Saints Look To Remain Perfect Against St. Louis As 13 1/2 Point Favorites

NFL News - November 10th, 2009 - Written by Scott

The St. Louis Rams finally got their first win of the season on Sunday as they defeated the Detroit Lions 17-10. Celebrations are well deserved for the Rams after notching their first win of the year. The only problem that lies ahead for St. Louis is they now face one of the only two undefeated teams on Sunday as they host the New Orleans Saints. The Saints got past Carolina on Sunday and now hold a commanding lead in the NFC South. The Rams (1-7) sit in the cellar in NFC West.

The New Orleans Saints possess arguably one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL and are averaging 37.9 points per game and 426 total yards, both league bests. Quarterback Drew Brees is having one of the best seasons in his career and has thrown for 2,336 yards and 17 touchdowns. Not only are the Saints dominant through the air, they also have the fifth ranked rushing offense in the league and are averaging 144 yards on the ground per game. The running back trio of Mike Bell, Pierre Thomas, and Reggie Bush have combined for 1,058 yards and 11 touchdowns. Leading the way at wide receiver is Marques Colston, who has 596 yards receiving and 6 touchdowns. If the struggling Rams' defense does not drastically improve this week, it could be a long game for St. Louis.

New Orleans has excelled on the defensive side of the ball as well. They have recorded a total of 25 turnovers, including 16 interceptions. Darren Sharper is their leader in the secondary and has picked off 7 passes this season.

The Rams' offense has been non-existent all season. They are only averaging 9 points per game and are last in the league in total yards with just 287 per game. Quarterback Marc Bulger has passed for 956 yards with only 3 touchdowns, but has thrown 4 interceptions this season. The lone bright spot for St. Louis offensively is their running attack. Running back Steven Jackson has rushed for 956 yards, but has found the end zone only once this year. Donny Avery and Keenan Burton have been the lone receivers who have produced this year and have combined for 539 yards and just 2 touchdowns. The Rams have produced only 8 touchdowns all year and must find away to find the end zone more on Sunday if they are to have any chance against the Saints.

St. Louis' defense has not done much to help out their ailing offense. They find themselves allowing 27.6 points per game and are ranked in the bottom third in the league in all defensive categories. They have also struggled with forcing turnovers and have only manages 10 this season. Finding ways to create turnovers will be key for the Rams on Sunday.

The Saints will be favored by 13 1/2 on the road Sunday according to Betus sportsbook and New Orleans is 6-0-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road. The over/under is set at 50 and the total has gone over in 5 of the Saints' last 6 games when playing the Rams.

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