The surging New Orleans Saints (2-0) head home in Week 3 of the 2024-25 NFL Season after putting up a combined 91 total points through their first two games. It won’t be an easy task to move to 3-0 on Sunday afternoon, as the visiting Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) are going to be hungry after a disappointing loss to Atlanta on Monday Night Football to close out Week 2.
Optimism is sky high for the Saints heading into Week 3, as they have been basically unstoppable on offense through their first two games against both Dallas and Carolina. On the other side, Philadelphia completely self-destructed in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter versus the Falcons, with Saquon Barkley dropping an easy catch on third down that would have put the game on ice for the Eagles. However, Philly is still 1-1 after an impressive win to open the season in exotic Brazil.
Scoring should come fast and furious in this particular matchup, as both teams have successfully put up at least 34 points in a single game already this year. Both defenses will certainly have their hands full defending against the run in particular, as Alvin Kamara has been red hot on the ground while the duo of Barkley and Hurts rushing the ball out of the backfield for the Eagles will certainly challenge New Orleans defensively as well.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Saints listed as 1-point home favorites. The spread has increased substantially after early betting, as New Orleans is currently available at -2.5 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 49.5 points, which is currently the highest total on the board here in Week 3. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised exclusively on FOX. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Philadelphia Eagles Falter Down the Stretch Against Atlanta
There is no doubt that the Eagles will be playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulder this weekend after a series of late errors cost them what seemed to be a sure victory in their home opener. Philadelphia took the lead midway through the fourth quarter but couldn’t find a way to close out the pesky Falcons down the stretch, as a costly drop by Saquon Barkley gave Kirk Cousins and Co. life. Instead of receiving a fresh set of downs and allowing Hurts to take a knee in victory formation, Atlanta received one more possession and promptly marched the length of the field in under a minute before capping the drive off with a seven yard TD strike to Drake London.
Jalen Hurts wasn’t at his best, throwing for just 183 yards and a touchdown through the air while also getting picked off once. Wideout DeVonta Smith led the way for Philly due to the absence of injured A.J. Brown, recording seven catches for 76 total receiving yards and a touchdown. Saquon Barkley followed up his breakout Week 1 performance with another quality outing, racking up just under 100 rushing yards on a game-high 22 carries.
The Eagles played well for the most part defensively despite allowing the game-winning touchdown with just seconds left on the clock, as they held Atlanta to under 350 total yards of offense and two touchdowns. However, they did stumble at times and give up some big yardage plays, including a 41 yard deep ball to veteran wideout Darnell Mooney.
New Orleans Saints Offensive Onslaught Continues Against Cowboys
There is no doubt who the hottest offense in the entire NFL is right now, as the Saints torched Dallas for 40+ points en route to their second consecutive win in which Carr and Co. put up at least 44 total points. New Orleans was unstoppable when they had the ball against the Cowboys, as RB Alvin Kamara found the end zone four different times while wideout Rasheed Shaheed scored another long touchdown after a strong performance against the lowly Panthers in Week 1.
The Saints also did a fantastic job slowing down a Dallas squad filled with a ton of talent on offense, limiting the Cowboys to well under 100 rushing yards on the ground. While CeeDee Lamb did record four catches for 90 yards and a touchdown, New Orleans forced two critical interceptions as well.
Our Eagles vs Saints NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
This should easily be one of the most entertaining games on the schedule here in Week 3, as oddsmakers feel very confident that this will be a fast-paced, back and forth affair with a ton of scoring on both sides. There is certainly no doubt which team is riding the most momentum heading into this matchup, as New Orleans has really performed above expectation on both sides of the ball and gets to play at home on Sunday.
It will be interesting to see how Philadelphia responds after such a deflating loss on Monday Night, as victory slipped away late despite being basically one three yard gain away from putting the game out of reach for good. The Eagles will be a bit thin at the wideout position again for this contest, as A.J. Brown is now expected to miss several more weeks due to a hamstring injury.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Saints -2.5
Despite the early movement increasing the spread by over a full point, I still think that New Orleans offers the best overall value in this particular spot. While I would have loved to jump on the Saints at -1, taking the home favorite up to -2.5 still seems like a sharp play overall. Not only is New Orleans playing extremely well on both sides of the ball right now, they also should benefit from receiving an extra full day of rest as Philadelphia will be forced to deal with a shorter recovery window after their Monday Night Football appearance in Week 2.
While I certainly don’t expect the Saints offense to just score at will for the duration of the regular season, they appear to be in a great spot again this weekend against an Eagles defense that has already allowed Green Bay to put up 30+ against them. Lay the 2.5 points and take a shot with the home favorite to keep things rolling here in what should be a very entertaining matchup.
