New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys, Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
Thursday, November 25, 2010, 4:15 pm EST, TV: FOX
Opening Line: Saints -3
Current Line: Saints -3.5
Opening Total: 50.5
Current Total: 50
Money Line: saints -190 / Cowboys +165
The Dallas Cowboys (3-7) seem to finally be playing up to their potential in going 2-0 under new head coach Jason Garrett, but they will get their biggest test yet when they host the New Orleans Saints (7-3) on Thursday. The Cowboys handed the defending Super Bowl champion Saints (-3.5) their first of three consecutive losses to end the regular season a year ago but will face a much bigger challenge here without injured quarterback Tony Romo.
Veteran Jon Kitna has done a nice job filling in for Romo the last two games after struggling in his first two starts. Kitna has thrown six touchdowns and one interception in beating the Giants and Lions after tossing two touchdowns and six picks in losses to Green Bay and Jacksonville. All of the team’s seven games since the bye week have gone OVER the total.
The Dallas defense has played well in the last two games as well after giving up an average of more than 40 points per game in the previous three. The Cowboys held the Giants and Lions below their season scoring averages and now must try to contain a New Orleans offense that is coming off its two best offensive performances of the season.
The Saints scored 34 points twice in wins over the Panthers and Seahawks with reigning Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees leading the way. Brees has thrown for more than 300 yards in three of the last four games and tossed four touchdown passes in a 34-19 home win against Seattle last week. He was hoping to get running back Reggie Bush back for the first time in eight games, but his fractured fibula was still hurting during pregame warm-ups.
New Orleans head coach Sean Payton said there is a “great chance” Bush will return for this game at Dallas, and the team could definitely use his skills in the return game and out of the backfield. Rookie running back Chris Ivory rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks, but he has been up and down all season filling in for Bush and Pierre Thomas.
The Saints had been a bit disappointing offensively through the first five games – averaging just under 20 points per game – but they have scored over 27 per game in the last five. Still, the OVER has cashed only twice during the most recent stretch due to the fact that New Orleans has played outstanding defense. Opponents have scored an average of 13.6 points in the last five games for the Saints.
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