NFL Betting – Los Angeles Chargers at New Orleans Saints
The Los Angeles Chargers continue their tour against the best quarterbacks in the NFL facing off with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Week 5 Monday Night Football. Tom Brady lit up the Bolts last week tossing five touchdown passes and Brees looks to repeat that performance. Brees and Brady rank first and second respectively in career passing yards and passing touchdowns. Rookie Justin Herbert has a long way to go, but he’ll get more opportunities now that he’s been named the Bolts’ starter. The first order of business is to end a three game-losing streak that has LA at 1-3 on the year. The Chargers are an 7-point dog on the current NFL betting line. Bookmaker is offering a generous welcome bonus (max bonus $1600).
Los Angeles Chargers at New Orleans Saints
Date and Time: Monday, October 12, 2020, 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
NFL Odds: Saints -7, O/U 50
Chargers at Saints TV Coverage: ESPN
Odds Analysis
Action on the Bolts pushed the spread up to -7 after hitting the board a half-point higher. It looks like the betting public still has reservations about Brees, though he played better in a 35-29 win over Detroit that ended a two-game SU and ATS losing skid. New Orleans has been favored in every game this season but this is the largest spread. Not to worry, though. The Saints have won and covered the last three games when laying at least 7-points on the closing line. LA has lost three in a row but the games have been close with a margin of only 15 points combined. They probably should’ve beaten Kansas City in Week 2, instead falling by a field goal in overtime. And last week was a crusher in Tampa blowing a 24-7 lead. The Bolts covered the line in those games and they are 3-1 ATS. The total was wagered down to 50 after opening at 52.
Los Angeles Chargers
You have to feel bad for Tyrod Taylor losing the starting job when a team doctor punctured his lung giving a pain shot. The job was going to be Herbert’s eventually. The errant injection just sped up the process. You might recall a few years ago Taylor was the Browns starter with No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield waiting to eventually take over. Taylor was hurt in an early season loss that season and Mayfield never gave up the spot.
The move was made official earlier in the week by Anthony Lynn following another strong performance from Herbert. The sixth-overall pick in the draft completed 20 of 25 for 290 yards and three touchdowns against the Bucs. Their point total in the 38-31 setback was the highest of the season. “I’ve seen enough. He’s impressed from the very beginning. This young man is going to continue to get better, and I know we can win with him. I believe that,” Lynn said of Herbert.
The backfield sustained a blow when Austin Ekeler was hurt last week keeping him out for the next several games. Ekeler elevated his game making Melvin Gordon expendable; letting Gordon go hurt depth at running back, though. Joshua Kelley will now be the featured back as long as he can hold onto the football. He lost a fumble in each of the last two games with opponents capitalizing with a touchdown both times.
New Orleans Saints
After losing two straight games and falling behind Detroit 14-0 last week, things weren’t looking good for the Saints. Something happened on their way to a 1-3 start, though. That something was the Detroit Lions, notorious for losing double-digit leads under Matt Patricia. Not throwing in the towel the Saints rallied for five straight touchdowns to take control.
Not having Michael Thomas has hurt the passing game. However, it’s allowed Brees to forge a connection with Tre’Quan Smith and Emmanuel Sanders, and should make the aerial attack that much better when Thomas does return. That won’t be this week, though. Smith finished last week with five catches for 54 yards, but they were big receptions. Two went for touchdowns and another for a third-down conversion in the final minutes. Sanders had his best game in a Saints uniform hauling in six passes for 93 yards.
Overcoming all the obstacles to win last week was huge. There was a false positive COVID test forcing another round of testing the night before game day, and the Saints were down six starters – three on each side of the football – due to injury. They showed off their impressive depth and a compete level that was absent the previous two weeks. “Everybody just persevered and we found a way to get a big win,” Brees said.
Bet Chargers at Saints at BookMaker.eu
Facing another future Hall of Famer after living through it the week before, the Chargers should at least be well prepared. Blowing a big lead against the Bucs is going to sting, but rebuilding teams go through games like that. The Saints are still trying to figure things out so a blowout is likely out of the question. That’s enough to back the visitors and the points.
NFL Score Prediction: Saints 31, Chargers 26
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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com
