The Los Angeles Rams hit the road and travel to the Big Easy to take on the New Orleans on Sunday to determine who will represent the National Football Conference in this year’s edition of the Super Bowl.
Los Angeles eliminated Dallas 30-22 in the divisional playoff round while New Orleans ousted the defending champions Philadelphia Eagles 20-14 to book their spot in Sunday’s NFC title game.
The Los Angeles Rams won the NFC West Division after going 13-3 on the season including and unbeaten 6-0 in divisional play. Los Angeles then proceeded to knocking off the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round to move within one win of entering this year’s Super Bowl. They will have to get that win on the road though as they face the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in Louisiana.
Quarterback Jared Goff threw for 168 yards with no interception during the Rams’ win over the Cowboys. Goff went for 4,688 passing yards with 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on the season. Running back Todd Gurley led the league in touchdowns (17) and finished third in rushing yards (1,251) this season. C.J. Anderson has been a revelation for Los Angeles as he has rushed for 422 yards in the three games he’s played with the Rams, including 123 against the Cowboys last week.
Los Angeles Rams vs New Orleans Saints 1/20/19
Moneyline Odds: Rams +165, Saints -185
Odds from gtbets.eu as of 1/16/19
The New Orleans Saints lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on opening week and then racked up 10 consecutive wins to move to the top of the NFC South Standings. When all was said and done, the Saints finished with a 13-3 record including 4-2 in divisional play to earn their place in Sunday’s NFC championship game.
Drew Brees had a sensational season for New Orleans. Brees threw for 3,992 passing yards with 32 touchdowns and 5 interceptions during the regular season. Brees threw 301 yards with two touchdowns and one interception during the Saints’ victory over the Eagles. Alvin Kamara ran for 883 yards with 14 touchdowns for New Orleans. Michael Thomas led the NFL with 125 receptions and had a total of 1,405 yards with 9 touchdowns this season.
The Rams are 14-3 SU in their last 17 games played and 9-2 SU in their last 11 games on the road. The Saints are 14-2 SU in their last 16 games played and New Orleans is 15-2 SU in their last 17 home games. Head to head, the Saints are 4-2 SU in their last six home games against the Rams.
The home team has won ten consecutive conference championships in the NFL. In those 10 title games, the favorites went 8-2 SU and the last team to win the NFC conference championship on the road was San Francisco 49ers in 2012.
The Rams have plenty of talent on board and have an offense that scored 30 or more points in seven out of their last nine games played. But their defense gives up too much that the Rams struggled to put teams away. On the other hand, the New Orleans Saints have the kind of offense that can keep pace with the elite teams in the NFL. But it’s their defense that makes them special. The New Orleans defense has allowed 17 or fewer points in seven out of their last nine games and in a playoff game like this one, it’s defense that’s going to be the difference maker.
We’re picking the New Orleans Saints to beat the Los Angeles Rams on 1/20/19.
Los Angeles is 4-2 ATS in their last six games played while New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in their last six games. Head to head, the Rams are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games against the Saints but the Saints are 4-2 ATS in their last six games against the Rams when playing in New Orleans.
Los Angeles Rams vs New Orleans Saints 1/20/19
Spread Odds: Rams +3 (+111), Saints -3 (-129)
Odds from gtbets.eu as of 1/16/19
The Rams have lost three straight games, both SU and ATS, to the Saints in New Orleans including the 45-35 shootout in Week 9. The Rams are also 2-5 ATS in their last seven playoff games and 1-3-1 ATS in their last five road playoff games. The Saints are 5-2 ATS in their last seven January games and the home team is 7-0 ATS in the last seven meetings between these two teams. I’m expecting a good game her but I think the Saints are going to win by a touchdown or so. I’ll give away the plus points and roll with the home team.
Prediction: Saints -3
The total has gone under in 5 of the Rams’ last 6 road games played. The under is 6-2 in the Saints’ last eight games played but the total has gone over in five out of the last six games between these two teams in new Orleans.
Los Angeles Rams vs New Orleans Saints 1/20/19
Over/Under Odds: Over 56.5 -109, Under 56.5 -109
Odds from gtbets.eu as of 1/16/19
At first glance, 57 looks like a high total but really, we’ve seen higher totals before in the NFL playoffs. The over has been the play in the NFC title game as each of the last four NFC championship games have registered a score higher than their closing totals. I think this game has shootout written all over it.
Prediction: Over 56.5
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