The most intense competition in this game is most likely not between the two teams but between two members of the New Orleans Saints — Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill. In the wake of the retirement of future Hall of Famer Drew Brees, these two will vie for the job of Brees’ successor at quarterback. Hill got a hefty extension from the Saints in the off-season, and he got more action than Winston during Brees’ absence due to injury last season. However, he has a lower ceiling as far as athleticism in the pocket and arm strength down the field. Winston’s limitations come in the area of ball security, as he became the first quarterback in NFL history to post 30+ touchdown passes and 30+ interceptions in the same season back in 2019, his last year as the starter in Tampa Bay.
Let’s talk about how to leverage this game from a NFL betting perspective.
NFL Preview: New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens
When: Saturday, August 14, 2021, 7:00 PM ET
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
TV: No National Broadcast
Radio: WWL 870 AM New Orleans / WIYY 97.9 FM Baltimore
Live Stream: FuboTV
NFL Odds: New Orleans +2.5 / O/U 36 ½
Why should you bet on the Saints?
A challenge for the Saints so far has been the failure of either Winston or Hill to emerge as the early favorite. Both have shown signs of promise, but neither has performed well on a consistent basis. It could be that the Saints have two talented players — but not a franchise quarterback. The time that the Saints dedicate to seeing whether this is true or not will leave both of these players on the field for significant time instead of looking further down the depth chart, which should give the Saints an edge.
In the wide receiver group, Michael Thomas is projected to miss a significant amount of time, and so the Saints will look to see who is ready to step up. Deonte Harris, Juwan Johnson, Marquez Callaway and Jordan Humphrey should get a lot of time running routes. The Ravens have a stout cornerback group that could run six deep, but starters Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters are expected to sit the opener out.
Why should you put your money on the Ravens?
The Ravens know that Lamar Jackson is their starting quarterback, and so if he plays, he might get a series or two before giving way to Robert Griffin III and the rest of the depth chart. The wide receiving corps needed an upgrade in the offseason, and so the front office snagged Sammy Watkins from Kansas City via free agency and drafted Rashod Bateman in the first round out of Minnesota. An early training camp injury set his progress back, but he should still take the field and shine.
The Ravens also need to make a statement with their defense, as they were not able to shut down Buffalo in the divisional round of the playoffs last year. Their pass rush needs to improve, which should be an area of emphasis starting in the preseason opener. With both Saints quarterback struggling to find consistency, this could lead to some turnovers.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
The Saints will play their starting quarterback hopefuls longer than Baltimore will, which should mean greater offensive consistency for a longer part of the game. I would not pick the Ravens to lose this game in a regular season matchup, but I see the Saints winning, 20-16.
NFL Betting Odds
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