Saints Fly to NY to take on the G-Men. The New York Giants finished 3rd in the NFC East last season, but that isn’t stopping them from coming in as NFL betting favorites to take the division in 2016. The East is notorious for being up for grabs and last year the Washington Redskins were the ones to come away with it. Some fans might think the Redskins have a good chance of winning the division this season, but in the last 11 years no team has won the East consecutively. After seeing the way Washington performed against Pittsburgh, it doesn’t seem like they’re going to snap the streak. The Giants, on the other hand, started the season on a significantly higher note by beating a divisional rival.
New York had to start the season against the Dallas Cowboys and even though they were on the road, they were still able to come out on top in a hard fought contest. This game had a special significance for Eli Manning because it would mark the first time Manning stepped onto the field without Tom Coughlin in his ear. Coughlin and Manning had spent 12 years together and were even able to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy twice. Manning didn’t miss a stride in his first outing without Coughlin however, throwing for 207 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception.
Manning finished with a 110.3 passer rating, which is much more than you can say about Dak Prescott, the man filling in for Romo. Cowboys’ fans had high hopes for the rookie after he performed phenomenally in the preseason. However, Prescott finished the day with a 69.4 passer rating after only completing 25/45 passes for 227 yards.
Prescott didn’t throw any touchdowns, but he also didn’t turn the ball over. The Giants came away with it 20-19 but Prescott was able to keep the Cowboys in the game. Now with a win in the division under their belt, the Giants are one step closer to proving they are the rightful NFL betting favorites in the East.
The New Orleans Saints are New York’s next opponent and to say that they are enraged would be an understatement. The Saints opened the season by losing to the Oakland Raiders in a fashion that left New Orleans’ fans screaming. Two missed field goals is what spelled defeat for the Saints, that and the 2-point conversion the Raiders made late in the game. Sean Payton is entering his 10th year as New Orleans’ head coach and is doing his best to get his team in the playoffs. Last season the Saints finished 3rd in the NFC South, and a loss against the Giants will send them flunking through the division once more. Let’s check the odds across the top sportsbooks to see what kind of chances the Saints have on Sunday.
Week 2 – Sunday September 18th
Saints +4 ½ (-110) 53 (-110) +180
Giants -4 ½ (-110) 53 (-110) -210
The totals line is set at 53 but the last time these two teams went at it the final score was 49-52. The NFL betting odds favor the Giants in this contest but the Saints will be vying to get their first win of the season. Right now the Bucs are at the top of the NFC South, and while there may an entire season left to play, it is still humorous to see Tampa Bay atop a division that contains both the Saints and the Panthers.