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We’re only hours away from the New Orleans Saints kickoff with the Las Vegas Raiders on “Monday Night Football,” and the Saints remain road favorites to walk away with a win. That comes after the Saints ruled star wide receiver Michael Thomas out for this game with an ankle injury.
The oddsmakers at BetMGM Sportsbook still like the Saints to win, even with Thomas watching from the sidelines. New Orleans is favored by 5.5 points over Las Vegas, with an over/under set at 48.5; that implies a final score somewhere around Saints 28, Raiders 22. Still solid, but it’s a point lower than the projections when Thomas was expected to play.
Injuries have hit both sides. The Raiders are expected to be without their starting and backup right tackles, promoting a backup guard to their place, which is quite a mismatch for All-Pro Cameron Jordan. Jordan will not be joined by his bookend pass rusher Marcus Davenport, which could help create some favorable looks for impressive Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.
And, yeah, the Saints won’t have Thomas. But they should get better protection up front with rookie draft pick Cesar Ruiz making his debut. Maybe the extra second or two he can save Drew Brees here and there will make a real difference.
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