Injuries cause favorite to flip on Broncos-Saints game Thursday
The Saints opened as 1½-point favorites over the Broncos, but the consensus favorite has flipped to Denver -3 (even) in this week’s “Thursday Night Football” game at New Orleans.
“We have early sharp play on Denver +1 and pick, and some (Thursday) on New Orleans +3 -110,” Westgate SuperBook vice president of risk Jeff Sherman said. “Line went from pick quickly towards 3 with all the mounting Saints injuries.”
The Broncos are -2½ at the South Point sportsbook in former Saints coach Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans. Payton guided the Saints to a Super Bowl title in 2010.
New Orleans will be without wide receivers Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed (knee) on Thursday. Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will start his second straight game in place of injured starter Derek Carr (oblique). The Saints were whipped 51-27 by the Buccaneers on Sunday in Rattler’s first NFL start.
“You’ve seen a dramatic swing in the odds really based on injuries more than anything else,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “The ticket count actually favors the Saints a little bit at 56 percent. But, because of injuries and more money coming in on the Broncos, you’ve seen the Saints go from a 1½-point favorite to a 3-point ‘dog.
“I think we’re going to need the Saints when it kicks off. I think we’ll see more Broncos money just because of the rookie quarterback and all the injuries on the Saints side.”
Denver saw its three-game win and cover streak end in last week’s 23-16 home loss to the Chargers. The Broncos are 3-0 ATS on the road this season.
New Orleans has lost four straight (1-3 ATS) following a sensational 2-0 start in which it scored 91 points.
The consensus total is the lowest on the NFL Week 7 betting board at 37. The Saints have a 4-2 over-under mark. The Broncos have gone over in their last two games and have a 3-3 over-under record.
“In prime-time games we see a lot more action on the total,” Esposito said. “Eighty percent of the tickets are on the over.”
Denver is -150 on the money line, while New Orleans is +130.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.