The NFL returns on Thursday, October 20 with Week 7 and the opening game in Arizona between two conference rivals, so don’t miss out on the best Saints vs. Cardinals betting pick and odds.

Arizona is hopeful to avoid the third loss in a row when they welcome New Orleans at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals are slight -1.5 favorites on BetUS Sportsbook, while the total is set at 44.5 points. These conference foes haven’t met since 2019.

Saints dropped the lead late in a loss to the Bengals

The New Orleans Saints (2-4, 2-4 ATS) were agonizingly close to recording the second home win in many games, but after beating the Seattle Seahawks, they could do the same against the Cincinnati Bengals. Following a strong first half, the Saints scored just six points in the second 30 minutes, and even a 26-21 lead with under four minutes remaining wasn’t enough to get a W over Cincy. The visitors scored ten points late and the hosts failed to answer as they succumbed to a 30-26 defeat.

Andy Dalton completed 17 of 32 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown. Tre’Quan Smith caught that lone TD pass and also led the Saints with 43 receiving yards on three receptions. New Orleans was unstoppable on the ground and recorded 228 yards on 34 attempts. Alvin Kamara was only a yard short of reaching a 100-yard mark, while Rashid Shaheed unexpectedly erupted for a 44-yard score. Defensively, Demario Davis was a factor with a game-high two sacks and team-high nine tackles.

QB Jameis Winston (back), QB Andy Dalton (back), WR Jarvis Landry (ankle), WR Michael Thomas (foot), CB Marshon Lattimore (foot), and TE Adam Trautman (ankle) are questionable to face the Cardinals on Thursday.

Cardinals’ offense disappointed in a loss to the Seahawks

The Arizona Cardinals (2-4, 3-3 ATS) suffered the second straight defeat, and this time around, it was because of the ineffective offense that failed to produce a single touchdown. Given that they couldn’t do it against the second-worst defense in the NFL is saying everything. In the end, Arizona lost 19-9 to the divisional foes Seattle Seahawks.

The defense played well, though, and it actually scored the only TD for the Cards in this loss – it was Chris Banjo’s end zone fumble recovery. Kyler Murray completed 23 of 37 passes for 222 yards and threw an interception, but he was great on the ground with a game-high 100 rushing yards on ten attempts. Zach Ertz and Marquise Brown had 138 combined yards on 12 catches (19 targets). On defense, Zaven Collins got two of Arizona’s five sacks and also led the team with nine tackles.

WR Marquise Brown will miss up to six weeks with a left foot fracture, while QB Colt McCoy (calf), G Justin Pugh (knee), and CB Antonio Hamilton (foot) are also out. K Matt Prater (hip), C Rodney Hudson (knee), and RB James Conner (ribs) are questionable to play on Thursday against New Orleans.

Trends:

New Orleans:

•            2-4 ATS in the last six games.

Arizona:

•            7-3 ATS in the last ten games following an ATS loss

•            15-5-1 ATS in the last 21 games in October

New Orleans Saints vs. Arizona Cardinals Pick  

The Cardinals perhaps lost wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown for the next six weeks or so, but they now have star wideout DeAndre Hopkins, who is back after serving his suspension. Kyler Murray will have his favorite target and I have no doubt that Hopkins will get 10+ targets on Sunday. I know that Arizona is not scoring many points (19.0 ppg), but the hosts are playing against the fourth-worst defense in the NFL that allows 26.3 points per game. The visitors have several key offensive players either injured or playing with injuries, so I am backing the home team’s defense to get an edge here.

Pick: Take the Cardinals at -1.5 (-110)

The Total

New Orleans’ quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton are carrying injuries and it’s not going to be easy for them, whoever starts on Sunday, to get the pass offense going. In all honesty, they don’t need to use pass offense when they have such prolific runners as Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. The Cardinals’ offense is struggling of late, and even if they improve a bit here, I still expect a low-scoring affair. Under is 6-1 in New Orleans’ previous seven games after an ATS loss; Under is 5-0 in Arizona’s last five games overall, while Under is 5-0 in the Cardinals’ previous five vs. NFC opponents.

Pick: Go Under 46.5 points (-135)