Game: New York Giants at New Orleans Saints

Date: October 5th at 1:00 PM ET

Where to Watch: CBS

Tomorrow marks the New Orleans Saints’ fifth game of the year, as they look to secure their first win of the season. Coming into “The Big Easy” this week are the New York Giants, fresh off their first victory of the year in a tightly contested battle against the Los Angeles Chargers. That game also marked the first start for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who managed the game effectively while the Giants’ defense stepped up when needed most. Unfortunately, New York did lose star wide receiver Malik Nabers for the remainder of the season. As for the Saints, last week’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills went about as expected, though they managed to show some fight even with their backs against the wall against a tough opponent. While this matchup may not attract the attention of most fans across the country, it will still be intriguing to see how these two young teams stack up against each other.

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Betting Overview

For the first time this season, the Saints enter a game as the favorites, opening at -1.5 and now sitting as 2 or even 2.5 point favorites at some sportsbooks. The moneyline originally had the Giants slightly favored, but movement has shifted in New Orleans’ direction, with the Saints now listed between -120 and -135, while the Giants sit between even money and +115. The total has seen little movement overall, holding steady between 41 and 42.5 depending on the book.

Position Group & Coaching Comparisons

Coaching: The coaching comparison here could really go either way, as neither staff is truly proven. Since Brian Daboll and his group have at least shown they’re capable of winning, I’ll give them a very slight edge.

DLs vs. OLs: Neither offensive line is particularly strong, but New York has the superior defensive line, giving them the advantage in the trenches.

QBs: It feels odd to give the edge to a quarterback with only one start, but through 10 starts, Spencer Rattler hasn’t consistently put his team in position to win.

RBs & TEs vs. LBs: The Saints have the clear advantage here, as they’re stronger across all three position groups. They may also get the boost of tight end Taysom Hill’s return this week.

WRs vs. Secondaries: With the season-ending injury to Malik Nabers and shaky secondary play, the Giants are at a disadvantage. The Saints’ secondary has held up well, and they have more offensive weapons on the perimeter.

Betting Trends

These two squads faced off late last season, with the Saints pulling out the win, but the Giants covering the spread and the under cashing.

Through four games this year, the Giants sit at 2-2 ATS, including a 1-1 ATS mark on the road. Totals have leaned toward the under in Giants games, hitting in three of four, though their road splits are even at one apiece.

The Saints, meanwhile, picked up their first cover of the year last week despite losing the game, moving them to 1-3 ATS overall. Since that game was on the road, their home ATS record remains 0-2. Totals have tilted toward the over in Saints games, cashing in three of four, though at home the over/under has split evenly at one apiece.

Final Thoughts

This matchup has plenty of intriguing angles, and it truly feels like it could swing either way. With the Saints showing some fight on the road last week, returning home as slight favorites sets up as a prime opportunity for them to finally secure a win. As for the total, I’d likely steer clear, since it could break in either direction.