The New Orleans Breakers (5-3) meet the Memphis Showboats (5-3) Saturday in a key Week 9 USFL South Division game at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET (NBC/Peacock). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Breakers vs. Showboats odds, and make our expert USFL picks, predictions and bets.
The Breakers snapped a 3-game losing streak with a 24-20 win on a neutral field in Birmingham over the Michigan Panthers last weekend.
New Orleans narrowly covered a 3-point spread in Week 8, too, halting an 0-3 run against the spread (ATS). The Over (43.5) also cashed narrowly, by just a half-point, stopping a 4-0 Under run for New Orleans.
The Showboats struggled out of the gate, going 0-3 to start the season. However, they have pushed themselves back into the playoff picture in the South Division with 5 consecutive wins and 6 straight covers.
Defense has been a huge reason for the turnaround as Memphis allowed 33.0 points per game (PPG) in the opening 3 losses, and just 11.2 PPG since. The Under has cashed in 5 in a row for the Boats.
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Breakers at Showboats odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:21 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Breakers -105 (bet $105 to win $100) | Showboats -115 (bet $115 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Breakers pk (-105) | Showboats pk (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 42.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Breakers at Showboats key injuries
(From official team Twitter pages)
Breakers
- DB Nevelle Clarke (knee) questionable
- DE Justus Reed (knee) out
Showboats
- DT Frank Herron (knee) out
- LB Jeff McCulloch (foot) out
- OL Lukayus McNeil (knee) out
- DB Quenton Meeks (ankle) out
- DB Kyree Woods (concussion) out
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Breakers at Showboats picks and predictions
Prediction
Showboats 19, Breakers 16
Moneyline
MEMPHIS (-115) is the play at the Liberty Bowl Saturday afternoon as this Showboats team is really steaming along. The defense has been tremendous lately, and the offense has been good for 22 or more points in 5 of the past 6 outings.
New Orleans barely scraped by a poor Michigan team last weekend, and it suffered a 17-10 loss against these ‘Boats in Birmingham in Week 5. With the Showboats at home, the pro-Memphis crowd should get the Showboats enough energy for a 2nd straight win in as many tries against the Breakers.
Against the spread
MEMPHIS (-115) is a pick ’em, and there is no difference playing the moneyline or the spread in this particular matchup.
Over/Under
UNDER 42.5 (-110) might be my favorite play on the board.
The defenses for both of these teams have been stout lately, with New Orleans allowing 20 or fewer points in 4 of the past 5, including the first meeting with Memphis. The Memphis D has yielded just 56 total points in the past 5 games, unsurprisingly cashing the Under in each of the outings.
We had a total of just 27 points in the first matchup in Week 5 in Birmingham. Expect another defensive slog.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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