The Pittsburgh Maulers and the New Orleans Breakers meet Sunday in the Week 1 opener at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX Sports 1). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Maulers vs. Breakers odds, and make our expert USFL picks, predictions and bets.
The Maulers posted the worst record in the USFL in 2022, winning just once in 10 tries. Pittsburgh also had a dismal minus-96 point differential, which was easily the worst in the league.
The Breakers qualified for the playoffs after going 6-4, but they lost in the division finals 31-17 to the eventual champion Birmingham Stallion. QB Kyle Sloter was on the All-USFL team, while TE Sal Cannella and C Jared Thomas also made the team on offense. TEs EJ Bibbs and Sage Surratt look to replace Cannella, who has moved on.
Sloter is gone, however, although QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson heads from the CFL to USFL trying to make noise. He’ll have playmaker WRs Jonathan Adams and Johnnie Dixon to help ease the transition.
Defensively, the Breakers had DE Davin Bellamy and DT Reggie Howard Jr. on the All-USFL team, too, while LB Jerod Fernandez joined them. Bellamy has moved on, but Fernandez and Howard are back to anchor the D.
New Orleans topped Pittsburgh by a 26-16 score in Week 6 last season, covering as the Over just came in.
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Maulers vs. Breakers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:48 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Maulers +140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Breakers -165 (bet $165 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Maulers +4 (-110) | Breakers -4 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 37.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Maulers vs. Breakers key injuries
Maulers
- LB Tyson Graham (undisclosed) out
Breakers
- None
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Maulers vs. Breakers picks and predictions
Prediction
Breakers 26, Maulers 13
Moneyline
The BREAKERS (-165) aren’t priced out of line if you just want to pick a straight-up winner, and you would rather not fool around with laying the points.
New Orleans says good-bye to Sloter, but Bethel-Thompson and newcomer QB Ageel Glass both have an array of solid downfield threats to pick up right where NOLA left off last season. MBT won the Grey Cup in Canada, and has the tools to be even better than Sloter was in 2022.
Against the spread
Backing the BREAKERS -4 (-110) is a tremendous play. The Maulers +4 (-110) were awful in 2022, and there doesn’t appear to be as many impact players on the Pittsburgh roster. Former NFL LB Reuben Foster tries to resurrect his career in the Steel City, but he hasn’t played since 2018, and it’s uncertain how much he has left in the tank.
Over/Under
OVER 37.5 (-110) is the lean, but go lightly with a half-unit play at most.
This is an awfully low number, and New Orleans should manage its fair share of points. The concern is whether or not Pittsburgh can move the ball on what was one of the better defensive units in the USFL in 2022.
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