The Washington Commanders (8-5) face the New Orleans Saints (5-8) in NFL Week 15 action from the Caesars Superdome.
It will be the first game in the burgundy and gold for cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who will face his former team. The Commanders traded for Lattimore at last month’s NFL trade deadline. Lattimore spent the first 7.5 seasons of his NFL career in New Orleans.
Since Washington acquired Lattimore, he’s been sidelined with a hamstring injury. He practiced fully last week and will start.
Meanwhile, the Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen after a 2-7 start. New Orleans promoted special teams coach Darren Rizzi to interim coach, and the Saints have won three of their last four.
However, entering Sunday’s game, New Orleans will be without starting quarterback Derek Carr. Second-year QB Jake Haener will make his first career start. Haener will be bereft of offensive weapons, as the Saints have lost Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Taysom Hill over the last several weeks.
The good news for Haener is he’ll have running back Alvin Kamara.
As expected, the Commanders are big favorites over the Saints. While oddsmakers see Washington coming away with the win, what do the experts think?
According to NFL Pickwatch, 99% of the expert picks favor the Commanders. Washington has been on the other side of these odds for years. Just a few weeks ago, the Commanders were double-digit favorites over the Cowboys and lost a wild game.
Analyzing Commanders vs. Saints game with odds and lines, predictions and best bets.
The Washington Commanders (8-5) are back in action Sunday, traveling south to face the New Orleans Saints (5-8).
Washington looks to continue its playoff push. The Commanders lead the Los Angeles Rams for the NFC’s No. 7 playoff seed by half a game.
The Saints enter Sunday’s game winners of three of their last four games but will likely be without starting quarterback Derek Carr. Carr suffered a fractured non-throwing hand and a concussion last week. Jake Haener is expected to start for New Orleans.
Below are the latest odds and our final score prediction for Sunday.
The Commanders are coming off a much-needed bye week. They did receive some bad news last week when coach Dan Quinn revealed wide receiver Noah Brown would likely be out for the remainder of the season. On Sunday, expect OC Kliff Kingsbury to establish the run early and create some downfield shot plays to Terry McLaurin. Also, don’t be shocked to see Dyami Brown to continue to receive more opportunities. Defensively, the Commanders will get after Jake Haener early and often. Commanders 31, Saints 10
Ivan Lambert:
Well, the Commanders just signed their seventh kicker to their active roster this season.
But the Commanders are looking to pound the ball many times against the Saints, hoping the place-kicker problems won’t matter in New Orleans.
CB Marcus Lattimore makes his debut, but WR Noah Brown is most likely lost for the remainder of the season.
Most Commanders fans will have not even heard of Saints starter QB Jake Haener.
If the Commanders can control RB Alvin Kamara, getting on top of the Saints early, it could result in a miserable start for Haener.
The Saints’ run defense is one of the worst in the NFL, so look for Kliff Kingsbury to have the Commanders and Jayden Daniels running the ball. Commanders 26, Saints 13
Serena Burks: The Commanders are fresh off their bye week and facing a struggling Saints team that has lost several skill players this season. The Saints haven’t been eliminated from playoff contention yet, but the likelihood is slim in the ultra-competitive NFC. The Commanders are still on their way to a wild card berth as long as they continue to win, and with more players healthy this week, the likelihood that they win on the road is good. The Commanders have some serious offensive weapons, and the Saints’ defense ranks near the bottom of the league in most metrics. Meanwhile, the Saints have limited offensive weapons, mainly Alvin Kamara, and the Commanders’ defense is equipped enough to handle a one-dimensional attack. Commanders 35, Saints 13
Commanders vs. Saints channel, start time, streaming:
The Commanders vs. Titans game starts at 1:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on FOX.
Golf’s silly season is here, and the first tournament up to bat is Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in Albany. Although the 15-time major champion isn’t in the field, we’ll still be treated with some of the best players in the world including Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark and Patrick Cantlay, among others.
Because this isn’t an official PGA Tour event, the winner will not earn any FedEx Cup points. One thing is official, however — the money. Sunday’s champion will go home with $1 million of the $5 million purse.
Without further ado, let’s jump into our betting preview and see who we’ll be targeting in The Bahamas.
Scottie Scheffler plays his shot from the 18th tee during the final round of the Hero World Challenge at Albany Golf Course on December 03, 2023 in Nassau, Bahamas. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Hero World Challenge betting odds
Player
Odds
Player
Odds
Scottie Scheffler
(+220)
Sahith Theegala
(+2200)
Ludvig Aberg
(+850)
Jason Day
(+2200)
Justin Thomas
(+1000)
Robert MacIntyre
(+2500)
Sungjae Im
(+1400)
Akshay Bhatia
(+2500)
Sam Burns
(+1400)
Aaron Rai
(+2500)
Russell Henley
(+1400)
Keegan Bradley
(+2500)
Patrick Cantlay
(+1600)
Cameron Young
(+2800)
Wyndham Clark
(+1800)
Sepp Straka
(+3000)
Brian Harman
(+2000)
Nick Dunlap
(+3500)
Tom Kim
(+2000)
Matthieu Pavon
(+8000)
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3413″ ]
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Picks to win the Hero World Challenge
Justin Thomas
Justin Thomas of the US tees off at the 10th hole during the round 1 of Zozo Championships PGA golf tournament at the Narashino Country Club in Inzai, Chiba prefecture on October 24, 2024 (Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
Odds: 10/1
Analysis: Woods’ best buddy has finished T-5 or better in four straight appearances at the Hero, including a third-place finish last December. In his last Tour start, the Louisville product tied for second at the Zozo Championship in Japan.
Tom Kim
Tom Kim walks on the first green during the third round of the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Odds: 20/1
Analysis: In a 20-man field, getting +2000 odds for Tom Kim is too good to pass up. Despite missing the cut in his latest Tour start — Shriners Children’s Open — Kim finished second a week later at the DP World Tour’s Genesis Championship. He’s played in the Hero once, finishing T-10 in 2022.
Robert MacIntyre
Robert MacIntyre of Scotland plays his second shot on the 15th hole during day four of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2024 at the Old Course at St Andrews on October 06, 2024 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Odds: 25/1
Analysis: Unlike many of the players in this field, MacIntyre has been playing golf this fall. In his last two DP World Tour starts, the Scot finished T-19 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and T-7 at the DP World Tour Championship. This will be MacIntyre’s first appearance at the Hero.
Losing to the Rams didn’t help the Saints’ draft pick, but Monday night’s result could. Be sure to cheer against Sean Payton and the Broncos:
Well this stings. The New Orleans Saints’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 didn’t even help their position in the 2025 NFL draft order. But they aren’t out of the woods yet. The Denver Broncos’ game with the Cleveland Browns on “Monday Night Football” could do a lot to help them out. All Saints fans need to do is root against Sean Payton (or for Jameis Winston).
The Saints went into their matchup with the Rams projected to pick at No. 9 overall, per Tankathon. They’re still at No. 9 after losing to LA, which put their record at 4-8. The Browns are slotted ahead of them at 3-8, and a loss to the Broncos on Monday night could keep them there.
But a win would tie Cleveland with New Orleans, both at 4-8. Their head-to-head result wouldn’t put the Saints ahead, but their lower strength of schedule (.495, at the moment) would help them against the Browns (whose SOS is .512 before this Broncos game). So if the Browns win, they would drop down behind the Saints, who would move up to the eighth overall pick.
For now. There are five more weeks left in the regular season to determine who picks where at the top of the NFL draft. The Saints aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and they showed plenty of fight in that loss to the Rams; don’t expect them to go in the tank and hope for a better draft pick. We’ll keep tracking where they rank through the weeks ahead, but know this is a fluid process.
The New Orleans Saints would be thankful to get Michigan standout Mason Graham in the 2025 NFL draft. He could care what ails their run defense:
It’s no secret that the New Orleans Saints defensive line isn’t what it used to be. They’re giving up 5.0 yards per rushing attempt this season, second-worst in the NFL. Second-year pro Bryan Bresee has made some strides as a pass rusher but he hasn’t quite developed into the three-down asset the Saints hoped for, at least not yet. He could use some more help in the middle of the line.
That’s why Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy linked the Saints to Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham in his latest projection. He’s a finalist for the exclusive Outland Trophy, the national award for college football’s best interior lineman. Graham is both one of the youngest players in the 2025 NFL draft class (he turned 21 in September) and one of its best athletes, pound-for-pound or otherwise.
The 6-foot-3, 318-pound junior brings high-end movement skills for someone his size; he fires off the snap and can cross a guard’s face in a hurry. But he also has the lower-body strength needed to anchor the line and not give ground against advancing opponents. He’s someone who could set up his teammates by occupying multiple blockers, clogging lanes, or forcing the offense to send extra attention his way.
So he could be a good fit with the Saints. They’ve tried to rebuild their interior line after letting David Onyemata walk away in free agency a couple summers ago, but even with free agent signings like Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders and late-round draft picks like Khristian Boyd, the group still lacks an edge. Maybe Graham can be the guy to turn the tide. We’ll just have to wait and see whether the Saints will be in position to draft him next April. If they’re still picking at No. 9 overall, like in this mock draft? They should have a shot.
The Saints remain in the top-10 of the 2025 NFL draft after their bye, but a surprise Week 12 victory changed their position:
The New Orleans Saints moved up one spot in the NFL draft order after Week 12, and they didn’t even have to lose a game to get it done.
There was a point where New Orleans had a top-five selection. A coaching change and 2 wins in a row later and New Orleans was the last team in the top-ten. After Week 12’s action, the Saints moved from the tenth pick to the ninth.
Ironically, it was a Dallas Cowboys victory that helped them out. When the Cowboys surprisingly defeated the Washington Commanders, it created a complete logjam with several competing teams at 4-7. The Saints may have beaten the Cowboys head to head, but in a tie between the Saints, Cowboys, Bengals and Bears, New Orleans would have the highest draft pick.
There’s not a large separation at the top of the draft. The Patriots have three wins and the fourth overall pick and the Bears are at No. 14 with four wins. The Saints could easily find themselves in either of those regions depending on this week’s outcome.
The final official PGA Tour event of 2024 has arrived, as Sea Island Golf Club’s Seaside Course is once again set to host The RSM Classic. Defending champion Ludvig Aberg makes his return to golf’s biggest stage this week after a two-month recovery from knee surgery. The Swede hasn’t played since a 16th-place finish at the Tour Championship.
Some of the other players teeing it up in St. Simons Island, Georgia, this week include Brian Harman, Harris English, Lucas Glover, J.T. Poston and Denny McCarthy.
The champion on Sunday afternoon will receive $1.368 million of the $7.6 million purse and 500 FedEx Cup points.
This is the final week for players to solidify their spot in the FedEx Cup top 125 and earn cards for next season. There are several notable players on the bubble in the RSM field, including Joel Dahmen and Daniel Berger.
Golf course
Sea Island Golf Club’s Seaside Course | Par 70 | 7,005 yards
Ludvig Aberg of Sweden plays a shot from a bunker on the 13th hole during the final round of The RSM Classic on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Resort on November 19, 2023 in St Simons Island, Georgia. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Course history
Course history at Sea Island Resort for the RSM Classic
Ben Griffin walks down the fairway on the 18th hole on the first day of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Odds: 30/1
Analysis: We had Griffin on the card last week for the Bermuda Championship and he finished solo eighth. So, we’re riding with him again, hoping he can earn his first Tour victory at the RSM.
He has four top-25 finishes in his last five starts and has played well at Sea Island in the past: T-8 in 2023 and T-29 in 2022.
J.J. Spaun
J.J. Spaun of the United States plays his shot from the 15th tee during the second round of the Procore Championship 2024 at Silverado Resort on September 13, 2024 in Napa, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Odds: 35/1
Analysis: Spaun has loved this tournament over the last few years: T-13 in 2023, T-15 in 2022 and T-16 in 2021. Before a T-30 finish at the World Wide Technology Championship a few weeks ago, Spaun tied for sixth at the Zozo Championship.
Greyson Sigg
Greyson Sigg of the United States prepares to play his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship 2024 at Port Royal Golf Course on November 14, 2024 in Southampton, Bermuda. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Odds: 60/1
Analysis: Since missing the cut at the Sanderson Farms, Sigg has played some high-level golf. He tied for 11th at the Black Desert, for 23rd at the Shriners and for ninth last week in Bermuda. The Augusta, Georgia, native tied for eighth at the RSM last year and finished in a share of 15th in 2022.
The Butterfield Bermuda Championship, the penultimate event for the PGA Tour in 2024, kicks off Thursday at Port Royal Golf Course. Another rank-and-file field has gathered in Southhampton, Bermuda, highlighted by Mackenzie Hughes, Lucas Glover, Seamus Power, Maverick McNealy and Daniel Berger.
Defending champion Camilo Villegas has made just five cuts across 24 starts so far this year, but maybe a trip back to the course where he captured his fifth Tour win will break his slump.
This week’s winner will go home with $1.242 million of the $6.9 million purse and 500 FedEx Cup points.
Now, let’s jump into our betting preview and discuss a few players we’re picking to contend in Bermuda.
Ryan Armour, Kevin Chappell and D.J. Trahan of the United States walk to the 16th green during the second round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course on November 10, 2023 in Southampton, Bermuda. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Things to keep in mind
Wind can play a major factor at this track, so pay attention to a potential wave advantage.
This is not a course players can dominate with their drivers. This is a plot-your-way-around type track. Think Harbour Town (RBC Heritage).
Scores can get low out here — Villegas won at 24 under. Let’s prioritize Strokes Gained: Approach and SG: Putting (Bermuda).
Course history
Course history at Port Royal Golf Course for the Bermuda Championship
-Includes average finish position and SG average since 2019
Picks to win the 2024 Butterfield Bermuda Championship
Ben Griffin
Ben Griffin walks down the fairway on the 18th hole on the first day of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday, August 15, 2024.
Best odds: 20/1 (+2000), DraftKings and FanDuel
Analysis: Griffin has been flirting with his first Tour win for more than a year now, and this seems like a great spot for him to get it. He’s coming off back-to-back top-25 finishes at the Zozo Championship and World Wide Technology Championship, and he has a T-3 finish at this event in 2022.
Justin Lower
Justin Lower of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2024 at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 09, 2024 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Best odds: 25/1 (+2500), several books
Analysis: Lower played some great golf last week but couldn’t quite catch Austin Eckroat. He finished in a tie for second. Now, he heads to a course he loves. In three starts at Port Royal, Lower has three top-20 finishes, including a tie for eighth at the end of 2022.
Patrick Rodgers
Patrick Rodgers of the United States plays his shot from the 16th tee during the second round of the Sanderson Farms Championship 2024 at the Country Club of Jackson on October 04, 2024 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Raj Mehta/Getty Images)
Best odds: 30/1 (+3000), FanDuel and Caesars
Analysis: Rodgers has made 279 starts on the PGA Tour and hasn’t put a tally in the win column. Is this his week? Over the last month, Rodgers has tied for 11th at the Black Desert Championship and for 24th at the World Wide Technology Championship. In 2021, Rodgers finished solo fourth at Port Royal. A year later, he tied for third.
Vince Whaley
Vince Whaley hits his tee shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Best odds: 55/1 (+5500), FanDuel and BetMGM
Analysis: Whaley has two T-16 finishes during the Tour’s fall season — Sanderson Farms Championship, Shriners Children’s Open — and has played well at Port Royal in the past. In 2023, he tied for eighth, and in 2021, he finished T-7.
The experts weigh in on Sunday’s game between the Commanders and Steelers.
The Washington Commanders (7-2) host the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) on Sunday from Northwest Stadium in arguably the game of the weekend.
The Commanders and Steelers come into Week 10 riding high on three-game winning streaks. However, Pittsburgh has an advantage, coming off a bye and heading into this game healthy.
Meanwhile, the NFC East-leading Commanders are banged up. Running back Brian Robinson Jr., offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and kicker Austin Seibert are out. Additionally, long snapper Tyler Ott and right tackle Andrew Wylie are questionable. All indications are Ott and Wylie will play.
Washington is a 2.5-point favorite over Pittsburgh, but Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has a 13-4 record off bye weeks.
So, who has the advantage?
According to NFL Pickwatch, the experts have weighed in, with 58% of the picks coming for the Commanders.
Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels will have his hands full against a Pittsburgh defense led by T.J. Watt, Patrick Queen and Cameron Heyward. Will Daniels pull off more magic to lead the Commanders to their fourth straight win?
Both teams run the ball well, and whichever team runs the ball the best on Sunday will likely emerge as the winner.
Here’s what the Saints got from their trade for Marshon Lattimore. The Commanders sent back multiple draft picks, including one of the Saints’ own:
Marshon Lattimore is on his way to the Washington Commanders after the New Orleans Saints cut a deal to trade the former four-time Pro Bowl cornerback. Was it worth it? What did they get back in the trade? Here’s what we know.
NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that the Saints packaged a fifth-round pick with Lattimore to get back picks in the third, fourth, and sixth rounds. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed that the sixth rounder is the same pick New Orleans traded to Washington earlier this year, which they spent to acquire defensive tackle John Ridgeway III (plus a conditional seventh rounder).
But we’re still waiting for word on the third-round pick. If it’s Washington’s own choice, that is projected to fall at No. 93 overall. If it’s the third rounder the Commanders got from the Miami Dolphins (through the Philadelphia Eagles), that would slot in at No. 72 overall. That’s a massive swing, and getting the Commanders pick instead of the Dolphins choice would be significantly worse for New Orleans.
What about the salary cap? Lattimore restructured his deal earlier this year so the cap savings in 2024 are minimal — about $605,000 in remaining salary to be paid out in game checks each week. Lattimore will also count against the 2025 salary cap by a staggering $31.6 million, but he’s off the books for good starting in 2026.
