| NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (10-6 SU, 10-6 ATS): Sean | | | | |
| Payton did the impossible in New Orleans last | | | | TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-12 SU, 6-9-1 ATS): |
| season, turning a moribund 3-13 team into a | | | | While the Saints were going from worst to |
| Super Bowl contender. With the return of QB | | | | first, the Buccaneers were heading in the |
| Drew Brees, twin RB threats Deuce McAllister | | | | opposite direction, from first to worst last |
| and Reggie Bush, and emerging WR star Marques | | | | year. Head Coach Jon Gruden hopes that savvy |
| Colston, the offense is lethal. The defense | | | | QB Jeff Garcia, who the Buccaneers acquired |
| also showed improvement under first year | | | | through free agency, will be able to run his |
| coordinator Gary Gibbs but lacked aggression, | | | | complex West Coast offense with more |
| finishing 31st in the NFL in takeaways in | | | | precision than Chris Simms or Bruce |
| 2006. The line, led by Charles Grant and Will | | | | Gradkowski did in 2006. Tampa Bay has gotten |
| Smith, is solid but the Saints need more | | | | old on defense, falling from the top 10 in |
| big-play potential at linebacker and in the | | | | the league for the first time in a decade |
| secondary. Still, an offense as potent as New | | | | last season while ranking 31st in sacks with |
| Orleans' will win a lot of games. | | | | just 25. |
| | | | |
| By the Numbers (Regular Season, 1998-2006) | | | | By the Numbers (Regular Season, 1998-2006) |
| | | | |
| SU: 64-80 | | | | SU: 77-67 |
| | | | |
| ATS: 69-72-3 | | | | ATS: 69-69-6 |
| | | | |
| HF: 14-24-1 | | | | HF: 30-26-2 |
| | | | |
| HD: 10-16-2 | | | | HD: 9-2-1 |
| | | | |
| AF: 9-6 | | | | AF: 15-18 |
| | | | |
| AD: 32-25 | | | | AD: 15-21-2 |
| | | | |
| Sportsbook Buster: The Saints are 8-2 ATS | | | | Sportsbook Buster: The Buccaneers are 5-1 ATS |
| their last 10 games versus the 49ers, who | | | | versus the Rams, who they play at home, Sept. |
| they play in San Francisco, Oct. 28. | | | | 23. |
| | | | |
| NFL Betting Angle: New Orleans has been a | | | | NFL Betting Angle: Tampa Bay was 3-1 ATS last |
| miserable bet at home, compiling just a | | | | year and is 9-2-1 ATS the last nine seasons |
| 24-40-3 record ATS the last nine seasons. | | | | in the role of a home underdog. |
| | | | |
| CAROLINA PANTHERS (8-8 SU, 5-9-2 ATS): | | | | ATLANTA FALCONS (7-9 SU, 8-8 ATS): The |
| Injuries ravaged the Panthers and the team | | | | Falcons didn't figure to be a playoff |
| that made it to the Super Bowl a year earlier | | | | contender with QB Mike Vick so their fortunes |
| couldn't even make to a winning record in | | | | are even dimmer now that Vick is likely to |
| 2006. The offense struggled last year with | | | | miss the season defending himself against a |
| inconsistent play from QB Jake Delhomme and a | | | | federal indictment for dog-fighting sand |
| ground game that finished 24th in the NFL, | | | | gambling. New Head Coach Bobby Petrino will |
| prompting Head Coach John Fox to fire | | | | have to overhaul an offense that has been |
| offensive coordinator Dan Henning and replace | | | | dependent on Vick since his arrival in |
| him with Jeff Davidson. The Carolina defense | | | | Atlanta seven years ago. The defense, which |
| was as good as the offense was bad last year | | | | played well last year, gets a new coordinator |
| with DE Julius Peppers leading the way. The | | | | in Mike Zimmer, from Dallas. |
| Panthers also have a quality secondary and | | | | |
| hope that No. 1 draft choice Jon Beason | | | | By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2002-2006) |
| (Miami) will be the playmaker they need at | | | | |
| linebacker. | | | | SU: 70-73-1 |
| | | | |
| By the Numbers (Regular Season, 1998-2006) | | | | ATS: 68-70-6 |
| | | | |
| SU: 64-80 | | | | HF: 22-21-2 |
| | | | |
| ATS: 71-66-7 | | | | HD: 10-17 |
| | | | |
| HF: 20-27-1 | | | | AF: 9-6-1 |
| | | | |
| HD: 13-9-2 | | | | AD: 27-26-3 |
| | | | |
| AF: 8-12-1 | | | | Sportsbook Buster: The Falcons are 4-0 ATS |
| | | | versus the Lions at home their last four |
| AD: 27-19-3 | | | | meetings. The teams meet in Tampa Bay, Nov. |
| | | | 11. |
| Sportsbook Buster: The Panthers are 6-0 ATS | | | | |
| versus the Saints, their last half-dozen | | | | NFL Betting Angle: Atlanta is 9-2 as an |
| meetings. | | | | underdog after a bye week. This year, Atlanta |
| | | | travels to Tampa Bay, Nov. 4, after its open |
| NFL Betting Angle: Carolina is 3-12 ATS as a | | | | week. |
| favorite of between four and seven points. | | | | |