Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints Game Pick: TNF Prediction and Odds

Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints Game Pick: TNF Prediction and Odds

The 2-4 Cardinals host the 2-4 Saints on a short week in Thursday Night Football, and one team will get one game from .500 tonight. The Saints are tattered with injuries on both sides of the ball, while the Cardinals also have a few critical injuries. Which team can overcome their injuries and get back in the win column?

Cardinals vs. Saints Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds

• Date: October 20, 2022
• Game Time: 8:15 pm ET
• Where to Watch: Prime Video

Cardinals vs. Saints Odds

• Spread: Cardinals -3 (+100), Saints -3 (-110)
• Total Odds: Over 43.5 (-110), Under 43.5 (-105)
• Moneyline Odds: Cardinals (-140), Saints (+125)

Click Here for Cardinals vs. Saints Odds

Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Prediction

The injuries are significant on both sides in this contest. The Saints will be depleted in the receiving room, as Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry are both out in this one. Pro bowler Marshon Lattimore will miss his second game in a row. I expect the result to be short passes off to Kamara and tight ends Juwan Johnson and Adam Trautman all night.

On the Cardinals side, they are without leading receiver Marquise Brown and are still missing James Conner. They do get DeAndre Hopkins back, which will help immensely with Brown sidelined. However, the loss of Conner still looms large. Eno Benjamin, the backup, has not been able to get going, rushing for just 37 yards on 15 attempts last week against Seattle.

My favorite play in this game is to tease the Saints and the under. This game is set up to be a close affair that will find the Saints running it at will to extend drives and keep Kyler Murray off the field. The Cardinals have won just one game by more than nine points this season, and that was against the Panthers, which is not saying much. The Saints, conversely, have only lost one game by more than one possession this season, and that was a 10-20 loss against the Buccaneers. The under may seem scary when you consider the Saints have been in three-straight games with over 53 points, but the dynamic of this game will be different than those.

The Cardinal's defense has looked good lately, holding their last four opponents to 20 points or less, including games against the Seahawks, Eagles, and Rams. J.J. Watt and Zack Allen have been pressuring opposing quarterbacks, while Budda Baker and Byron Murphy Jr. Have been excellent at shutting down the passing game. This defense will now face a Saints offense without two of their best receivers, Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry. They do get Chris Olave back, but he is coming off a concussion and could start a bit slow as he tries to get back into the swing of things. This means the Saints should be running the ball through Kamara early and often. Kamara will be the best offensive weapon on the Saints tonight, and the more they feed him, the more the clock stays running, favoring the under.

The Saint's defense will have a tough test ahead without Marshon Lattimore, but they still have newly-acquired Tyrann Mathieu, who is one of the best safeties in the league. Mathieu should be able to help out Adebo in coverage, while Demario Davis shuts down the middle of the field as one of the best linebackers in the league. Kyler Murray is getting Hopkins back, but he will miss out on his favorite target so far this year, Marquise Brown. Given that Murray isn't one to look to the long ball much, I expect him to use short passes to Rondale Moore out of the slot a lot tonight.

Bet $5, Win $200 Extra on your favorite NFL Moneyline now, with this HUGE DraftKings promo code!

Let's not forget how successful the under has been on Thursday nights. Teams have less preparation time, leading to slower games with more turnovers and more running than usual. The under is 16-4 in the last 20 Thursday night games and 5-1 to the under this season. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

In a slower style of game, I favor the team with the better running back, and that is Alvin Kamara on the Saints. The Saints are second overall in rushing DVOA, which will test the Cardinals 11th ranked rushing defense. With offensive injuries on both sides of the ball, we should see the defenses shine in tonight's game, just like many of the other primetime games this season. Therefore, the best bet is to take the extra points with the Saints and the under.

Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Prediction

2U Pick: Saints +8.5 / Under 50 Teaser @ -120 (Bet $120 collect $367)

Additional Thursday Night Football Picks

• Cardinals vs Saints Pick
• Cardinals vs Saints Player Prop
• Cardinals vs Saints ATD Picks
• Cardinals vs Saints Same-Game Parlay

The best sportsbook offers in your state in one place. One click, that's all.