Two teams with playoff aspirations will meet in an important showdown in Week 16 when the Los Angeles Rams host the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The Rams (7-7) have won four of their last five games and enter the week with the third and final wild-card spot in the NFC playoff round. They earned a 28-20 victory over the Commanders. Meanwhile, the Saints (7-7) have won their last two games and are in a dogfight with Tampa Bay (7-7) and Atlanta (6-8) for the NFC South title.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET. Los Angeles is the 4-point favorite in the latest Saints vs. Rams odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 46. Before you make any Rams vs. Saints picks or NFL bets, you need to see what SportsLine expert Larry Hartstein has to say considering his mastery of New Orleans-related picks.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines an extensive network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. He finished 52nd (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest with a 53-34-3 ATS record. These picks form the basis of his weekly SportsLine NFL Best Bets, which are 65-41-2 since the start of last season, including a 10-2 record over the last four weeks.
Hartstein is also 45-31 (+1049) in his last 76 NFL picks against the spread in games involving the Saints. Anyone who has consistently followed him is way up there.
Now Hartstein has Rams vs. Saints in his sights and has just set his picks and NFL predictions. You can head over to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Saints vs. Rams:
- Saints vs. Rams distribution: Los Angeles -4
- Saints vs. Rams over/under: 46 points
- Money line Saints vs. Rams: Los Angeles -206, New Orleans +171
- LAR: RB Kyren Williams ranks fourth in rushing yards (953)
- NO: Saints rank sixth in scoring defense (19.1 points per game)
- Saints vs. Rams picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Saints vs. Rams Live Stream: Watch on Amazon Prime
Why the Rams can cover
Los Angeles receiver Cooper Kupp appears to have finally escaped his years of thrill-seeking. In his first seven games of the season, the former Super Bowl MVP had 27 receptions for 393 yards and one touchdown. In his last three games, he had 22 receptions for 265 yards and three touchdowns. He had consecutive games with eight receptions, at least 110 receiving yards and a score.
Additionally, Aaron Donald remains a pass-rushing force. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year leads the team in quarterback hits (21) and is tied for the lead in sacks (6.0) this season. He has had at least 20 quarterback hits in eight of his last nine seasons, which is the most in the league during that span. See which team you should choose here.
Why the Saints can cover
New Orleans has won the turnover battle handily all season. The Saints have forced 22 turnovers, ranking ninth in the league. This takeaway ability has helped New Orleans post a +5 turnover margin, which is eighth. In contrast, the Rams' turnover margin is -2, which ranks 18th.
Additionally, the Saints defense has played well all year. New Orleans is allowing just 19.1 points per game, which ranks sixth in the league. The team has also allowed fewer than 10 points in a game four times this season; only the Ravens' defense was better. See which team you should choose here.
How to make Rams vs. Saints picks
Hartstein has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning over the point total, he's discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping over one side of the range. He only reveals what it is and which side you should support at SportsLine.
Who will win Rams vs. Saints on Thursday Night Football and what crucial X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-see? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rams vs. Saints is further behind, everything from the expert to a 45-31 roll on picks involving the Saints and find out.