when looking over the pro football odds page. Defensively, the team held consecutive opponents under 200 yards for the first time since the 2000 campaign. New Orleans is 10-11 SU and 9-12 ATS on the road the last two-plus seasons, with the OVER going 12-9 in that situation.

The Saints are always a threat to win in any circumstance, considering quarterback Drew Brees is completing 68.2 percent of his passes and has thrown for 3,369 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. New Orleans is ranked fourth in the league in allowing just 305.4 yards per game, which is far superior to giving up 440.1 during the 2012 season.

Atlanta is mired in a four-game losing streak, which includes a 41-28 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as one-point road underdogs Sunday, while going OVER the betting total for the first time in four contests. The Falcons are 18-16 against NFC South opponents since 2008, while they hold a 46-42 overall edge over the Saints in this particular series. The franchise has dropped five of the last six meetings in this rivalry—allowing 363 yards or more in each of those affairs. Atlanta is 1-5 SUATS as underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points the last two-plus seasons.

The Falcons were averaging 64.3 rushing yards going into last week’s game, but gained a season-high 152 yards against the Buccaneers. Atlanta is allowing 29.2 points per game, which is 29th in the league and can’t be ignored when making your NFL betting picks in this primetime matchup. On the offensive end, quarterback Matt Ryan needs to regain his confidence, as he’s thrown five touchdowns and nine interceptions in his last four contests.