What a matchup it’s going to be at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome this weekend between Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams and Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints. Will the Rams score a mild upset by defeating the Saints on the road? Or will Drew Brees and company book a ticket to Super Bowl 53? Going into the game, the sportsbook likes the Saints over the Rams by just over a field goal. NFL Futures list Los Angeles at +300 to win it all this season while New Orleans is priced at +180 to take the Super Bowl.
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Betting Preview for the Los Angeles Rams vs New Orleans Saints NFL NFC Conference Championship Game on January 20, 2019
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
When: Sunday, January 20, 2019 3:05 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Rams (+3.5) vs New Orleans Saints (-3.5) – view all 2018 NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Los Angeles Rams (13-3 Regular Season)
The Rams took care of their own business last weekend, downing the Dallas Cowboys at home in the divisional round to the tune of a 30-22 score. And how the Rams beat Dallas should send a strong message to the Saints’ defense because their backfield that is already hard to stop with only Todd Gurley running a show there, is now a two-headed monster affair with veteran C.J. Anderson adding flair to the team’s offense. Against the Cowboys, Anderson rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. He wasn’t the only 100-yard rusher for the Rams that day, though, as Gurley went off for 115 yards on the ground with a touchdown. The Saints held the Philadelphia Eagles last week to only 49 rushing yards, but it’s a safe bet that they are not going to be as successful containing Anderson and Gurley. Defensively, the Rams’ defensive line that features Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh should make life harder for Brees in the pocket. Donald had 20.5 sacks in the regular season, while Suh and Michael Brockers have 5.5 in total.
On the road during the regular season, Los Angeles went 6-2 straight up (SU) and 4-4 against the spread (ATS) while the under is 3-0 in the Rams’ last three games away from home.
Betting on the New Orleans Saints (13-3 Regular Season)
The Saints made sure that there’s going to be a new Super Bowl champion this season after thumping Philadelphia at home last Sunday, 20-14. Drew Brees delivered a solid performance for the Saints, passing for 301 yards and two touchdowns against an interception on 28-of-38 completions. Wide receiver Michael Thomas set a new single-game franchise playoff record by racking up 171 receiving yards and a touchdown on 12 receptions and 16 targets. Brees and Thomas, however, aren’t the potential source of headache for the Rams this coming weekend. The tandem of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, who combined for 124 rushing yards in the Eagles game, will look to take advantage of Los Angeles’ run defense that gave up two touchdowns to the Cowboys in the divisional round. This is why Thomas can always find himself with plenty of space between him and his defender, as opponents often account for Kamara’s pass-catching ability in addition to his and Ingram’s ability to explode with the ball out of the backfield.
The Saints are 4-3 ATS in their last seven home games.
Writer’s Prediction
New Orleans wins, 30-27.
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