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Chiefs vs. Saints Point Spread: NFL Pre-Season Week 1 Odds, Prediction
One team, the New Orleans Saints, made significant off-season changes. The other, the Kansas City Chiefs, fine-tuned certain positions based on what was available in the draft and who left for greener pastures. Although fans will only get to discover the fruit of their efforts starting in September, August provides a chance to test drive some of their new weapons.
They meet on the gridiron down in Louisiana on Sunday afternoon for some preseason action, with the NFL preseason odds indicating that New Orleans is favoured by a hair at -2.0.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
In August 2022, the Chiefs went 2-1. Victories were earned in their first two contests against the Packers and Commanders at home, but they fell in the final game to the Bears in Chicago. One can definitely tell it’s preseason football when a club like Kansas City only musters about 18 points per contest through weeks.
As for the Saints, their record was the flip side of Kansas City’s, having gone 1-2. Like the Chiefs, they too started the summer strong with a victory at home to the Chargers. That was followed up by losses away to the Packers and Texans.
Kansas City Chiefs
Even the Kansas City Chiefs know well enough by now that running it back is easier said than done. They won the Super Bowl in February of 2020 but then lost the big game a year later. They enter a new season as defending champions for the second time in four years.
As alluded to already, Andy Reid and company have spent the offseason balancing things out. Some players have left, like WR Juju Smith-Schuster (Patriots) and WR Mecole Hardman (Jets), but others have come in to take their place, such as Rashee Rice (draft) and Richie James (Giants). The splashy first-round draft pick wasn’t even for a flashy position at all, but an unsexy one that required some extra punch – defensive end Felix Anudike-Ozumah. A lot is made of the Chiefs’ offence – justifiably so – but the defence has been what’s let them down when they don’t win the Super Bowl.
Of note, Patrick Mahomes will play on Sunday, but only in the first quarter. He may not even partake in the entire first period either.
New Orleans Saints
When a team misses the postseason as the New Orleans Saints do, big changes are striven for. For two campaigns – 2021 and 2022 – the coaching staff dabbled with a mixture of Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, and Taysom Hill. That era is blessedly over. Enter Derek Carr, formerly of the Las Vegas Raiders.
WR Michael Thomas had one of the greatest seasons ever for a receiver in 2019 and has since been a ghost, largely due to long-term injury woes. A lot will rest on the shoulders of receiver Chris Olave should Thomas suffer more setbacks. Running back Alvin Kamara is on the roster but won’t play for the first three games of the season due to suspension. It’s like when the franchise takes a small step forward (signing Carr) something happens that forces a big step back (Kamara’s extra-curricular activities). To support the running back room they signed Jamaal Williams from the Detroit Lions.
The Saints bolstered the edge rushing in the second round of the draft with Isaiah Foskey. Bryan Bresee also came in to operate at defensive tackle.
KC
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