Titans vs. Saints Point Spread: NFL Week 1 Odds, Prediction
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Nik Kowalski
Both clubs are coming off 7-10 seasons in which they fell short of the playoffs. But instead of rebuilding, both clubs have division title hopes.
New Orleans enters the season as the favourite to come out of the NFC South, sitting at +121 to win the division. The Titans have the second-best odds to win the AFC South at +351. But as we’ve seen before with Mike Vrabel-led teams, it’s not easy to count the pesky Titans out.
Kickoff at Caesars Superdome gets going at 1 p.m. EDT, with the Saints -3 on home field and the over-under listed at 41 on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Tennessee ended their 2022 campaign dropping all of their final seven games. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s injury didn’t help the Titans cause as they failed to reach 20 points in any of their final three losses with Tannehill. Tennessee finished fifth-worst in the NFL with 17.5 points per game last season.
The Saints have a veteran group on defence that last season again finished in the top 10 in points allowed. New Orleans finished 2022 having their last six games all finish under the total.
Tennessee has been victorious in six of their last eight meetings with the Saints, who are 4-1 outright in their last five Week 1 outings and 7-2 in their last nine games as a favourite.
Tennessee Titans
The major addition to Tennessee’s offence this off-season was DeAndre Hopkins. The three-time first team All-Pro receiver instantly becomes Tennessee’s top receiving option in a group mainly of up-and-comers: receiver Treylon Burks and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo to be specific. Running back Derrick Henry is back for year eight in the NFL but some serious offensive line concerns have many skeptical about this Titans offence as a whole.
Tennessee gave superstar defensive lineman Jeffrey Simmons a four-year $94-million extension, and star safety Kevin Byard is back under contract too. Linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Arden Key, plus cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting all came over in free agency and are expected to start on D, a unit that should be pretty solid for Tennessee.
New Orleans Saints
If rookie phenom Chris Olave can take another step in year two and an older Michael Thomas can be a productive, healthy WR2 option, Derek Carr’s offence has a ton of potential. The latter is a big question mark though, as is New Orleans’ running back plan. Alvin Kamara had a down year by his standards last season and is suspended for three games to start the season. Free agent signing and 2022 touchdown-leader Jamaal Williams will start in Kamara’s place for now.
The Saints lost defensive linemen Marcus Davenport and Davis Onyemata but added Nathan Shepherd to the line from the Jets. Veterans Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, Tyrann Mathieu, and Marshon Lattimore all remain on this unit but the question is can they all still play at that same high level?
TEN
NO