Will the New Orleans Saints end their three-game losing streak this week? A lot of NFL experts and fan blogs seem to think so. 67% of the hundreds of Week 5 game picks surveyed at NFL Pickwatch like the Saints at home rather than the visiting Seattle Seahawks, which seems notable for a couple of reasons. The football cognoscenti sided with New Orleans’ opponent a week ago, but after a heartbreaking last-minute loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Saints are being seen in a new light. Maybe.
The Saints could sure use a win. Seattle is red-hot, having just scored more points in their Week 4 win (48) than in their first three games put together (47), and quarterback Geno Smith is enjoying a career renaissance to start the season. New Orleans is likely starting Andy Dalton under center again this week, and though he’ll be working with Alvin Kamara for the first time this season, he’s probably going to be without Michael Thomas. Hopefully Kamara and rookie standout Chris Olave can make his job a bit easier against a porous Seahawks defense.
As for other game picks around the NFC South: an overwhelming majority is siding with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (95%) at home against the visiting Atlanta Falcons, and there aren’t many brave or delusional enough to pick the Carolina Panthers (2%) in their home game with the San Francisco 49ers. But the experts have been wrong before, and they’ll be wrong again. Let’s just see if the Saints can prove them right on Sunday.