Around the NFL, most of the starting quarterback spots are locked down with varying degrees of firmness. One team that does have a battle taking place in the preseason is the New Orleans Saints, who play their first preseason game this afternoon vs. the Los Angeles Chargers (4:00 p.m. ET, NFL Network).
Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and rookie Tyler Shough are battling it out to be QB1 in New Orleans. All three will take the field tonight, with Rattler drawing the starting nod. Read on for our Saints vs. Chargers prediction and picks, complete with the best value odds from top online sportsbooks.
Saints vs. Chargers Prediction and Picks
Saints vs. Chargers Pick: Saints/Chargers over 38.5 (-110 at BetOnline)
The Chargers have a leg up on the Saints in preseason play, as they got things going last week with the Hall of Fame Game, in which they dispatched the Detroit Lions 34-7.
While Trey Lance got the start at QB in Canton, he will be the second man up this afternoon. Taylor Heinecke, who is #2 on the depth chart behind Justin Herbert, will draw the start instead. However, Lance, who was 13 for 20 for 120 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions, will reportedly draw most of the snaps, and rookie DJ Uiagalelei will also play.
While the Chargers very much have their guy, the Saints face a much different position under first-year head coach Kellen Moore.
This game will be the first opportunity to see some semblance of Moore’s approach as a head coach, and with the snaps meaningful for all three Saints QBs, this game might actually offer some entertainment value.
From a betting perspective, there’s no real point in going with either side here, especially when you’re not really sure what you might see from the Saints.
With that said, just based on how things have gone in this first full week of preseason games, the over is worth a small play. Of the first 14 games this week, 10 featured 39 or more points. Also, if you do feel inclined to pick a side, take their team total as well, as 13 of 14 winning teams have scored 20+ points this week.