Week 7 in the NFL kicks off with the New Orleans Saints hosting the Denver Broncos at the Caesars Superdome on Thursday Night Football.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have a strong pass rush. Six players have already recorded at least two sacks this season, and outside linebacker Jonathan Cooper leads the team with 4.5 sacks.
The New Orleans Saints are aware of the threat posed by the Broncos’ pass rush, and it will be crucial for the Saints to prevent the Broncos’ pass rush from dominating the game.
Denver’s defense ranks in the top 10 in several NFL categories, including points allowed (fourth), passing yards allowed (fifth), and red zone efficiency (first).
While the Broncos have a strong defense, the Saints may find opportunities to exploit Denver’s third-down defense (ranked 19th) and run defense (ranked 14th in yards allowed), especially utilizing the skills of running backs Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams.
However, the Broncos will be missing All-Pro CB Patrick Surtain, which may hinder their pass rush.
On the offensive side of the field, Bo Nix’s five NFL starts compared to Spencer Rattler’s, give him valuable experience that should prove beneficial in this game.
Denver has only managed three completions of 30 yards so far this season, but this should change if they focus more on their running game to support their passing attack. Going into Week 6, Denver had the 12th-most pass attempts but the lowest average yards per completion.
While the Broncos may not boast the strongest passing game, their running game shows promise. They rank 18th in yards per rush attempt, 12th in runs of 10+ yards, and 12th in rushing success rate.
New Orleans Saints
Spencer Rattler will be starting his second game for the Saints. Last Sunday, he led the team to four consecutive scores in the first half, but the offense struggled afterward. Their final eight drives resulted in five punts and two interceptions by Rattler, who was sacked five times.
In hindsight, it was probably not ideal for Rattler to throw 40 passes in his first NFL game. Against Denver, we’ll likely see fewer passes from Rattler and more handoffs to Kamara and Jamaal Williams.
Rattler will need to make smart decisions and take some chances to keep the Denver defense honest.
The team will be without guard Cesar Ruiz due to a knee injury and wide receivers Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee).
Additionally, quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) and tight end Taysom Hill (rib) are doubtful, while center/guard Lucas Patrick (chest) is also questionable for this upcoming game.
Due to Olave and Shaheed being sidelined, the Saints’ passing game is likely to heavily rely on running back Alvin Kamara and tight ends Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson.
Kamara leads the team in receptions with 28 catches and 238 yards receiving. Moreau and Johnson have a combined 21 catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns.
The Saints defense had a strong start against the run this season, but it has seen a significant decline since then. They currently rank 20th in rushing yards allowed per game (133) and 30th in yards per attempt allowed (5.2).
The defense is under scrutiny following a disappointing performance, they allowed 51 points against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite forcing three interceptions. In the loss to Tampa last Sunday, the Saints missed 15 tackles and surrendered 242 yards after the catch.
Broncos-Saints Best Bet
This game is going to be a defensive slugfest. Both of these teams have struggled to score with their rookie QBs. Although Sean Payton is the better coach in this game, I’m not expecting a ton of points.
Oddsmakers have set a very low total of 37 points in this one, so I’ll pass and take a side. This Broncos team will want to perform well for Payton, making his return to the Superdome for the first time since the end of the 2021 season.
The spread in this one is 2.5 to 3 points, and it will be uncomfortable at times, but laying the points with the Broncos is the best bet.
