Cardinals at Saints Odds
- Odds: Saints -10
- Over/Under: 48
- Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: CBS
Odds as of Thursday evening and via PointsBet, where Action Network users can access an exclusive promotion to get a 200% deposit match (deposit $50, bet with $150).
Editor's note: Drew Brees will start for the Saints; Alvin Kamara is questionable but reportedly won't play.
Who will start for the Saints under center isn't set in stone, but even without that information, sportsbooks see the red-hot Saints as double-digit favorites. Bettors have also looked past that fact with 53% of betting tickets backing New Orleans at home as of Thursday evening.
Should you back the Saints regardless of who winds up starting?
Our experts look at the biggest matchups for this game below.
Cardinals-Saints Injury Report
Which team is healthier? Cardinals (barely)
The biggest injury on the Cardinals remains David Johnson (ankle). He hasn’t practiced this week, so even if he’s active this week, will he actually be active, or just “active”?
Jared Cook (ankle) looks likely to be out again since he’s failed to get in a practice yet this week. Alvin Kamara (ankle) returned to limited practice on Thursday after sitting out on Wednesday.
Brees (thumb) has also practiced in a limited fashion all week. Brees has been pushing to play this week, so it’ll be interesting to see what Sean Payton does with Brees and Kamara since the Saints are on bye next week. — Justin Bailey
Note: Info as of Thursday. See our Injury Report for daily practice participation and game statuses up until kickoff.
Biggest Mismatch
Saints rushing attack vs. Cardinals Run Defense
The Saints' offensive line has been on of the most consistent and productive units in the NFL. By maintaining continuity from last season and avoiding injury, the line has propelled their rushing attack to carry the offense during the absence of Brees.
Even without the services of star running back Alvin Kamara last week, the Saints went on the road to Chicago, and torched a strong Bears defense on the ground for 151 rushing yards and a 4.3 yards per carry average. Their rushing attack failed to miss a beat behind Latavius Murray who gained 119 yards and scored twice.
Enter the Cardinals' defense, which has struggled to find an identity all season, ranking 28th overall in defensive DVOA (per Football Outsiders). The Cardinals are equally poor against both the run and pass, ranking 26th in efficiency in both categories.
Whether Kamara returns, the Saints will stay with their game plan that has helped them go 5-0 in Brees' absence. They'll look to establish the run and should be able to do so behind Murray, who showcased his own dual-threat ability against the Bears.
Last week’s return of All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson for Arizona's defense will likely encourage the Saints to skew even more run heavy than normal.
Teddy Bridgewater leads a conservative Saints offense at home, where the Saints have dominated on the ground.
In games against the Cowboys (117 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry) and the stout Tampa Bay run defense (112 rushing yards, 3.6 yards per carry), the Saints have found a way to control the time of possession through their efficient ground game.
The Cardinals will likely find success on offense with their spread attack, even against a strong Saints offense. But the question will be, can Arizona find a way to stifle a rushing attack that has been productive all season? And if Brees plays, it makes the Saints offense even tougher to scheme against.
If the 10-point underdog Cardinals have any hope to win this game, they're going to find a way to matchup against one of the league's best offensive lines and limit the Saints rushing attack. — Mike Randle
