NFL Week 16 Predictions: New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers
Sunday, 12/22/13, 1:00 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: Carolina -3
Current Betting Line: Carolina -3
Opening Total: 45.5
Current Total: 44.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Carolina Panthers are 3-4 SUATS as home favorites of three or fewer points the last two-plus seasons

New Orleans has alternated wins and losses over its last four games, as it looks to bounce back from a 27-16 defeat to the St. Louis Rams as 6.5-point road favorites last Sunday, while going UNDER the betting total for a fifth consecutive contest. The Saints have the opportunity to win the NFC South Division title and clinch the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a victory in this spot, which is important to consider when making your NFL betting predictions. The franchise is 3-4 SU on the road this season, including a 1-4 mark when its opponent scores first. New Orleans is 5-7 ATS as an underdog the last two-plus seasons.

The Saints are aiming for a pass-run ratio of 60-40 in this affair, as they’ve become too reliant on quarterback Drew Brees away from home, which can’t be ignored when looking over the pro football odds page. Brees threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns against the Panthers in a 31-13 victory as three-point home favorites two weeks ago, but seven of his 10 interceptions this season have come on the road.

Carolina is in control of its own destiny in regards to the division, as it comes off a 30-20 win as 10-point home favorites against the New York Jets in Week 15, while going OVER the betting total for the first time in six contests. The Panthers will need to protect signal-caller Cam Newton, who was sacked fifth times at New Orleans, but he’s gone down just 10 times in seven games at Bank of America Stadium. Carolina is 3-4 SUATS as home favorites of three or fewer points since the 2011 campaign.

The Panthers have won six consecutive games at home by an average of 18.7 points. Newton has averaged 9.35 yards per passing attempt in splitting a pair of games at this venue against the Saints. Carolina has averaged 178.5 yards rushing in its last 10 games versus Sunday’s opponent, but it ran the ball just 13 times in the first meeting.