NFL Week 14 – New Orleans vs Tennessee
Two teams on winning streaks meet in Tennessee on Sunday when the New Orleans Saints, winners of four straight games take on the Tennessee Titans who are on a modest two game winning streak.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (9-3) vs. TENNESSEE TITANS (7-5)
Date/Time: Sunday, December 11, 1:00 PM ET
Venue: LP Field, Memphis Tennessee
Broadcast: FOX
Saints vs. Titans Betting Lines from betonline.com
Spread: Saints -3 ½
Moneyline: Saints -205: Titans +175
Over/Under: 48 ½ points
The oddsmakers favor the Saints in this one but by a curiously low 3 ½ points.
The New Orleans Saints have looked utterly unstoppable during their four game win streak outscoring their opponents 133-80 in those games. Brees has been sensational, throwing for 1,027 yards with a 9-to-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio over his last three games. He has now thrown for 300 yards in nine games this season. Tennessee’s 18th ranked pass defense will definitely have their hands full!
The Saints enter the game with the best passing game in the NFL (325.33 yards per game) and the league’s 8th ranked running game. Marques Colston, Robert Meachem and especially Jimmy Graham who is on the cusp of breaking the record for receiving yards for Tight Ends present enormous matchup problems for any team. The three headed rushing monster of Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas are also an absolute nightmare to contend with.
The New Orleans defense is definitely their weakness. They are 27th overall allowing 3778.8 yards per game are 30th versus the pass and 16th against the run.
The Tennessee Titans have quietly won two straight games and find themselves within two games of Houston in the AFC South race. Needless to say, the Titans have a lot to play for down the stretch. Every game from now on is essentially a playoff game for Tennessee – expect them to be at their best on Sunday!
There is absolutely zero question as to why the Titans are in the position that they are in! Chris Johnson has woken up and is terrorizing the league once again. Johnson had his third 100-yard rushing performance in his last four games during a 23-17 win over the Bills in Week 13. Johnson went for 153 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday to follow up a Week 12 performance that he rushed for 190 yards. That`s 343 yards in two games! Now he gets a crack at the NFL’s 16th ranked run defense. He will pile up some yards and will help keep the vaunted New Orleans offense off the field. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
It is hard to imagine the Titans 18th ranked passing game doing any damage in this game. Matt Hasselbeck and crew are simply game managers at this point in time.
Tennessee’s defense has been solid but not spectacular this season – 18th against the pass and 21st versus the run. As mentioned, this defense has their work cut out for them against one of the most prolific offenses that the NFL has seen in quite some time.
Betting Prediction: The New Orleans saints are not great on the road – just 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games on the road and 1-9 ATS in their last seven games as road favourite. In their last six games against Tennessee, the Saints are 1-5 SU and 1-4-1 ATS.
The Tennessee Titans are 4-2 SU and 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games. They are 9-2 ATS as a home underdog and they are 5-2 SU in their last seven on home turf. The Titans have beaten the Saints four straight times.
Throw all of the stats out the window in this one. Drew Brees is the man. Every time that the Saints offense gets on the field they score. You just can’t say that about the Tennessee offense. Sure Chris Johnson might do some damage but there is no way that Tennessee can keep up with this offense. 3 ½ points looks like a gift to me!
Pick: New Orleans Saints -3 ½
