Al DeMarco Sunday's Play 15 Dime Play - New Orleans
Note: This line is fluctuating between 7 and 7 1/2 points. In either case, I urge you to buy down the 1/2 point, reducing New Orleans to either a -6' or -7 favorite. I don't think I have to explain the implications of doing so in the even of the Saints winning the contest by just a touchdown.
New Orleans is 8-1 ATS in its last nine home games, a stretch in which Drew Brees has completed 68% of his passes, averaged 332 yards per game, and fired 29 TD strikes. After consecutive double-digit road routs of Philadelphia and Buffalo, the Saints find themselves hosting a New York squad that's 2-7 ATS in its last nine road outings versus the NFC.
Like New Orleans, the Jets carry a 3-0 record into this contest following an opening-week road win at Houston and consecutive home victories against New England and Tennessee. But New York's defense has yet to be tested by an offense as productive or diversified as the one it faces today as the Saints are averaging 40 points and 438 total yards a game. Rex Ryan's stop unit has played well, but today it takes the field with a banged-up secondary against Brees and his outstanding corps of receivers.
Although Brees gets the bulk of publicity for his team's offensive exploits, the key to its success this season has been a strong ground game. Mike Bell, the former Bronco castoff, powered the rushing attack in the season's first two games (143 yards vs. Detroit; 86 yards at Philly). In his absence last week at Buffalo, former starter Pierre Thomas returned from injury and carried the ball 14 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns in his season debut. Their contributions have limited Reggie Bush's workload, making him more effective as a situational contributor (13 carries/64 yards rushing plus 3 receptions vs. Buffalo).
New York's 24-7 season-opening road rout of Houston is less impressive in hindsight considering how awful the Texans have played defensively. The 16-9 home upset of New England was a solid win, despite rookie Mark Sanchez's struggles for most of the game, but it came against a foe missing numerous defensive contributors. Last Sunday's 24-17 win versus visiting Tennessee was less than inspiring considering the Jets managed just 11 first downs and 229 total yards as 14 of their points resulted from two costly turnovers committed by the Titans.
This is a statement game for the Saints, one where they can announce to the nation and league they're a serious playoff contender with a solid double-digit rout of the undefeated Jets and their rookie field general Rex Ryan, who is easily the early leader in the Coach of the Year derby.
This is not the Saints of years gone by, a team that relied on Brees exclusively to move the chains because of its unproductive ground game and porous defense. Bell and Thomas have given Brees the ground support he lacked, while new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has instilled a toughness and bite missing in years past with his unit responding with nine takeaways in three games.
New Orleans has covered five of its last six versus the AFC.
Note: This line is fluctuating between 7 and 7 1/2 points. In either case, I urge you to buy down the 1/2 point, reducing New Orleans to either a -6' or -7 favorite. I don't think I have to explain the implications of doing so in the even of the Saints winning the contest by just a touchdown.
New Orleans is 8-1 ATS in its last nine home games, a stretch in which Drew Brees has completed 68% of his passes, averaged 332 yards per game, and fired 29 TD strikes. After consecutive double-digit road routs of Philadelphia and Buffalo, the Saints find themselves hosting a New York squad that's 2-7 ATS in its last nine road outings versus the NFC.
Like New Orleans, the Jets carry a 3-0 record into this contest following an opening-week road win at Houston and consecutive home victories against New England and Tennessee. But New York's defense has yet to be tested by an offense as productive or diversified as the one it faces today as the Saints are averaging 40 points and 438 total yards a game. Rex Ryan's stop unit has played well, but today it takes the field with a banged-up secondary against Brees and his outstanding corps of receivers.
Although Brees gets the bulk of publicity for his team's offensive exploits, the key to its success this season has been a strong ground game. Mike Bell, the former Bronco castoff, powered the rushing attack in the season's first two games (143 yards vs. Detroit; 86 yards at Philly). In his absence last week at Buffalo, former starter Pierre Thomas returned from injury and carried the ball 14 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns in his season debut. Their contributions have limited Reggie Bush's workload, making him more effective as a situational contributor (13 carries/64 yards rushing plus 3 receptions vs. Buffalo).
New York's 24-7 season-opening road rout of Houston is less impressive in hindsight considering how awful the Texans have played defensively. The 16-9 home upset of New England was a solid win, despite rookie Mark Sanchez's struggles for most of the game, but it came against a foe missing numerous defensive contributors. Last Sunday's 24-17 win versus visiting Tennessee was less than inspiring considering the Jets managed just 11 first downs and 229 total yards as 14 of their points resulted from two costly turnovers committed by the Titans.
This is a statement game for the Saints, one where they can announce to the nation and league they're a serious playoff contender with a solid double-digit rout of the undefeated Jets and their rookie field general Rex Ryan, who is easily the early leader in the Coach of the Year derby.
This is not the Saints of years gone by, a team that relied on Brees exclusively to move the chains because of its unproductive ground game and porous defense. Bell and Thomas have given Brees the ground support he lacked, while new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has instilled a toughness and bite missing in years past with his unit responding with nine takeaways in three games.
New Orleans has covered five of its last six versus the AFC.
