New Orleans Saints vs. Arizona Cardinals: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 10/20/2022

Time: 8:15 p.m. ET

Venue: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Where to watch: Prime Video

DraftKings: Cardinals -1.5

FanDuel: Cardinals -1.5

BetMGM: Cardinals -1.5

Caesars: Cardinals -1.5

Saints: 2-4

Cardinals: 2-4

Saints: lost 30-26 vs. Bengals

Cardinals: lost 19-9 at Seahawks

There’s absolutely no way that the football gods have given us this ridiculousness for a third week in a row. We have all gathered here today for the tomfoolery that is Thursday Night Football and we are relegated to another ridiculous matchup that is making Al Michaels die a little more inside for not staying with Sunday Night Football. We need to put someone else on those broadcasts who doesn’t care if the sky is blue or not. So if you’re really that desperate for something to do on a Thursday night, get on the board with the New Orleans Saints and the Arizona Cardinals.

I guess it’s a good place to start with the Saints after that collapse against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The return of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase to New Orleans, where they won a national championship – and the state of Louisiana where they took the world by storm a few years ago – was not spoiled by New Orleans. A Saints defense that already gives up 238 yards per game through the air saw Burrow and Chase connect seven times for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Burrow finished the day with 300 yards flat and three scores. Considering New Orleans did all it could do to hold Joe Mixon in check, it wasn’t enough. Andy Dalton threw for 162 yards and a touchdown, while Alvin Kamara ran for 99 yards on 19 carries.

"We didn't score enough touchdowns in the red zone and there lies the difference in the game," Saints coach Dennis Allen said. "Of all the things that go on in the game, it came down to that one statistical category."

It’s unclear right now who’s starting for the Saints this weekend between Dalton and Jameis Winston. The latter has been dealing with a number of injuries that has kept him out the last three weeks, but Dalton also being 1-2 through three starts has not mattered. The Saints, however, managed to put up 26 points without Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave, so take with that how you will.

But if there was a time for the Saints to pick on the litter, Glendale, Arizona is the sight to do it. The Cardinals are a mess and there’s no other way around it. Three losses out of four – four out of five had the Las Vegas Raiders taken care of business and not choked – has put the high-powered Cardinals on their heels. Kyler Murray has struggled, the offense has been held to just 19 points per game, putting a tired defense out there in many situations. The Cardinals were held to just 9 points in Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Murray threw for 222 yards and a pick, while running for 100 yards on 10 carries. 

"We can't finish. That's the moral of the story right now," Murray said. "We're not finishing drives. Not putting the ball in the end zone. Can't win like that."

But reinforcements may be on the way for the Cardinals in terms of weapons for Murray. Arizona traded for wide receiver Robby Anderson less than 24 hours after he was kicked off the field from interim coach Steve Wilks. The Carolina receiver hasn’t gotten his chance to succeed, but he will here. And Deandre Hopkins makes his season debut after missing the first six games due to a suspension. Those two should alleviate the absence left behind by Marquise Brown, out for an unknwon period of time due to a foot injury.

If Arizona doesn’t get it done this week, heads may roll in the desert. Cardinals by 7

Saints are 11-8 ATS on the road in their last nine.

Saints are 7-12 ATS off an over the last three years.

Cardinals are 5-14 ATS at home the last 19 games.

Passing: Jameis Winston -- 858 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT

Rushing: Alvin Kamara -- 302 yards

Receiving: Chris Olave -- 389 yards, 2 TD

Defense: Demario Davis -- 4 sacks

Passing: Kyler Murray -- 1,463 yards, 6 TD, 4 INT

Rushing: Kyler Murray -- 233 yards, 2 TD

Receiving: Marquise Brown -- 485 yards, 3 TD

Defense: J.J. Watt -- 2.5 sacks